As expected, an array of riches within the ever-popular Godolphin draft stole the show at a strong opening session of the Tattersalls July Sale in Newmarket on Wednesday.

The draft turned over 30 for 1,522,700gns horses sold and included four of the top five lots led by Aureum, a winning daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who was knocked down for 220,000gns to Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock.

The four-year-old, a half-sister to the Jeremy Noseda-trained Group 3 winner and Coronation Stakes runner-up Nemoralia, was a pricey $800,000 acquisition by Godolphin as a yearling and sent to John Gosden, went on to land a Chelmsford maiden on her fifth start in March.

She was sold on Wednesday in foal to Invincible Spirit.

“She has been bought for an established owner-breeder client of ours,” said Goff. “She has a fantastic page, and she made a lot of money as a yearling [$800,000]. She is a lovely, lovely mare, the sister was top-class over here and she is in-foal to a great stallion.

“We knew she wasn’t going to be given away here, the entire draft has some stand-out mares. She is quality, and fingers crossed, she carries a good foal and is a successful broodmare, which she has bought to be.”

Another former high-priced yearling, Birdwatcher, also found favour – albeit at a much-reduced value – when selling for 160,000gns to Matt Houldsworth.

The strapping daughter of Uncle Mo hails from a popular Runnymede Farm family as a daughter of Grade 3 winner Bizzy Caroline, herself a half-sister to the brilliant Lady Eli, and commanded $1.1 million as a yearling. Unraced, she was sold in foal to Blue Point and is due to return to her native country.

“I thought she was a very good physical and obviously she cost a lot of money as a yearling [$1,100,000],” said Houldsworth. “She’s got a good covering too, I’m a big fan of Blue Point, and it’s a lovely, deep family as well. Hopefully, she can be a nice mare going forward. She’s heading to America.”

International interests, meanwhile, also came out on top for Subella, a relation to Dubawi who fell to Jake Warren at 150,000gns. Warren was acting on behalf of an undisclosed Australian client for the unraced daughter of Teofilo, who is a half-sister to the dam of 1,000 Guineas runner-up Cloak Of Spirits and in foal to that filly’s sire Invincible Spirit.

“She is for an Australian client,” said Warren. “We are thrilled to buy her, she is a beautiful looking mare, she has a lovely cover and a pedigree that needs no explanation. She will come back to Highclere; we will decide on plans when we get her home and see what the foal is like. We are excited to have her.”

Her price was later matched by another Godolphin offering in Desert Star. A recent winner at Pompadour for Henri-Alex Pantall, the daughter of Dubawi was bought by John Dance of Manor House Stud.

Appealing package

With Mehmas doing little wrong at the moment, it was no surprise to see a three-for-one package heavily influenced by the Tally-Ho Stud stallion pique the attention of various high players.

Excellent View, a young stakes producing daughter of Shamardal, was offered by Barton Sales in foal to Mehmas and alongside her filly foal by the same stallion.

Charlie Gordon-Watson, bidding on behalf of an Irish-based breeder, won the battle at 200,000gns.

Excellent View (left) with her Mehmas filly foal after selling for 200,000gns – Photo: Tattersalls/Laura Green

Barton Stud’s Tom Blain was understandably delighted with the result.

“A smashing mare with a lovely Mehmas foal at foot, who is a good example of what she is carrying,” he said. “In this sale she stood out a bit. The foal is good, and she has got a black-type runner this year. She was sold for a good Irish client, and I am delighted for them.”

Excellent View’s first foal is the Listed-placed sprinter Mutaraffa.

Shadwell popular

As expected, the opening draft of Shadwell mares and fillies proved to be a major draw, turning over 1,176,500gns for 45 sold.

It was confirmed last week that Shadwell would continue to operate under the direction of Sheikha Hissa following the death of her father Sheikh Hamdan in March. However, the company continues to undergo a streamlining process, as illustrated by a catalogued draft in excess of 100 horses.

They were headed by the Dubawi mare Dubai Fashion, a Listed-placed member of Shadwell’s foundation Height Of Fashion family for whom Cormac McCormack, standing with members of the Coolmore fraternity, paid 140,000gns. The dam of three foals, she was offered in foal to Blue Point.

“She ticks all the boxes, it is all there,” said McCormack. “She is for an established client based in Ireland.”

On a buoyant day of trade that featured a 93% clearance rate, 5,952,100gns worth of stock changed hands for an average of 25,114gns and median of 11,000gns.

The Tattersalls July Sale continues on Thursday.