Group 1 Prix de l’Opera Winner Barnavara to be Offered at Tattersalls December Mares Sale

The three-year-old filly BARNAVARA, a determined winner of the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on ‘Arc’ day will be offered during the Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale by Baroda Stud. The sale takes place from December 1^st – 4^th, with the elite Sceptre Sessions taking place on Monday 1^st and Tuesday 2^nd December. 

The Jessie Harrington trained filly has progressed throughout the year, winning the Listed Kooyonga Stakes in June before scoring in the Group 3 Jannah Rose Stakes at Naas on her next start. After a short break she finished third on her reappearance at the end of August in the Group 3 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes before resuming her winning ways with an emphatic victory over the top class ONE LOOK in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes at the Curragh. 

That earned her a tilt at Group 1 company where she showed great resolve to fight off allcomers to win the Prix de l’Opera, with the beaten brigade including the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes winner TAMFANA, Group 1 German Oaks winner NICORENI, as well as the Classic/Group 1 placed SEE THE FIRE, WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY, GRAND STARS, START OF DAY and JANUARY. 

Timeform rated 116, BARNAVARA was also a top class two-year-old, being placed in three juvenile Group races and following her latest victory, trainer Jessie Harrington said; 

“She’s gone on improving all year and she’s just got better and better. That’s how she loves doing it. She’s such a long-striding filly she loves going off in front and putting the race to bed.” 

BBA Ireland’s Patrick Cooper explained the decision to bring her to the December Sale; 

“The rules of the syndicate are that the horses are sold no later than the end of their three-year-old careers. She is a big filly standing a good 16.2HH, so what she has achieved this early in her career is remarkable. She won her maiden in May of her two-year-old year and has run another dozen times since. She has a great constitution and an attitude to die for. She just doesn’t lie down. 

“Barnavara is named after the farm where Mum grew up in Cork. She is one of two nonagenarians in the syndicate most of whom are intending to come to the sales. The genteel rabble that are the owners had the day of their racing lives at Longchamp. This is a great group of people. Alpha Racing has been going for eight years now and we have pretty much given everyone back the share price every year. Hopefully this year’s group might do a little better than that. We have a core that has been in since the beginning and others come and go depending on circumstances. We will be sorry to see her go, but we are stocking up for next year and the bills need paying. The sale will be her last race for us and we are expecting a large turnout.” 

BARNAVARA is by the Group 1 producing sure CALYX, a brilliantly fast son of top stallion KINGMAN, and is from the deep European family of dual Classic winner and leading stallion LOPE DE VEGA.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“Barnavara is a filly of exceptional talent and looks to be a filly who is only going to get better and she will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the Sceptre Sessions at this year’s Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She joins a growing list of stellar fillies that will be offered at Europe’s leading breeding stock sale and it is a privilege to be asked to offer her at one of the most eargerly anticipated events of the global bloodstock sales calendar this year.”