Godolphin's Mufeeda Tops Day 3 Dec. Mares Sale Trade

Online bidders having a significant impact on trade has been one of the running themes of this year's Tattersalls December Mares Sale. The trend was in evidence again Dec. 6 when broodmare prospect Mufeeda was knocked down to an internet player signing as Lucky Vega, the name of Zhang Yuesheng's Phoenix Stakes (G1) winner, at 160,000gns (US$211,957, 1gn=US$1.3247). The 3-year-old daughter of No Nay Never didn't reach the racecourse for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum but hails from a pedigree that has already served Zhang well as she is a sibling to Harlech (GB), dam of the owner's Australian champion 3-year-old Hungry Heart (AUS). Mufeeda and Harlech are out of Zoowraa (GB), a Radley Stakes winner who has bred four successful sons and daughters at paddocks, most notably Dubawi (IRE)'s Atalanta Stakes (G3) scorer Maamora (IRE) and Boosala (IRE), a listed-placed son of Dawn Approach (IRE). The page goes back to 1988 Belmont Stakes (G1) hero Risen Star. Mufeeda was offered as part of the Godolphin draft. The operation's bloodstock sales manager Marie Sullivan said of Mufeeda: "She's from a long-term pedigree of Sheikh Ahmed's. She really was the pick of our draft and is a lovely filly; it's unfortunate she hasn't made it to the track. Her dam, Zoowraa, is in foal to Dubawi, her foal is (a colt) by Too Darn Hot, and she has a Night of Thunder colt yearling who's in training with William Haggas." Godolphin sold 19 lots Wednesday for a combined 633,000gns and at an average of 33,315gns. Wednesday's clearance rate clocked in at 78% as 188 lots sold from 242 offered. Those transactions brought a turnover of 3,650,500gns ($4,835,936), a decline of 14% against the corresponding session last year. The average was 19,420gns ($25,726), a 9% year-on-year drop, while the median was 14,000gns ($14,700), a 7% drop. The Tattersalls December Mares Sale concludes Dec. 7 with the fourth and final session starting at 9:30 a.m. (local time).