Wingmen (Ire) (Kayf Tara {GB}) sold for a new Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale record when making £250,000 to Gordon Elliott Racing/Bective Stud.
Sold as lot 8 and offered by Elliott's Cullentra House Stables, the bay won a point-to-point at first asking going three miles at Ballycrystal on Jan. 23. Out of the winning hurdler Raise You Five (Ire) (Flemensfirth), the €47,000 Tattersalls Ireland November NH Sale grad turned €88,000 Derby Sale purchase is from the family of Listed Christmas Hurdle winner Dramatist (GB).
“He is a very nice horse, and Gordon thinks a lot of him,” said buyer Eddie O'Leary, who sat with Elliott, who will continue to train the 5-year-old gelding. “He is a big raw horse, he won't begin to see the best of him until next year, he has been bought on behalf of Bective Stud.”
Another first-out winner, Sao Carlos (GB) (Blue Bresil {Fr}) (lot 18), who won a bumper on Boxing Day, went to Lisa Hales acting on behalf of her father, John, for £190,000. Consigned by Olly Murphy's Warren Chase Stables, the 5-year-old gelding is out of a half-sister to G2 Aintree bumper winner Diamond Sal (GB) (Bob Back) and three other black-type horses.
“He will probably be for Dad, Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and John Driver, the same syndicate that owns Hermes Allen,” said Hales. “This horse has got an amazing walk, an amazing presence, he is substantial and looks like a chaser for the future, and that is what we like.
“In fact, I backed him when he ran and before I knew he was coming here; I thought he put in a great run then.”
Magic Dawn (Ire) (Doyen {Ire}) (lot 14), from the draft of Michael Hickey's Sunnyhill Stud, was also knocked down to Aidan O'Ryan and Gordon Elliott for £185,000. A full-sister Magic Daze (Ire) (Doyen {Ire}), the G2 Mares' Novice Hurdle runner-up at Cheltenham, Magic Dawn was an impressive bumper winner at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.
Hickey said, “Magic Dawn is a gorgeous mare, has great presence, is a great walker and has a magic temperament. She needed her first run but four winners came out of that race and then she won very well on her second start. I think she has a huge future.
“The intention was to race her and, if she won a little race, cover her and keep her for breeding. However, we started to train her and she was showing that bit extra–when she won she just became too valuable for us to keep. We do have to balance the books.”
“She couldn't have been more impressive when she won, and the family speaks for itself,” said Mouse O'Ryan, who bought the mare for KTDA Racing, who has horses with Elliott. “We will be aiming her for something like the Aintree bumper.”
At the close of trade, 30 of the 40 lots offered (75%) sold for a gross of £2,406,000. The average rose 2% to £80,200, while the median decreased the same amount to £67,500 (-2%). Of those sold, seven horses made six figures or better.
Matthew Prior, Tattersalls Head of Sales, said, “I am delighted that this first sale of the year has produced such a positive result with a record-breaking top price and seven horses fetching over £100,000.”
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