A tremendous season for Exceed And Excel, which has included Group 1 wins for Excelebration and Margot Did, has led to increased demand for his offspring at the sales, with his son out of the Bahri mare Temple Of Thebes topping a vibrant Book 2 at Tattersalls’ October Sale when selling for 260,000gns. The Lofts Hall Stud-consigned colt will spend his racing days overseas having been selected by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
He was one of four six-figure lots by the sire throughout the three-day auction, the other three being snapped up by Roger Varian, Blandford Bloodstock and Anthony Stroud. In total, 20 of his yearlings were sold this week for an average of 64,300gns.
Third best price of the week at Tattersalls was paid for a son of Shamardal, already named Meshardal, out of Melody Fair (Montjeu). Consigned by Pier House Stud, he went the way of Peter and Ross Doyle for 220,000gns.
The names of Iffraaj and Dubawi also appeared among the top ten in Book 2, with an Iffraaj colt out of Khibraat (Alhaarth) joining the ranks of Shadwell’s juveniles for next year for 160,000gns, and a Dubawi colt joining the sales-topper on the Hong Kong Jockey Club list of purchases, also at 160,000gns.
Iffraaj was also popular with Roger Varian, unsurprisingly considering the young trainer was Michael Jarvis’s assistant when the good-looking Iffraaj was in training at Kremlin House Stables. One of his sons, consigned by Whatton Manor Stud and out of the Green Desert mare Hurricane Irene, is now also heading that way after being knocked down for 110,000gns.
An Authorized colt from the family of Zieten and Blue Duster was knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson at 120,000gns, while John Warren selected a son of Teofilo out of Israar (Machiavellian) for 115,000gns.
