Lynnwood Chase, a daughter of Horse Chestnut, added another chapter to her already fine record as a broodmare when she featured as the grandam of the 2 million guineas Frankel colt who topped the second day of the Tattersalls October Sales in Newmarket.
Horse Chestnut in his days at Drakenstein Stud (Pic – Drakenstein Stud)
Sold by English breeder Anthony Oppenheimer’s Hascombe and Valiant Stud, the colt is also the most expensive yearling sold in Europe so far this year.
In a scene reminiscent of past years, the colt sparked a bidding duel between Coolmore’s MV Magnier and Godolphin, with the former ultimately coming out on top in conjunction with Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.
“In fairness to Hascombe, they’ve bred some very good horses in the past – they’re very good breeders,” remarked Magnier. “This is a very nice, well-bred horse. Frankel is flying and everyone (from the Coolmore team) liked him. He goes to Ballydoyle.”
The sale further vindicated the decision of Hascombe and Valiant Stud to place all its yearling colts on the market this year. The colt was the undoubted jewel in the stud’s draft and is out of Lynnwood Chase’s daughter Bizzarria (Lemon Drop Kid), a half-sister to Oppenheimer’s triple Gr1 heroine Star Catcher (Sea The Stars), who annexed all of the Irish Oaks, Prix Vermeille and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
Hascombe’s Frankel Colt Sells for 2,000,000 Guineas (Pic – Breednet.com)
In her early broodmare career, Lynnwood Chase was virtually married to Bizzarria’s sire Lemon Drop Kid, producing the Gr1 Canadian International Stakes winner and sire Cannock Chase and the Gr2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Pisco Sour. Incidentally, both won the Gr2 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and when Star Catcher won the Gr2 Ribblesdale Stakes, Lynnwood Chase joined a select handful of mares to have bred three winners at the Royal meeting.
Bizzarria won her second and final start as a two-year-old. Her first foal Bizarre (Lawman), is a two-time winner and this colt is her fourth foal.
“I’m selling all my colts this year and so far we’ve done quite well as we’ve sold five of them,” said Oppenheimer following the sale. “I knew he was a very nice horse, but watching him walk round the ring, I had no regrets at all. We’re refuelling the stud’s finances and that can’t do any harm.”
By the way, there is a nice symmetry to the Lynnwood Chase story as Oppenheimer is a cousin to the late Harry Oppenheimer, who together with is wife Bridget, raced and bred Horse Chestnut.
