Racing: Filly tops the lots

THE FIRST sale at public auction of the produce of a Kentucky Derby-winning mare has yielded the top price at the Keeneland July yearling sales. The filly, by Mr Prospector out of the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors, was bought by Hirotoshi Nakamura, a Japanese businessman, for dollars 1,050,000 ( pounds 690,800).

His was the only million- dollar purchase at a sale which nine years ago set a world record when Seattle Dancer made dollars 13.1m. It was the first time a filly had topped the sales since Reine Enchanteur in 1968.

There were few hard feelings at the top lot going overseas. 'We're grateful because the foreigners help keep Kentucky green. They spend money,' Preston Madden, breeder of the Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba, said.

The gross total for the sale was down by 7.6 per cent from dollars 48,970,000 in 1993 to dollars 45,265,000 this year. And the average price was down just under one per cent from dollars 255,561 to dollars 235,899. Rogers Beasley, director of sales at Keeneland, called this year's showing 'solid but unspectacular'.

Richard Dunwoody yesterday received his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Dunwoody was appointed MBE in last year's birthday honours list but his battle with Adrian Maguire for the jump jockeys' championship meant he has only now had the opportunity to go to the palace.