Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
At A Glance
Day 3 of the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale was much slower than the first two days. Despite a slightly bigger catalogue, turnover dipped by 16% to 9,935,000gns (AU$20.3 million).
The average dropped by 22 per cent to 37,633gns (AU$77,800) and the median dropped by 6 per cent to 22,000gns (AU$45,600).
The three day total is 772 horses sold for 33,376,700 gns (AU$69 million) with an average of 43,234 gns (AU$89,500) and a median of 21,000 gns (AU$43,300).
The top lot for Wednesday was Listed Doncaster Prospect S.-winning 2-year-old gelding La Bellota (Ire) (Mehmas {ire}) who sold for 425,000 gns (AU$880,000).
The Australian buyers were less active on the third day with less than 10 horses heading down under.
Annabel Neasham and Blandford Bloodstock bought two 3-year-old colts; Hawk Power (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) for 300,000 gns (AU$621,000) and Formal Display (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) for 100,000 gns (AU$207,000).
Chris Waller spent 210,000 gns (AU$434,000) on 3-year-old colt Tazima (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}).
Blandford Bloodstock also teamed up with Star Thoroughbreds to buy 3-year-old gelding Watcha Matey (GB) (Land Force {Ire}) for 150,000 gns (AU$311,000).
Bjorn Baker / Barry Lynch / Clarke Bloodstock paid 120,000 gns (AU$248,000) for Mortlake (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).
Te Akau Racing spent 80,000 gns (AU$166,000) on Eagle Angel (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}).
Wednesday's sale topper is Listed winning 2-year-old
Juveniles with form as good as La Bellota (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), a fine winner of the Listed Prospect S. at Doncaster less than a week ago, don't come around very often and it was Blandford Bloodstock agent Tom Biggs who landed the gelding for a session-topping 425,000gns (AU$880,000) on Wednesday at Tattersalls.
Biggs was bidding on behalf of fellow Blandford agent Richard Brown, who, by the time La Bellota went through the ring on Wednesday evening, was halfway across the Atlantic Ocean en route to the Breeders' Cup.
Tom Biggs and Freddie Morley | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Of course, La Bellota is a horse that Brown knows well, given the John Ryan-trained runner accounted for Wathnan Racing's Diego Ventura (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at Doncaster. Like Diego Ventura, La Bellota was brought through the ranks by Tally-Ho Stud, with Ryan sourcing the horse at the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale earlier in the season for 52,000gns (AU$108,000).
“He is the best freelance 2-year-old on the market at the moment and is 105 rated,” the trainer said. “He has performed better than most out there. To be honest, it is bittersweet to lose him. But, at the end of the day, we bought him well and have sold him well.”
Ryan added, “He is a superstar - a lovely horse to train and anyone would love to have this horse in their yard. But he will carry the name La Bellota and we can follow him. I think he is a very special horse. I hope he goes on to be what I think he could be.”
Lot 1129A - La Bellota (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Overall, the Wednesday session failed to live up to what has been otherwise another very strong sale at Park Paddocks. Wildcard Square d'Alboni (Fr) Zarak {Fr}), a recent Listed scorer offered by Alex Elliott's Imperium Sales, failed to find a suitor at 950,000gns (AU$1.96 million) on a day when some of the key figures took a hit.
Boman bags Hawk Power for Annabel Neasham
One of the more interesting bidding wars of the day took place between Ryan McElligott and Stuart Boman over Hawk Power (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who went the way of the Blandford Bloodstock agent for 300,000gns (AU$621,000). Like a lot of the bigger lots this week, Hawk Power was purchased by Boman to continue his career Down Under, with Annabel Neasham set to take charge of the Listed-placed Godolphin runner.
Boman said, “Lovely horse. When buying off Godolphin, obviously there is no reserve and that attracts quite a lot of people initially. Very consistent horse and was the one horse I wanted to buy when I went through everything. He's been bought for Annabel Neasham and we bought a couple of others along the way. I think he's going to be better on top of the ground.”
Lot 1117 - Hawk Power (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
The agent continued, “He has been running on soft ground and ran in a bog when third to Fast Tracker, who was sent off favourite for the French Derby, on his last start in the Listed race at Chantilly. It was bottomless ground that day and he had had a long year. He is a very well-bred horse from a pedigree that has worked in Australia. And he is out of a Street Cry mare, which was attractive, too.”
Najd Stud corners Juddmonte draft
Whether it's the December Mares Sale or Horses-In-Training, the Juddmonte drafts always attract huge attention. It was no different on Wednesday when Najd Stud and bloodstock agent Nico Archdale spent 640,000gns (AU$1.3 million) on highly-rated performers Amphius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Task Force (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Gallery: Some of the stars of the Juddmonte draft, images courtesy of Tattersalls
A brother to three black-type runners, including Group 3 scorer Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the 95-rated Amphius landed a Beverley maiden on his penultimate start and was last seen finishing second in a Newmbury H.
He fetched 380,000gns (AU$786,000) while Task Force, who boasts a rating of 109, was knocked down for 260,000gns (AU$538,000).
“They are lovely horses,” said Saud Al Qahtani. “It was more than we expected to pay, but when you buy quality you have to stretch. They have both been bought with the King's Cup in mind.”
Saud Al Qahtani | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Mullins likes Golden Horn
Dominant National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins doubled down on Golden Horn's progeny when snapping up his second son of the dual Derby winner in as many days for a six-figure sum.
Poniros (GB), who won over an extended mile on debut as a 2-year-old and boasts rock solid handicap form at three, was sold for 200,000gns (AU$414,000). Mullins had already added Too Bossy For Us (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) to the stable 24 hours previously for 330,000gns (AU$684,000) through his right hand man Harold Kirk.
Lot 982 - Poniros (GB) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“I am collecting them now,” Kirk joked. “This lad has a bit more class than yesterday's horse and he could even be a sort to drop back in trip. He is very light on his feet, a good mover and he has again been bought as a dual-purpose type.”
Mullins and Kirk also went to 200,000gns (AU$414,000) to secure Pappano (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), bringing the total spend this week to 730,000gns (AU$1.5 million).
Thought for the day
A quick scan through the list of horses that made around 200,000gns (AU$414,000) or more this week, and some trends stick out a mile. For starters, there's no law to it at times, with some obscure sires well able to get a good one. But most interestingly, it seemed to be the mile-plus horses who made the most money in the ring.
The reality is, at any yearling sale in Britain and Ireland, it's the earlier, sharper types that prove most popular around that 200,000 gns marker compared to the horses that take a bit of time. This week's results could provide food for thought for buyers - and even breeders - that have a bit of patience.
