Callisto Star Tops Day 1 Of Tattersalls Mares Sale At 675,000gns
Proven Stakes producer Callisto Star (Fastnet Rock) topped the opening session of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale when selling in foal to Starspangledbanner for 675,000gns.
Ballybin Stud consigned the unraced mare as part of the first instalment of the Spectre Sessions and benefitted from a timely update when her two-year-old Majed (Magna Grecia) got off the mark in fine style last month. Most notably though, Kevin Molloy’s mare was offered carrying a full sibling to Grade 1 American Oaks heroine Rhea Moon (Starspangledbanner) and black-type performer There’s The Door (Starspangledbanner).
Tom and Grant Pritchard Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock provided the final bid for Callisto Star and later revealed their purchase would remain in Europe. Elaborating, Tom said, “She’s a beautiful mare and has already produced a Grade 1 winner with her first foal. She’s carrying a full-sibling to that Grade 1 winner too. Fastnet Rock is as good a broodmare sire as there is and her dam is by Galileo so it’s all the bloodlines you want.”
On future plans, the agent commented, “I haven’t decided who she’ll be covered by next year but Starspangledbanner is an obvious target. Fastnet Rock mares work with so many different bloodlines that she could go anywhere.”
Ballybin Stud’s Paddy Kelly was understandably delighted with the sale and said, “This is kind of a big one for us. It’s nice to be involved at the top end and I’m delighted – but not surprised – with the price she made.”
“She’s a special mare,” Kelly continued. “She has the looks, the temperament and the pedigree. I think she’ll be a prolific breeder, just like her grandmother was with six black-type horses.”
Starspangledbanner enjoyed another excellent result when US trainer Will Walden went to 380,000gns on behalf of Florida-based Woodford Thoroughbreds for Stakes winner Aussie Girl (Starspangledbanner).
Fozzy Stack’s Thomastown Castle Stables consigned the progressive three-year-old, who won a premier handicap and placed at Listed and Group 3 level, before gaining a deserved Stakes win.