No Nay Never In Demand At Arqana Breeze-Up Sale

Last year’s leading freshman sire No Nay Never proved in demand at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, where five of his progeny sold for six-figure sums.

Lot 134, a Mocklershill-consigned filly, led the way at €575,000, the price paid by bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe. The filly is a half-sister to Group 1 Middle Park Stakes runner-up Jash and was bred out of a winning half-sister to two Group 1 winners in Hibaayeb and Wuheida.

Radcliffe later commented on her purchase, “She has been bought for George Bolton and Peter Liedel, who were involved with Lady Aurelia, so this filly has a bit of pressure on her shoulders. She will join Joseph O’Brien and her breeze was amazing. She is by a very hot sire and I have seen her a couple of times at Willie’s since January. I loved her from the start.”

New German owners Gestut Westerberg were the successful buyers of Lot 18, a No Nay Never filly consigned by Gaybrook Lodge Stud, for whom they had to stretch to €500,000 to secure. Jamie McCalmont did the bidding and said of his buy, “Ralph Beckett will train her. We love No Nay Never. She did a great breeze and vetted well. We were very taken by her.”

Others keen to buy the progeny of No Nay Never included Stephen Hillen, the successful purchase of Bansha House Stables’ colt out of a black-type mare (Lot 91), for whom he gave €215,000. Bansha also enjoyed a profitable sale with lot 93, a half-brother to Listed performer Garrogorille (Rock Of Gibraltar), who sold to Federico Barberini for €160,000.

Completing the quintet of six-figure sales was Lot 50 from Mocklershill, a colt out of the Listed-placed mare Sylvestris, who sold to Hunter Valley Farm for €120,000.

In-form sire Starspangledbanner also enjoyed a profitable sale with Lot 54, a half-brother to Group winners Assign (Montjeu) and Giuseppe Piazzi (Galileo). Consigned by Ballyvorgal Stables, he went the way of Phoenix Thoroughbreds and agent Dermot Farrington at €240,000.