Caturra has passed the first test of his stud career after this debut crop of foals were given the thumbs-up from buyers at Tattersalls.
Twenty-three member of Caturra’s first crop were sold last week, with buyers including Eddie O’Leary of Lynn Lodge Stud, Ballyhane Stud’s Joe Foley, Edgar Byrne, Glencoole Stud, Leon Carrick and Michelle Gibbons.
The group returned an average price of 16,000gns, roughly two and a half times his original covering fee of £6,500, with top price being given for Whatcote Farm Stud’s colt out of the winning juvenile Shrara. He was bought by Richard Brown for Caturra’s owner Saeed Al Qassimi.
‘Saeed was keen to try to support him,’ said Brown. ‘We’ve been delighted. They look very racy and we’ve had some positive comments from breeders. He covered a decent size first book and a good second book.’
He added, ‘They were a pretty uniform, strong, racy, forward-looking group and I thought [Lot 1193] was a special colt.’
Also impressed by the Caturra foals was Joe Foley, who bought Byerley Stud’s filly from the fast family of group-winning sprinters Marsha and Judicial for 24,000gns.
Foley said, ‘The Caturra foals were exactly as you’d expect them to be: sharp, early types and there were some quality ones at the sales. I was delighted to buy the filly by him out of Bubbly and the early signs are good for the stallion.’