Jacqueline Quest, who was first past the post in last year’s 1,000 Guineas before being placed second following a Steward’s Inquiry, topped the third day of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale at 600,000 guineas.
There were rises across the board with turnover for the day was up 33% to 7,417,500 guineas, and the average and median up 35% and 50% to 43,125 guineas and 24,000 guineas respectively.
What looked to be a fairytale victory in last year’s 2000 Guineas for Jacqueline Quest and her owner Noel Martin, who had named her in memory of his deceased wife, turned into a nightmare when stewards placed her second following interference to the eventual winner Special Duty.
Trained originally by Sir Henry Cecil before transferring to Ian Williams earlier this year, the daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar was knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 600,000 guineas after he saw off the Northern Farm team headed by Shunsuke Yoshida.
"She is a Classic winner in all but name," said the successful purchaser. "She has been bought for a private client, will go to Ireland and will visit Galileo. I am not surprised that she made that figure."
Jeremy Brummitt and Hugo Merry were among the other vanquished bidders on the Timeform 109-rated filly.
"Obviously Noel is disappointed to see her go, but she has been good to us and we wish her a great future at stud. We are delighted with that price," said her trainer Ian Williams.
The team from Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm, including his son Shunsuke, have made a major impact at this year’s December Sale, buying four lots for 2,795,000 guineas headed by Reve D’Iman yesterday at 1,700,000 guineas.
Today they secured the Italian 1,000 Guineas winner My Sweet Baby for 390,000 guineas at the expense of John Warren, who was stood alongside Newsells Park Stud’s Julian Dollar.
"We are delighted with that," said Oliver St Lawrence, manager of vendor of Aislabie Stud. "We bought her privately in Italy on Federico Barberini's advice and sent her to Dubai, but things did not quite work out there.
"We decided to sell her and she has been very profitable for the stud."
A half-sister to international Group 1 winner Gladiatorius, her second dam is the champion Al Bahathri, the dam of 2000 Guineas winner Haafhd, Group Munir and Group 1 placed Hasbah.
Earlier in the day the Plantation consigned mare Guaranda was knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 250,000 guineas. The daughter of Acatenango is a half-sister to the multiple Group 1 and Ascot Gold Cup winner Fame And Glory and is the dam of Group 3 winner Gravatattion
The Tattersalls December Mare Sale concludes with the final session starting at 10am on Thursday, December 1, with 253 lots catalogued.
