A Tale Of The Cat filly from Zakuro(Lot 211) is the new top-priced lot of the 2012 Classic Yearling Sale after she was knocked down to Les Bridge and Kim Harding for $120,000 on Monday. The half-sister to Randwick winner Zak, also trained by Bridge, was offered at the sale by Crowning Stone of Scone.

Choisir was selected from Classic as a yearling for just $55,000 before going onto Group 1 success at Flemington and Royal Ascot, and his filly  from Tagine (Lot 157) was picked up by Lockyer Thoroughbreds for $110,000 making her the second highest priced lot at the sale so far.

Ready's Image - Topsinga colt

BC3 Thoroughbreds was extended to $100,000 to secure Lincoln Farm’s Ready’s Image - Topsinga colt (Lot 177) and Brett Howard’s Randwick Bloodstock saw off all the competition to purchase the Henrythenavigator - Coffee Shop filly (Lot 315) for $90,000 from Amarina Farm.

154 yearlings sold to gross $4.94 million on Monday and five yearlings selling for $100,000 or more. ”Classic has a great record of producing top class gallopers by young sires and it was very pleasing to see the progeny of first season sires such as Ready’s Image and Henrythenavigator being so sought after alongside the proven sires today,” said Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster.

“Vendors have done a fantastic job presenting their yearlings in brilliant fashion and with the knowledge that Group One winners have been purchased at all different levels at Classic it has been great to see so many loyal buyers from around the region back buying at the sale,” said Inglis Auctioneer Jonathan D’Arcy

Patinack Farm has enjoyed Group race success with the offspring of Tale Of The Cat (USA) courtesy of Trusting and Gathering and the manner in which Dassault (3 g Tale Of The Cat – Bird Royale, by Bluebird) came from last to first in winning Wednesday’s $13,000 Racing Retro Maiden (1200m) at Eagle Farm suggests that he will be winning more races.

Dassault had shown trainer John Thompson plenty of natural ability in Sydney but his wayward tendencies led to him being gelded after his first two starts.

On Wednesday Dassault raced without blinkers as well and showed that he can go on to better things with a strong win, rushing home under Timothy Bell to make up several lengths to defeat Hidden Rock and Our Hand Of Faith in a driving finish.

Dassault becomes the sixth winner for his dam, the good Perth racemare Bird Royale, whose 2010 colt by Group 1 winner Casino Prince (Flying Spur) is to be offered at the Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast in January.

Coolmore Stud enjoyed a successful day at the Breeders’ Cup meeting in the US but also took its form to Hong Kong where its sires produced a winning treble on Saturday at Sha Tin.

Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat - Yarn, by Mr Prospector) started the Sha Tin meeting in good style for Coolmore sires when his son Super Goodies scored a half-length win in the Sun Wui Handicap (1200m).

Coolmore’s champion Danehill Dancer (Danehill - Mira Adonde, by Sharpen Up) produced the operation’s second Hong Kong winner on Saturday when the Ricky Yiu-trained Jade Christy (Danehill Dancer - Fandangles, by Centaine).

Jade Christy’s dam Fandangles (Centaine - Eastern Joy, by Three Legs) is from the same family as stakes winners Volksini (Volksraad - Indochine, by Grosvenor), Piachay (Danasinga - Pleasure, by Nassipour) and Utility (Flying Spur - Pleasure, by Nassipour).

Lightly-raced High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells - Kasora, by Darshaan) gelding Hear The Roar (High Chaparral - Talbya, by Mujtahid) completed Coolmore’s Hong Kong treble with his win in the Leighton Handicap (1800m).

“I think he will probably hold his own (in better class),” Hear The Roar’s trainer Sean Woods told the South China Morning Post. “He is only a young horse who had limited racing in England so we’ll look for him to improve a lot this year.”

Coolmore stallions were on fire with a stakes treble around Australia yesterday. Trusting (Tale Of The Cat) winning the Chelmsford Stakes at Warwick Farm; Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock) sprinting home late to score in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (Gr 3) and Niblick (Encosta de Lago) the Sofitel Stakes (Listed) at Flemington.

Trusting (5 h Tale Of The Cat - Legible, by Zabeel) was strong at the finish in defeating My Kingdom of Fife (Kingmambo) in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes over 1600m. “He has got all the ability in the world, I was only saying to Nathan’s [Tinkler] sister yesterday that when he goes to stud I am going to buy a mare myself to send to him because he is just a beautiful horse, he is very much a stallion and it is sometimes hard to coax it out of him when his mind isn’t on the job but when he is a very good horse.” winning trainer John Thompson said. “As everyone who has ridden him has said, one day he will jump, the next day he will be standing still but hopefully he keeps rolling on.”

Niblick (5 g Encosta de Lago - Leica Vista, by Sir Tristram) won his first stakes race in the Listed Sofitel Stakes for owner Lloyd Williams and is the 86th stakes winner for Encosta de Lago while Lone Rock (4 m Fastnet Rock - Pride Of Pine, by Lion Cavern) has charged home to dent Bel Sprinter’s unbeaten record in the Group III Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington.

“She has done it pretty easily in the end.” Henry Dwyer, stable foreman for Robert Smerdon said. “She has won two Group races over 1200 metres but she is probably a 1400-metre horse. She gets back, she relaxes and she finishes off.”

A Coolmore double at Kensington has given the stud a slight edge over its main rivals in the early stages of the Sydney metropolitan season.

Coolmore and Darley have started the 2011/12 season locked in a battle for supremacy in Sydney. The Anthony Cummings-trained Kerchings (Tale Of The Cat - Princess Alaana, by Dahar) took out the Coogee Maiden Plate (1800m) before Dawnfire Dancer (Danehill Dancer - Dawnfire, by Integra) claimed the Galaxy Dining Room Handicap (2500m) at Kensington.

Coolmore’s dual success took its Sydney win tally for the season to seven, one more than the Darley operation.

Arrowfield’s four Sydney winners to date means stallions from three studs have won 17 of the 22 metropolitan races contested in NSW this season.

Coolmore Stud stallions were unstoppable on Sunday with the Hunter Valley operation producing trebles at both the Sunshine Coast meeting in Australia and the Sha Tin fixture in Hong Kong.

High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells – Kasora, by Darshaan) started the day in fine style for the stud with a running double at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Harish’s (High Chaparral – Centamira, by Centaine) win in the Dallas Campbell Memorial Maiden (1600m) followed Handsome’s (High Chaparral – Prized Gem, by Prized) success in the Yalumba Wines Plate (2200m).

Handsome failed to reach his $150,000 reserve at the 2008 Karaka Sale. The four-year-old is out of the dual Group 1 winner Prized Gem (Prized – Vaguely Attentive, by Noble Bijou), making Handsome a three-quarter brother to the 2008 Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner Nom Du Jeu (Montjeu - Prized Gem, by Prized).

Encosta De Lago (Fairy King – Shoal Creek, by Star Way) gained his fourth two-year-old win of the season when the John Sargent-trained youngster Largo Da Barra (Encosta De Lago – Amanusa, by Alzao) won the Southside Wrecking Handicap (1400m).

Later, Coolmore stalwart Royal Academy (Nijinsky II – Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) started a hat-trick of victories for the stud at Sha Tin with Darpana’s (Royal Academy – Going Raja, by Well Decorated) success in the Peacock Handicap (1200m). Cat Storm (Tale Of The Cat – Eternal Youth, by Fairy King) provided Coolmore’s second win of the day in Flamingo Handicap (1200m) before Choisir (Danehill Dancer – Great Selection, by Lunchtime) completed the operation’s Hong Kong trio when Mustang (Choisir – Maid Of Pines, by Charnwood Forest) claimed the Swan Handicap (1400m).

Meanwhile, Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat – Yarn, by Mr Prospector) and his son Lion Heart (Tale Of The Cat – Satin Sunrise, by Mr Leader) provided a Coolmore double at Sunday’s Warwick Farm meeting. The Chris Waller-trained Great Heart (Tale Of The Cat – Floridays, by Kenmare) won the Calcoup Knitwear Handicap (1300m) before Trilione (Lion Heart – Al Terzo, by Brave Warrior) took out the Metro Civil Contractors Handicap (1200m) for the Joe Pride stable.

Fastnet Rock is the most expensive stallion on Coolmore’s Australian roster  this year with his fee set at $132,000 Champion sire Encosta De Lago will stand at a reduced fee of $110,000 with High Chaparral up on last year at $99,000.

Starspangledbanner proved popular in Ireland in his first season at stud and will stand his first Australian season at $44,000. “Starspangledbanner’s achievements are numerous and well documented. A champion sprinter of Australia and Europe, boasting a pedigree synonymous with Gr.1 success in Australasia and an Adonis like physique – he is the commercial breeders ‘dream’ sire.”

“In setting our fees, we have been mindful of the difficult times endured by many breeders over the last couple of years,” said Coolmore’s Michael Kirwan.

“I believe that we are making available, at value prices, an outstanding line up of champion sires, proven sires, and impeccably credentialed sire prospects.”

“The reputation of the Australasian thoroughbred continues to soar worldwide and Coolmore has demonstrated our confidence in the domestic market though our acquisition of international sire prospects Starspangledbanner and So You Think who will be racing in Europe for Aidan O’ Brien this year. The foundations for this success have been laid by our own shuttle sires and we continue to introduce horses and bloodlines of the highest international quality into the Australasian market.”

AUSSIE RULES Danehill - Last Second (Alzao) $8,800
CHOISIR Danehill Dancer - Great Selection (Lunchtime) $33,000
DUKE OF MARMALADE Danehill - Love Me True (Kingmambo) $22,000
DYLAN THOMAS Danehill - Lagrion (Diesis) $19,800
ENCOSTA DE LAGO Fairy King - Shoal Creek (Star Way) $110,000
EXCELLENT ART Pivotal - Obsessive (Seeking The Gold) $11,000
FASTNET ROCK Danehill - Piccadilly Circus (Royal Academy) $132,000
HARADASUN Fusaichi Pegasus - Circles Of Gold (Marscay) $22,000
HENRYTHENAVIGATOR Kingmambo - Sequoyah (Sadler’s Wells) $27,500
HIGH CHAPARRAL Sadler’s Wells - Kasora (Darshaan) $99,000
LOOKIN AT LUCKY Smart Strike - Private Feeling (Belong to Me) $33,000
ORATORIO Danehill - Mahrah (Vaguely Noble) $11,000
SPINNING WORLD Nureyev - Imperfect Circle (Riverman) $6,600
STARSPANGLEDBANNER Choisir - Gold Anthem (Made of Gold) $44,000
TALE OF THE CAT Storm Cat - Yarn (Mr. Prospector) $33,000

All fees include GST.

Fastnet Rock

Gio Ponti at Meydan last year

The countdown to this year’s Dubai World Cup meting gets closer with 13 American-trained horses arriving in Dubai on Thursday evening, They join the Ben Cecil-trained Crowded House in a strong American contingent for next Saturday’s Dubai World Cup meeting.

Following the scratching of Game On Dude from the $US10 million Dubai World Cup, Gio Ponti (Tale Of The Cat), trained by Christophe Clement, and Nick Zito’s Fly Down (4 h Mineshaft) will bid to become the ninth American-trained winner of the world’s richest horse race.

Clement’s six-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner was fourth last year, while Fly Down was third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic and fifth in traditional World Cup prep race the Donn Handicap last time.

“They all arrived looking good and it was a smooth journey for them all. They drank plenty of water on the flight which is always good.” Jim Cornes, who co-ordinates the travel for the international carnival and World Cup night runners on behalf of the Dubai Racing Club said. “They go into quarantine first and will get to go to the track on Saturday morning.”

The reigning horse of the year Typhoon Tracy is not a certain starter in the first weight-for-age race of the Melbourne summer / autumn Festival of racing. (more…)

Perth remains in the group one spotlight this weekend with the Kingston Town Classic, the final Group 1 event for the calendar year, to be decided at Ascot on Saturday.  The feature follows the Group 3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m), for the three-year-olds, and leading Western Australia trainer Neville Parnham has strong hand in both. (more…)

  NATHAN TINKLER’S huge investment in breeding and racing under the banner of his Patinack Farm operation reaped one its biggest rewards on Saturday when his John Thompson trained 4-year-old Tale of the Cat gelding Gathering outsped his quality opposition from the outset and went on to win the million dollar Group1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Perth’s Ascot by 2-1/4 lengths.  (more…)

Patinack Farm’s frustrating run in Group One races ended in spectacular style at Ascot on Saturday when quality performer Gathering won the $1 million Group One Railway Stakes (1600m). (more…)

Group One racing returns to Western Australia this weekend with the $1million Carlton Draught Railway Stakes at Ascot.   The promise of a hot summer’s day for the 124th running of the 1600m feature should ensure the club has a good size crowd turn up for a card of racing that features three other pattern events.  (more…)

Twisted Tale, a stakes-placed, five-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat in foal to Indian Charlie, sold for $250,000 at Saturday’s session at Keeneland. (more…)

Gathering provided a famous thoroughbred family with more black type when he scored a comprehensive win in the listed Paris Lane Stakes at Flemington on Sunday. (more…)

  COINCIDENTS at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday emerged from the wins of the Tale of the Cat 4YO gelding Pureness in a 1500m event, and of the More Than Ready 4-year-old mare More Joyous in the $200,000 Group 2 Sebring Sprint. (more…)

The international racing community is turning its focus to Keeneland as it prepares to kick off its 67th annual (more…)

NSW, (March 30th, 2010) - TALE OF THE CAT, the sire of Willow Creek, the filly who came with a strong finish to take out the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and whose son (more…)

Melbourne, Vic (March 17th, 2010) - De Lightning Ridge gave her sire Tale of the Cat his 61st stakes winner when she saluted in the Group Two AJC Challenge Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. (more…)

Melbourne Vic (Jan 13th, 2010) - The 2009 World Thoroughbred Rankings have been released by the International Federation of Horse Authorities with a record number of Australian-bred and trained contingent featuring. (more…)