Charm Spirit foals make six-figure sums
Two six-figure foals by Qatar Bloodstock stallion Charm Spirit lit up the ring at Tattersalls December Sale in Newmarket yesterday.
First a Charm Spirit colt from Tim Cooper's Nuthurst Stud made 110,000gns to a bid from Brendan Holland of Grove Stud, then Nicky and Chris Murray reaped 140,000gns for a son of the sire (pictured right) who was bought by Denis Brosnan's Epona Bloodstock. It was a cracking result for the Murrays, who trade as Whitwell Bloodstock from premises near Newmarket, and had never enjoyed such a result when selling a weanling.
Quoted in today's issue of European Bloodstock News, Nicky Murray said: ‚"We never get excited in advance [of a sale], because they are horses after all, but when we brought this foal to the sale he grew in presence and stature. He was always a nice foal, but he thrived on all the attention, and people were queuing to see him.
‚"We went to Charm Spirit because we wanted to achieve the cross that created [Classic winner] Kingman, who was by Invincible Spirit out of a Zamindar mare.
‚"We are working really hard to make a success of the stud, and this sale has made it all worthwhile.‚"
Yesterday's results came a week after the sire's stock proved popular at Goffs' November Sale in Ireland, where one of his colts was sold for €100,000 to Shadwell Estates.
Charm Spirit, a son of champion sire Invincible Spirit, and who was a triple Group One winner on the racecourse, stood at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire when his current crop of foals were conceived. He then moved to Haras de Bonneval in an arrangement between Qatar Bloodstock and HH The Aga Khan, but returns to Tweenhills for the 2017 covering season.
A further 13 foals by Charm Spirit are due to go through Tattersalls' ring today and tomorrow, but the 11 sold so far this week have achieved an average price in excess of 62,000gns, a handsome mark up on his stallion fee.
Charm Spirit stands next year at £20,000 (October 1, SLF).
Photograph of Nicky Murray and her Charm Spirit colt foal: www.tattersalls.com