Alex Elliott | Horse Racing Free Tips

Practical Joke Filly Tops Strong Opening To Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale got off to a strong start with eight lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more and a top price of 360,000 guineas for Tally-Ho Stud's Practical Joke filly.

A total of 65 of the 76 offered lots sold for 6,485,000 guineas, at an average of 99,769 guineas and a median of 80,000 guineas, and a clearance rate of 86 percent.

The top lot on the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the Practical Joke filly out of Purr and Prowl who realized 360,000 guineas to the bid of agent Alex Elliott. The Tally-Ho Stud consigned filly was purchased on behalf of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.

“She is a beautiful filly and she is going back to the U.S. and to Chad [Brown], who trained Practical Joke,” said Elliott. “She has been very highly thought of from day one, Roger has raved about her all along. I am delighted to get her, I think she is a perfect filly to go back to the States.

“She is a May foal, she is going to need a bit of time, but she is the one. She did everything. She is a typical Craven Sale type – scopey with quality and will need bit of time, but the more time I think you can give them, the better they can be.”

By the U.S. sire sensation Into Mischief, the Ashford Stud-based stallion Practical Joke was a dual Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, whilst at three he won the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga.

Consignor Roger O'Callaghan, who previously sold the G1 Natalma Stakes winner La Pelosa at this sale in 2018, commented;

“She is as good a filly as I have had to breeze. She has been a genuine natural from the start. I bought her as a foal with Archie St George, she didn't make the yearling sale and we brought her here. The sire line through Into Mischief is magic.”

Stroud Coleman's Matt Coleman and Peter Swann's Cool Silk Partnership secured the Night of Thunder filly out of Militate for 265,000 guineas, the second highest priced filly on the opening day. The filly is from a classic Juddmonte family with her granddam being the Group 3 winner Orford Ness, dam of the Group winners Weightless and Main Aim, the latter also runner-up in the G1 July Cup.

Swann, who has enjoyed such great success from the breeze-ups, was keen to talk about his purchase:

“We thought her breeze was excellent. She is a real specimen, very strong. She has got a great pedigree – if we can win a race with her we are half way there aren't we? She did the job well. We are delighted and she is the sort of breeze-up horse we are always looking for – she is just built for it, she is not too long in the leg. We just felt it was worth a go,” said Swann, who was wearing a Scunthorpe United face mask as chairman of the football club.

He added: “We don't know a trainer yet, we are just going to wait – I haven't accessed my phone yet, I am sure there will be calls. We have got some great trainers that we use, whoever gets her will do a great job. Of the immediate plans, we will assess her over the next 24 hours and then decide.”

Continuing with plans for the new filly, Swann said: “We hope we can have a go at Royal Ascot, and try and win the bonus before everyone else! That would be nice. We are looking forward to Royal Ascot and hope the filly takes us there.”

Of the success he, Cool Silk and Coleman have enjoyed from breeze-up purchases, Swann said: “I think we have had 62 winners now. We've been doing it a long time.”

The sale was a pinhooking triumph for consignors Star Bloodstock who purchased her last autumn at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 95,000 guineas.

The post Practical Joke Filly Tops Strong Opening To Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Australasian Flavour To Goffs February Sale

It took until the final lot of the Goffs February Sale for the six-figure mark to be reached and it was a round €100,000 for the top lot of the two days, Rubira (Aus), a young southern hemisphere-bred daughter of Lope De Vega (Ire) in foal for the first time to New Bay (GB).

The 6-year-old mare was formerly trained in by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand where she won the listed Diamond Lodge Gt North Champagne S. She was bought from the Baroda Stud draft by Alex Elliott.

“She's a good-moving mare and she's a listed-winning Lope De Vega in foal to New Bay on an early cover,” said the agent, who added that lot 253 has been bought for a syndicate.

“The plan is to probably go to a stallion like Camelot (GB). He's obviously very appealing to both hemispheres and potentially we are looking to try to breed something that the Australians could be interested in. We could also go back to New Bay—I have a bit of a soft spot for him as he's been really good to use with [G2 Royal Lodge S. winner] New Mandate (Ire). It's a question of whether we are able to get into some of these stallions. She'll stay in Ireland.”

The session of fillies and broodmares followed Tuesday's horses-in-training section of the February Sale, all of which has been conducted online and will feature a follow-up live session of short yearlings on March 11.

With Part 1 now concluded, 117 of the 191 horses offered changed hands for turnover of €1,585,700. The average was €13,553 and the median was €8,000. Encouragingly, 190 bidders from 10 different countries participated during the two days of trade.

Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “And on we go. The last 11 months have been unlike anything we have ever known and we have been forced to adapt and react to the ever changing situation caused by Covid-19. A live online sale is never going to be our first choice for any category but our customer-friendly platform continues to evolve and serve us well. Over the last two days we have taken 1,425 bids from 190 clients in 10 countries which has allowed us to provide a marketplace that would otherwise have been unattainable.”

Bidding online isn't rocket science, unless of course you're Hubie de Burgh, who made extra sure he had the correct filly for his Australian client by enlisting the help of his daughter. The equine Rocket Science (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will soon be heading for the southern hemisphere after being bought for €84,000.

“She's been bought for an Australian and she's heading down there to go to stud,” said the agent of lot 131. “She suits the Australian profile, she's a big, strong mare, she's got speed—it's a speed family. Fastnet Rock is a brilliant sire and is going to be a good broodmare sire and of course Pivotal is good anywhere. She fits all the criteria that the Australian breeders like.”

The 4-year-old filly was bred by Frank Dunne from the G2 Queen Mary S.-placed Hairy Rocket (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and made nine starts for Jessica Harrington, winning twice over seven furlongs and finishing fourth in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. behind subsequent Group 1 winner Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}).

De Burgh would of course normally be found in Australia himself at this time of year but is instead confined to barracks at his home in Wicklow.

He added, “It's 15 years since I haven't been down there at this time of year. I didn't know what January and February looked like but I've just discovered it. We have snow everywhere and I have managed to write off my own car on my own farm. It just took off downhill like the Cresta Run.”

Instead of pounding the sales grounds at Magic Millions, Inglis or Karaka, de Burgh is this year getting to grips with the online experience provided by Goffs.

He said with a chuckle, “I have the fear of God that I might be pressing the button on the wrong horse. My daughter Antonia runs the office here and fortunately she steers me in the right direction when I am about to do something on the internet.”

The Castlebridge Consignment offered both Rocket Science and the mare who brought the third-top price of the day, Gracefully Done (Ire). The 5-year-old mare (lot 190) is a daughter of Australia (GB) and the G1 Matron S. winner Sense Of Style (Thunder Gulch), herself a half-sister to G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victrix Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest). Covered by Ten Sovereigns on March 12, Gracefully Done was bought by Hawthorn Villa Stud for €76,000.

Concluding his end-of-sale statement, Henry Beeby added, “We are always grateful to every vendor and each purchaser but never more than so than at present as the pandemic puts more barriers in the way of normal bloodstock trading. Vendors have stepped up with all the additional information required for purchasers to make as informed decisions as possible in the current environment. That has led to a trade that is acceptable, albeit selective, especially yesterday. However today has seen spirited bidding for the most attractive breeding propositions and underlined the enduring desire for the best of Irish bloodlines. We salute everyone who engaged over the last two days for their fortitude and acceptance of what is required whilst at the same time hoping fervently that we can soon return to the usual norms of horses and people filling Kildare Paddocks. That always results in the best of both worlds for sellers and buyers whilst also allowing all of us to engage and catch up on a one to one basis, something that we miss more as each lockdown progresses.

“So we extend our thanks to all participants over the last two days and just hope that we are able to welcome back horses and people on 11 March for Part 2 of the Goffs February Sale even though everyone will be masked, sanitised and socially distanced; at least we'll be going in the right direction.”

The post Australasian Flavour To Goffs February Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Authorized Colt Leads Closing Session Of Tattersalls October Book 3

Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale came to a close with a strong final session to mirror the resilient trade across Books 1 and 2, and resulted in rises in turnover and median and a clearance rate of 85 percent.

The top lot on the second and final day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale came late in the evening when the Authorized colt out of the New Approach mare Sweet Rose was knocked down to Alex Elliot for 90,000 guineas (US$122,068). The sale represented the fifth-highest price over the two days of Book 3.

Consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment, the half-brother to the Listed winner Scentasia was the subject of a prolonged bidding duel between Elliot and Jedd O'Keefe. The colt's granddam White Rose and great granddam Wild Romance were both champion 2-year-olds in Germany.

“Long day waiting for this chap, but worth waiting for him!” exclaimed Elliot. “He is going to go to Ireland for a client, he has got lots of options. He is by a sire that we love, they don't make them in Europe anyway as Authorized is in Turkey. This colt could run next year on the flat – he is a brother to a 106 rated filly – or we can keep him and we can go the National Hunt route.

“He is a beautiful horse, had a great outlook, vetted good, and also has French premiums so the list of options is endless.”

Tate Strikes for Night Of Thunder Colt

The second highest price on the second day of October Book 3 was achieved by the Night Of Thunder colt out of the Rock of Gibraltar mare Moonstone Rock who was knocked down to trainer James Tate for 46,000 guineas (US$62,382) on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock.

“Obviously Night Of Thunder has done incredibly well so we were looking for his stock,” said Tate. “We thought he was a really lovely example of the stallion and really liked the way he walked around the ring. Fingers crossed he will be a good horse.”

Sean Gollogly with his son, also Sean, bred the April-born first foal who was sold by Eric Cantillon's Plumton Hall Stud.

“I am delighted for the Golloglys,” said Cantillon. “It is a great price. We have had the horse since January when he was weaned and he has always been a nice horse, but the price has surprised us. The stallion has been doing very well and perhaps it was good to be a big fish in a small pond.

“They are small breeders near Epsom and it is great for them, the Golloglys are very good friends.”

Night Of Thunder is the leading second-crop sire in Europe and his first two crops have featured 17 group/listed winners and 26 stakes performers.

Time Test Filly to Nick Bradley Racing

The top-priced filly of the day was a daughter of first crop stallion Time Test out of the Canford Cliffs mare Leap of Joy, who was knocked down to Nick Bradley Racing for 45,000 guineas (US$61,026). She was sold by The Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of breeder Marston Stud.

“She had a Book 1 physical to my mind,” said Bradley, adding: “The 45,000 guineas was more than I wanted to spend and underbidder Federico Barberini is a fair judge, and generally if I am on one then he is on one, and he made me pay! She is a belting physical and she will join Richard Fahey.”

Time Test, who stands at The National Stud in Newmarket, was a two-time Group 2 winner for Roger Charlton and was placed in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes. He is a son of Dubawi whose sons at stud include the 'hot' young stallions Night of Thunder and New Bay.

“It is all testament to everyone who used Time Test,” said The National Stud's Tim Lane. “We all know what can happen in the spring and coming through to the autumn. He stamps them, they have got the Dubawi middle, great action and very good minds.”

Bradley, who has enjoyed a spectacular year on the racecourse in 2020, has had a busy sales season having bought “20-something” yearlings and commented:

“I have sold nearly all of them already. Everything I bought in Book 2 has sold out, I own 22 fillies and not one colt. My theory is that if I won the Dewhurst, it would have to be by a fashionable stallion then I would want to be selling the horse on and then the owners say 'why are you trying to sell it on?'

“If we won the Cheveley Park or the Fillies' Mile the value will be there all the time, then I won't be in a rush to sell them and the owners can live out their dreams. The GB bonus helps as well – we complain about prize-money but there is twenty grand there for winning a race.”

The Tattersalls October Yearling Sale comes to a conclusion with Book 4 starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The post Authorized Colt Leads Closing Session Of Tattersalls October Book 3 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

TDN Q&A With Alex Elliott

With the yearling sales now in full swing, TDN quizzes industry figures on past purchases, life during lockdown and their perspective on the sales over the next few weeks. Today, Alex Elliott answers our questions.

TDN: What was your best yearling purchase over the last few years? And your favourite?

AE: Group 2 winner New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) is a horse that has quickly become both one of my favourite and best purchases. He was bought at last year’s Arqana August Yearling Sale for €35,000 and was the first horse I bought for ‘Lucra’, a new trading syndicate founded by myself and trainer Ralph Beckett. The premise is to buy five yearlings with middle-distance pedigrees, with a view to trading them before the end of their 3-year-old careers, either privately or at public auction. Ralph and I have enjoyed much success with such purchases and we thought it was about time we had some skin in the game. We imagined this year was going to be a slow burner for investors considering the portfolio of pedigrees that we had put together, but New Mandate has managed to make sure ‘Lucra I’ will end in profit, as he was sold after his maiden win at Sandown and immediately rewarded his new owner with a win in the Listed Flying Scotsman at Doncaster. He is now rated 111 after winning the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket on Saturday.

Jamie McCalmont was kind enough to give me my first job in bloodstock when I returned home from the U.S. in 2012 and he bought New Mandate for his new owner, Marc Chan. I have plenty to thank both Jamie and Ralph for and it is fantastic that we can all enjoy New Mandate’s progress together.

TDN: Are there any positive you have taken from how the sales have been conducted this year?

AE: I think sales companies, vendors, buyers and staff have moved mountains to make this sales season happen and everyone should be very proud of what they have achieved. Arqana put on flights to and from their premier yearling sale and they should be highly commended on the service that they provided. The knock-on effect of sales not happening does not bear thinking about.

Looking ahead I hope that I may be able to pick up more business as people may not be able to travel. I have had calls from Australia and America from people who will not be travelling to European sales this year, so there could be some opportunity to strengthen both old and new alliances.

I and some fellow agents are more than a little concerned as to how online bidding is going to affect us. I don’t think it is necessary for yearling sales to have online bidding, as this is where my opinion is most valid, but it is here to stay and I’ll just have to make sure I have matters in place to make sure the middle man is not made redundant.

TDN: How has your business adapted?

AE: I am lucky in that I have very few overheads as I don’t employ anybody full time and I have my office at home, so costs have been kept low. As long as I have internet, a mobile phone and a car my business can run relatively smoothly.

This is the first time in eight years that I have missed the Keeneland September Sale. It was very strange watching Irish Champions Weekend from home, rather than the Northern Dancer bar, and is not something I want to experience again.

TDN: In general what are your thoughts on the 2020 yearling catalogues? And what new stallions’ progeny are you most looking forward to?

AE: I rather enjoyed the Arqana Sale being put back a month as it gave those yearlings another month to develop. The August Sale is very early in a yearling’s life and that extra month made a big difference to them. It is a difference I would like to see maintained.

So far the first-season sires to have impressed me are Almanzor (Fr), El Kabeir and Postponed (Ire).

TDN: Did you develop any new interests or hobbies during lockdown?

AE: Enjoying endless time with our newborn baby girl Esme, cooking and road cycling were three activities that really blossomed during lockdown; unfortunately they have all taken a backseat since the rat race returned. That said, not going to Keeneland has given me some downtime between sales and I definitely need to get back on the bike after the weiner schnitzel in Baden-Baden and the baguettes in Deauville.

TDN: What’s one mistake (if any) you made in your career, and what did you learn from it?

AE: ‘You never get a second chance to make a good first impression’ is one of the truest sayings going. I started off as an agent very young, too young and definitely thought I could run before I could walk. With that in mind I feel as though I definitely rubbed a few people the wrong way and that is something that I very much regret.

Life as an agent operating on your own can be the most satisfying job in the world but the flip side of that is that it can be a very lonely place when things are going bad. I would advise anyone entering into the profession to gain as much experience, under a respected agent/agency, before branching out and to work closely with as many other people and teams as possible.

The post TDN Q&A With Alex Elliott appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post