Topping the final session was Veiled Illusion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 1562), who sold for 55,000gns to Nawaf Abdullah Al-Saif. Consigned by James Tate's Jamesfield Stables, the Lingfield winner is bound for Saudi Arabia.

“He is in good form, and will ship soon to Saudi,” said Al-Saif. “I think he will like the better weather in the Middle East and should be one to go on both the turf and dirt surfaces at the King Abdulaziz racecourse.”

One day longer than 2022's edition, the sale's Friday session resulted in 88 lots sold from 162 offered (81%). The aggregate was 1,076,859gns. The average was 8,158gns and the median was 4,500gns.

Overall, despite the larger catalogue, the clearance rate remained high at 87% dropping only three points from the record-breaking 2022 sale. The gross for the 1,089 lots that found new homes was 33,705,774gns. Both the average and median were down, with the average settling at 30,951gns (-14%) and the median was 15,000gns (-6%) compared to last term.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Sale turnover second only to last year's wide-margin record is a very solid performance from the 2023 renewal of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. As ever this unique fixture, the largest and most popular of its type in the world, has attracted an extraordinarily diverse collection of buyers from all corners of the world and this has been reflected in figures which yet again demonstrate the enduring appeal of British and Irish horses in training as well as quality stock from France and Germany.

“Similar to so many Tattersalls sales the Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale has made relentless progress in the past decade. Only 10 years ago the sale recorded turnover a little over 20 million guineas, an average price of 23,000 guineas and eight lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more. This year's sale has achieved turnover of almost 34 million guineas, an average price well over 30,000 guineas and 28 lots have sold for 200,000 guineas or more which is only one fewer than at last year's record-breaking sale.

“The sustained and widespread demand from throughout the Gulf region has yet again played an enormous part in the success of the sale as racing in that part of the world continues to grow and flourish, but equally significant has been the impact of a particularly strong contingent of Australian buyers whose presence has been felt in all sectors of the market, but most notably at the very top. Ten of the top 20 highest priced horses sold this week and nearly 50 horses in total are heading down to Australia which is a tribute to the top level success of recent graduates of the sale like Just Fine (Ire) and Zaaki (GB). Similarly success driven, although largely at a different level of the market has been the notable contribution from the numerous European buyers in particular Spanish and Italian buyers who have been busy from start to finish and have also accounted for more than 80 horses between them this week. We work hard alongside our extensive network of overseas representatives to promote this and every other Tattersalls sale and it is rewarding to see this reflected in the unrivalled overseas participation which is the hallmark of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.

“Alongside international buyers from more than 30 different countries the domestic British and Irish influence has also been felt in all sectors of the market this week with Flat and National Hunt buyers all making a significant contribution and we look forward to seeing equally diverse international and domestic demand at the forthcoming Tattersalls December Foals and Mares Sale which annually provides a showcase for the very best European bloodstock.”

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The G2 Grand Prix de Deauville victor is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Reams Of Verse (Nureyev) and Elmaamul (Diesis {GB}) and will be offered by Barton Stud.

Joining the G2 Prix Dollar runner-up is True Testament (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 772A). Part of the Jamie Railton draft, the 4-year-old has placed four times at group level.

A quartet of juveniles have also signed on to the sale, including lot 772B, Keatley Racing's winner Thanks Forever (Ire) (Kessaar {Ire}); G3 Round Tower S.-placed Chandigah (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) (lot 772C) from the Blackmiller Stable draft; Meadowview Stables' Ritournelle (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) (lot 1131B), who won at Thurles recently; and Black Hole (Mitole) (lot 1131C), a winner at Wolverhampton, will go through the ring for trainer Jamie Osborne's The Old Malthouse Stables.

To view the catalogue and for more information, please visit the Tattersalls website.

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Part of a 1,750-strong catalogue, the juvenile is rated 109 and will be consigned by William Haggas's Somerville Lodge. He currently holds an entry in the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 30.

Some of the other notable lots include G1 Criterium International victor Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 674) from Coolmore; a pair of group winners consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment–Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 1057) and Lord Massusus (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) (lot 663); and Juddmonte's G2 Prix Niel third Bravais (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1076).

In 2022, I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never) topped the sale at 850,000gns when sold to Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal prior to becoming stakes-placed in the U.S. From a smaller four-day catalogue, 1,006 horses sold for 36,164,500gns. The average was 35,949gns and the median was 16,000gns.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Every year we see horses purchased at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale winning at the highest level, with no less than 83 individual group/listed winners since 2020 bought at the sale including seven Group/Grade 1 winners. That continued success is the key to the sale's enduring appeal and this year's catalogue looks set to cater to both domestic and international demand.”

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Ridden aggressively from a wide alley by Hollie Doyle, Outbox took up a pace-pressing position from second, as Qatari Gold (Lemon Drop Kid), with Tom Marquand in the irons and ostensibly in the race to set things up for 2017 winner and fellow 9-year-old stablemate Noor Al Hawa (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), was intent to lead over the very quick ground. Shadowing the front-runner's every step into the second bend, Outbox went for home 400 metres out and stayed on very gamely under energetic handling to prevail narrowly. Mutabahi (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}), a full-brother to last year's winner French King (GB), missed the break and endured a wide passage, but boxed on tenaciously in a luckless effort. King Power's Fox Tal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), midfield and keen early, rallied well enough once into the clear to finish third.

Outbox made the first eight starts of his career for his breeder and Simon Crisford for a solid record of 3-2-2, but missed the entirety of the 2020 season and changed hands for 16,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale. Third to Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G3 John Porter S. last April, he caused an upset when besting 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Listed Fred Archer S. at Newmarket last June and earned further group black-type when runner-up in the G3 Stockholm Cup International at Bro Park in September. Outbox was last seen finishing down the field in listed company over the Deauville all-weather in December.

Immaculately bred, Outbox is out of a Group 2-winning daughter of Group 1 winner Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {GB}), whose legend has been cemented as the dam of the prolific Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}). Emirates Queen is the dam of the 3-year-old filly Emirates Empress (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB).

HH THE AMIR TROPHY (Black-Type), $1,000,000, Al Rayyan, 2-19, 4yo/up, 2400mT, 2:25.11, fm.
1–OUTBOX (GB), 128, g, 7, Frankel (GB)–Emirates Queen (GB) (GSW-Eng, GSP-Fr, $115,027), by Street Cry (Ire). (16,000gns HRA '20 TATAUT). O-Hambleton Racing Ltd XXXIII; B-Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid al Maktoum; T-Archie Watson; J-Hollie Doyle; $570,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Swe, SP-Fr, 25-7-5-3, $813,672. *1/2 to Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), SP-Eng.
2–Mutabahi (Fr), 126, c, 4, French Fifteen (Fr)–Marina Piccola (Ire), by Halling. O-HE Sheikh Joann Bin Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani; B-SCEA Haras de Victot; T-Henri-Alex Pantall; J-Olivier Peslier; $220,000.
3–Fox Tal (GB), 128, g, 6, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Maskunah (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (475,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert; $110,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, NK.

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NEWMARKET, UK–This has already been another record-breaking auction, even if they decide to release the whole of Thursday's closing catalogue into the high street–and a significant one, in terms of underwriting a yearling market that had appeared so curiously immune to the challenges of domestic prizemoney and a volatile economic environment.

Once again, the third session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale was defined by twin channels of export traffic: one to the Middle East, with investment seemingly driven not just by the Saudi Cup but by broader ambitions in Riyadh; and the other to Australia, where an ever-widening spectrum of investment was aptly measured when one of the highest lots of the day was secured by telephone at around

4 a.m. in Sydney. Horses that met the respective briefs for these different environments have generated so much competition between compatriots that they have sometimes created a market within a market.

Even with no English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), who injected 925,000gns into the third session at a generally tepid sale last year, trade this time round again exceeded that registered at the equivalent session both in 2020 and in the pre-pandemic market of 2019. Building on frenzied turnover through the first two days, the net result is already the most lucrative edition of the premier sale of its type–exceeding the 27,282,200gns turned over in 2017.

So far as the year-on-year indices are concerned for Wednesday's trade, 10,661,000gns changed hands for 279 sales (a clearance rate of no less than 93%) to register a 9% climb on 9,779,600gns for virtually identical traffic last year. That translated into a 38,211gns average, up 10% on 34,803gns, and a 21,000gns median, up 31% on 16,000gns.

Prince Khalid's Legacy Appreciated In His Homeland

It felt especially fitting that Najd Stud, in again topping the session, should have done so to secure the transfer of Boltaway (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 1114) from the Juddmonte empire built up by Prince Khalid Abdullah. True, for all the ardour exhibited by its representatives this week, they can hardly be expected to aspire to the kind of success achieved by their late compatriot. Nonetheless, their commitment has offered succour to those fretting about the outlook for the industry following the loss not only of Prince Khalid, but also of a neighbouring Turf superpower in Sheikh Hamdan.

Certainly, Saad bin Mishraf has proved reluctant to let anything off the hook, once he has cast a line, and duly saw off strong competition at 400,000gns for a 3-year-old who has won four handicaps over middle distances for Roger Charlton this summer, in the process hoisting his rating 20lbs to 93.

“We tried to buy this horse privately, but that wasn't possible and so we waited for this sale,” said bin Mishraf. “It's proved to be one of the toughest markets I have ever seen for horses in training. He's by Dubawi, whose offspring have succeeded in Saudi Arabia, and out of a Dansili (GB) mare, and Dansilis have also done well there, so he had the right pedigree. He also had size and good feet for racing on dirt.

“He's not been over-raced, and he vetted 100%. All the races in Saudi Arabia are on the up, with better prizemoney, sometimes increased by four or five times. There are races for locally bred horses and imported horses, and while we don't have many imported horses, the ones we have are very good.”

Najd Stud also corralled a hardy juvenile from the Gosden yard in Implore (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), for 160,000gns as Lot 1137; and also his stablemate Fundamental (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a Cheveley Park homebred who ran fifth in the G3 Jersey S. and exports a rating of 103. He made 240,000gns as Lot 1142. Najd Stud, with co-signatories Peter and Ross Doyle, duly heads the overall purchasing table with a dozen recruits for 2,491,000gns.

New Start Beckons Old Flame

The big Australian target in the Juddmonte draft had immediately preceded Boltaway through the ring, another 3-year-old in Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) [1113] bringing 250,000gns from Snowden Racing/Will Johnson Bloodstock-bidding, by a pre-dawn call from Sydney, through Tattersalls representative Jason Singh.

This colt remains lightly raced, having only made his debut for Ralph Beckett in August, and looked rapidly progressive in winning his next two starts over seven furlongs before getting stuck in the mud at Newbury last week.

Colum McCullagh, racing and bloodstock manager to the father-and-son team of Peter and Paul Snowden, broke off from trackwork at home to explain that he had not been bought for a particular client and will probably be syndicated.

“He'll be on the first shipment here from Europe,” McCullagh said. “He looks to have the right sort of profile for Australia and his sire has had a huge influence here through his son I Am Invincible (Aus). He should suit a lot of races here, from six furlongs to a mile, he's a real sprinter-miler type.

“He came highly recommended by his trainer, who loved him every morning and evening. And I have to give special mention to Will Johnson, who spent time in Newmarket as assistant to Roger Varian. Will has put a lot of work into the catalogue, and it's great to have someone with his knowledge of racing in the region. To have a horse from an organisation such as Juddmonte Farms speaks for itself: Old Flame has just two dams on the page, he has a stallion's pedigree.”

Sure enough, his dam is a half-sister to the mother of stallions Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) and Bated Breath (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Chipoltle Leads Hot Yearling Finds…

Few projects this week reflect better on their authors than Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), who was found for just 10,000gns at the Tattersalls Ascot Sale (transferred here last September) by Anthony Bromley of Highflyer and Eve Johnson Houghton, even though his second dam is a half-sister to Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}).

He was one of three youngsters bundled together for a 20-strong syndicate, with a commitment to sell at the end of the campaign, and promptly won the Brocklesby and a Royal Ascot trial before returning to win the Listed Windsor Castle S. itself. To Johnson Houghton's credit, moreover, he regrouped from a midsummer lull to win a valuable Listed race at Redcar earlier this month. All told, that catapulted his value to 210,000gns on his return to the ring as Lot 1055, as part of the Najd Stud spree.

Johnson Houghton was justly emotional afterwards.

“I'm a bit teary, because he has been amazing,” she said. “For a 10-grand purchase to do all that and then come here and sell so well. Of course I'm sorry to see him go. He's going to do a job for someone, he really will: he has grown again, he's tough, he's sound, and he'll get the seven furlongs. I hope he does really well in Saudi, I'm thrilled with the price and wish the best of luck to the new owners.”

In that context she noted how hard it is for horses of this type in Britain.

“If the horse isn't Group class as a 3-year-old, and obviously I'm not saying he won't be, then you're just hammered by the handicapper,” she said. “It does make it so hard for them.”

As it is, he couldn't have been expected to meet his brief better.

“I was a bit concerned, with Covid last year, that I was going to end up without any horses,” Johnson Houghton recalled. “So I bought those three horses to be sold at the end of the year. Ant [Bromley] did a brilliant job. It's a hell of a result and I'm just very proud of him.”

No less than one would hope, the whole syndicate has subscribed to a repeat endeavour.

Towards the end of the session, another inspired touch could be credited to Richard Venn and Andrew Balding, who found Classic Lord (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}) for just €20,000 as a Baden-Baden yearling. A lot more people were interested in him here, as Lot 1171, having meanwhile won two juvenile races plus two staying handicaps this time round. That made the chestnut colt eligible for quite a few different agendas, with plenty of jumping irons soon in the fire, but he was ultimately summoned to a very different destiny, with Oliver St Lawrence prevailing at 200,000gns to join Fawzi Nass in Bahrain.

“He looks a nice horse and, while I know the jumpers were on him, he seems to go on firm ground and will suit all the criteria,” reasoned St Lawrence.

Stuart Williams is a reliably shrewd shopper and he was another to turn a handsome profit late in the session, having taken Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) [1188] aboard as a 55,000gns Book 2 yearling. He has since advanced his rating to 90 and his value to 220,000gns, courtesy of Boomer Bloodstock.

“He's going to California to Philip D'Amato for Tony Fanticola,” explained Boomer's Craig Rounsefell. “Tony was one of the owners of Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}), who was purchased at this sale and we had a lot of success with. This horse reminded us of him: he has a great turn of foot, he's lightly raced and looks like he is going to really enjoy the firm turf in California.”

Obviously, who changed hands here for 130,000gns in 2011, went on to win three Grade Is including the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Flinders Another Voyaging South…

This was the anniversary of a poignant success for Ed Walker, who bade farewell to his Derby fifth English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) in this session last year for 925,000gns, an auction record for a colt in training.

English King has admittedly proved a disappointment in Australia, reportedly due for castration after his latest start, but perhaps his former stablemate Matthew Flinders (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will have better luck after making 230,000gns as Lot 1008. He will certainly be an apt migrant, named as he is after the English naval captain who first circumnavigated and charted the Australian coast.

And it can only be auspicious that his purchaser, Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock, found new trainer Annabel Neasham none other than Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) for 150,000gns out of Sir Michael Stoute's draft at this sale last year. His lucrative endeavours since include Group 1 wins in the Doomben Cup and Underwood S.

“Zaaki has been phenomenal,” Boman said. “It's fantastic what one horse can do for people's lives and careers. He's going to be a hard act to follow, but we wanted to target here what we felt could be one of the nicest horses in the sale for Australia.

“His ability is definitely far better than what the form book shows. He's a horse who constantly travels best of all, any field he is in. I spoke with Ed and I think he has probably felt like he's had a Group horse on his hands for a long time. He just wanted him to win his big handicap but has never had his day, and now the handicapper has forced his hand by raising his mark so high. But he's thoroughly consistent, always runs to 105 [Timeform], and as a strong-travelling horse should really suit Australia.”

Boman celebrated his winning bid by exchanging high fives with Neasham's mother Patricia, who had come from her Northamptonshire home to witness the sale.

“I'm delighted for Annabel, she's flying along,” Boman said. “She's got two runners in the Golden Eagle S. on Saturday, which is worth A$7.5 million. Things are healthy in Australia!”

Youth Spirit a 230,000gns 'Bargain'

The same destination beckons G1 St Leger fifth Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) [1186A], candidly acclaimed by his purchaser Johnny McKeever as not just the bargain of the week but as “the best value horse I've bought in about 10 years.”

Quite a claim, you might suppose, at 230,000gns. But this is a G3 Chester Vase winner who has reiterated his class for Andrew Balding with podium finishes in races as diverse as the G2 Great Voltigeur S. and G2 Vintage S. As such, this was yet another astute yearling punt to generate a handsome dividend on the day, having been a €48,000 private sale to Federico Barberini at Arqana's August Sale.

But this was a case where everyone was a winner, McKeever sounding ecstatic to confine the vendors' profit to the level he did in securing the colt for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

“I'm extremely excited,” the agent declared. “I've been trying to buy this horse all year, and knew there was a lot of activity from Australia. In this market, I really, really believe that was the best value in the whole sale. The level of form is outstanding, he's a beautiful-looking horse by Camelot, he has absolutely everything going for him. I don't know why, maybe it was because he was a wild card, but that's just a blip.”

He had earlier been obliged to pay exactly the same, on behalf of the same clients, for King Of Clubs (GB) (Intello {Ger}) [Lot 952] after winning a maiden and a handicap during the course of his second campaign for Hughie Morrison. Auspiciously, the 3-year-old has reached a rating of 93 without being tried beyond 10 furlongs-despite only getting up late on the Sandown hill in August.

“Same formula as usual,” McKeever observed then. “Robbie Waterhouse liked the form, I liked the horse, and Hughie recommended him. I've had a couple of blank days, I had quite a lot of vet fails and others were just making a lot more than we were prepared to spend. The right horses are hard to come by and it feels like we are all sharing them around. But it's good having Robbie behind me, he's a very clever man on the form, and that takes a bit of pressure off as all I have to do is look at them to see if they're the right sort physically.”

King Of Clubs was certainly in more demand than had been the case on his previous visit to this ring, as a Book I yearling from breeder Meon Valley Stud. Unsold at 19,000gns that day, he ended up racing for Castle Down Racing–the same partnership (under Meon Valley managing partner Mark Weinfeld) that had campaigned Telecaster (GB), another Book 1 buyback from the same family, to win the G2 Dante S. among other races on his way to Haras du Mesnil.

A rather different story is Swift Verdict (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who topped the Arqana August Yearling Sale as a €1.4 million yearling but was soon transferred from John Gosden to Willie Mullins for whom he could only manage to win a Dundalk maiden. The project was abandoned when he arrived here as Lot 933, costs defrayed to the extent of 25,000gns by Mohammed al Jeadiah.

Even Juveniles Joining the Exodus Down Under…

The opportunity to recruit horses as young as two through the Shadwell cull has created a lot of excitement this week but even this market proved vulnerable to Australian investment when Billy Jackson-Stops signed a 120,000gns docket for Hanaady (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) [Lot 1000] to be shipped out to Matt Cumani.

This filly won a Nottingham maiden for Ed Dunlop last month and, though below that form at York next time, it obviously remains early days for this daughter of a half-sister to G2 Gimcrack S. winner Blaine (GB) (Avonbridge {GB}) and another accomplished sprinter Bogart (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}).

“Myself and Sam Haggas have done some work together and we put her to Matt,” explained Jackson-Stops. “Night of Thunder has been going really well down there, and Matt was pretty keen to try a filly. We thought we'd see if it works, there are options for her: she's good-looking, and will have some residual value.”

Earlier Shadwell had produced the only six-figure sale of a relatively torpid morning when Tasfeeq (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) [895] brought 120,000gns from Qatari trainer Ibrahim Saeed Al-Malki. The 3-year-old gelding has won three times this season for Marcus Tregoning, showing his purchaser a helpful aptitude for firm ground.

Queen's Piper To Play a Different Tune…

National Hunt prospectors have found themselves particularly squeezed by the Australian dollar, but one or two have found the backing to give themselves a chance and Gordon Elliott continued his quest for rehabilitation by recruiting a pricey 3-year-old from the royal stable in Pied Piper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) [1139].

This lad has stood up to a busy campaign for the John and Thady Gosden, albeit had to wait until this month to win for the first time since breaking his maiden. Both his wins have come on the mud, so he will clearly operate in winter ground. Presented by the Castlebridge Consignment, he was knocked down to Elliott, standing alongside agent Mouse O'Ryan, for 225,000gns; the docket was signed in the name of Irish agent Joseph Logan and patrons Andrew and Gemma Brown.

“Pied Piper has been bought by Andrew and Gemma, who have a string of horses with Gordon,” explained Logan by telephone. “The horse will go juvenile hurdling and run back on the Flat next summer: he's a dual-purpose type. I saw some videos of him, but Gordon saw him at Tattersalls and really loved him.”

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The world's largest horses in training sale saw the average and median rise 60 percent and 78 percent respectively compared with the opening session last year, whilst the clearance rate was a typically robust 88 percent.

BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe signed for the top two lots during the opening session with both lots headed for the Middle East. The second of the pair and the top priced lot for the day was the 3-year-old colt Horoscope who was consigned by Coolmore and knocked down for 325,000 guineas.

“He goes to the Middle East,” revealed Donohoe. “With a rating of 110 he can run in all those top races in the Emirates. He goes on quick ground and he is versatile, he is a good-looking horse and he has the pedigree to be a stallion down the road.”

The son of No Nay Never has won at Listed level for trainer Aidan O'Brien and was third in the Group 2 Boomerang Mile at Leopardstown two starts ago.

Donohoe had earlier secured the Michael O'Callaghan trained I Am Magic for 200,000 guineas and the son of Magician is set to head to Saudi Arabia. The 2-year-old colt was a close up third in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on his most recent start, which earned him an official rating of 101.

“He has been bought for a Middle Eastern client to run in the Saudi Derby on Saudi Cup day,” said Donohoe. “He has come recommended by Michael [O'Callaghan], I have seen his races and seen him breeze. He is a big horse and there is more to come from him.”

I Am Magic was purchased by O'Callaghan at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale for 95,000 guineas, having been a 14,000 guineas Tattersalls Ascot yearling.

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9.30am on Tuesday, 26th October.

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Year-on-year comparisons at an auction like this must carry a caveat, granted the random element in the calibre and distribution of the best stock. But in the context of the overall market, which has absorbed the shock of the pandemic with such buoyancy, it seems reasonable to accept at face value a return the levels achieved in the first session in 2019. For while this sector did suffer more than most in 2020–when the surprising resilience of the yearling market was perhaps complemented by a “fire sale” mentality with horses that had shown their hand–the recovery in values appears to form a fairly perfect 'V'.

So even if we set aside a giddy elevation in Monday's trade compared with last year–condensed by leaps of 72% in turnover (7,126,000gns for 263 sales from 4,138,500gns for 244); 60% in average (27,095gns from 16,961gns); and 78% in median (16,000 from 9,000gns)–then the session performed pretty well in step with the equivalent one in 2019, where turnover of 7,696,700gns for 265 sales yielded an average of 29,044gns and median of 13,500gns. The median, key to that critical middle market, performed exceptionally well and the clearance rate also attested to demand, up to 88% from 84%.

Who can say how long racetrack competition in this country can sustain international credibility when prizemoney so clearly does not? It's a precarious and paradoxical foundation for viability, but once again conspicuous overseas investment–notably from the Middle East–testified to enduring faith, for now, that the priceless heritage of British racing guarantees the quality that purse money cannot.

Horoscope Retains Bright Future

Another conundrum, and one unique to this market, is that the best stables sometimes pay a price for their own excellence, purchasers being sceptical of their own ability to eke out further improvement. But the way Horoscope (Ire) (No Nay Never) has continued to thrive on a busy campaign for the peerless Aidan O'Brien prompted hectic demand as soon as he entered the ring as lot 302. Indeed, someone tried to hit the ball out of the park with an opening bid of 100,000gns, but that bold flourish was soon placed in perspective and it ultimately took a single intervention from BBA Ireland, at 325,000gns, to land the colt for undisclosed Middle Eastern clients.

Horoscope admittedly disappointed in the G2 Challenge S. on his latest start, but had been progressing markedly before that, with a listed success at Killarney setting up a storming finish for a close third (and an official rating of 110) in Group 2 company at Leopardstown. He has a pedigree to support his improvement, too, with none other than Sonic Lady (Nureyev) as third dam and a plethora of black-type performers and producers under her unraced daughter Lady Icarus (GB) (Rainbow Quest).

“He's a good-looking horse with the pedigree to be a stallion down the road,” said Michael Donohoe after signing the docket. “With that rating he can run in all those top races in the Emirates, he goes on quick ground, and he's versatile.”

Investment from the Gulf drove much of the day's trade and the very next lot in the draft, Lough Derg (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 307), was another case in point. Having been just run out of a group prize at Dundalk last month, he brought 120,000gns from Peter Doyle and Najd Stud.

On the face of it, two other sons of Galileo (Ire) offered by Coolmore earlier in proceedings had achieved pretty much what they were bred to do, having respectively finished third in the Derby and St Leger.

Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (lot 237) made the podium at 66-1 behind stablemate Serpentine (Ire) at Epsom last year, in one of the more mystifying races in Derby history. This summer he confirmed sufficient ability to romp away with the G2 Curragh Cup, but he has since been beaten an aggregate 71 lengths in three starts and CUB Bloodstock, bidding online, was able to land him for 78,000gns.

The Mediterranean (Ire) (lot 238), in contrast, was third in the oldest Classic only last month, and runner-up in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. before that. He may not have absorbed his Doncaster effort when stepped up to two miles in a couple of subsequent outings, and it will be interesting to monitor his future endeavours for Domeland, whose 100,000gns bid was also made remotely.

Magic Still Casting A Spell

Donohoe had earlier ensured that I Am Magic (Ire) (Magician {Ire}) remains well named, sealing a second lucrative pinhook cycle.

Found as a yearling by Aguiar Bloodstock for just 14,000gns at the Ascot Yearling Sale, he breezed at the Craven Sale here with sufficient dash to advance his value to 95,000gns. That has in turn proved to be a good investment for Michael O'Callaghan, whose stable has developed an astute niche as a trading nursery. A maiden winner at the Galway Festival, he had appeared to struggle with a rise in grade on his next two starts and was duly sent off at 66-1 for the G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown just nine days before the sale. But he really put himself in the shop window there, worn down only in the closing stages to be beaten a length in third, in the process hoisting his rating to 101.

That persuaded Donohoe to go to 200,000gns for lot 257, again on behalf of an unnamed client in the Middle East. “The immediate plan would be the Saudi Derby,” the agent explained. “He should get into the race with the rating he has, and should get the trip well. I've been following his career all the way through, I saw him breeze and was at Leopardstown last week when he ran so well. He has plenty of size and scope, and looks the type that will keep getting better as a 3-year-old.”

Blueberry's Fruitful Investment

Touch of the day was completed when Atalis Bay (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) entered the ring as lot 358. Picked up as a short yearling by Scuderia Blueberry SRL for just 800gns at the February Sale here in 2019, he has since won five races in 12 starts for Marco Botti, including a listed sprint at Sandown–and here advanced his value to 130,000gns from Tom Morley and Middleham Park to join Robert Cowell.

“We're setting up a little syndicate between Middleham and Tom,” said Cowell. “They had a nice 2-year-old this year [Dynamic Force (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})], so we're trying to stay lucky. He looks like something we can do well with.”

“He's a very fast horse, he was second to Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) at York and that's pretty decent form,” reasoned Tim Palin of Middleham Park. “He's still a colt, so the dream is very much alive that he could be a superstar. The way he won at Sandown was brilliant, and I can see him winning heritage handicaps or maybe even better.”

In the meantime, all credit to his previous owners for a terrific investment–and to Botti for his skilled contribution to a real rags-to-riches tale.

Opportunity In Shadwell Draft

The Shadwell cull that dominates this catalogue has created an unusual opportunity in the release of many horses that remain “work in progress.” A group of juveniles in this session, for instance, included Majalh (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 191). Earlier this month, fitted in a tongue-tie for his third start, he had won a Brighton maiden by four lengths for William Haggas. With a granddam so closely related to Fame And Glory (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), further progress seems likely and that drove Jassim Mohamed Al Ghazali, bidding remotely online, to 155,000gns.

The Qatari trainer, usually such a reliable presence at this sale, was regretfully unable to travel this time owing to ongoing Covid restrictions. But Will Douglass, who assists his shopping here, said: “This horse was very well presented and produced by Shadwell, and ticks all the boxes: by Siyouni out of a Sea The Stars (Ire) mare, he's just a 2-year-old and it looks as though there's more to come from him.”

While Majalh will be continuing his career in the desert, the previous lot into the ring was a case of cutting to the chase for Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud, who will retire Falaj (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 190) unraced. In giving 100,000gns for this half-sister to group-placed sprinter Fashion Queen (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}), after all, McCartan was only matching what she had cost Shadwell in the same ring as a foal. Besides throwing two years' keep into the package, Falaj has meanwhile been distinguished by her half-sister's son Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), winner of the G2 Richmond S. and placed in the G1 Prix Morny this summer for Alan King.

Ballyphilip famously gave us Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and more of the same seems possible from a family replete with stakes sprinters including G2 Flying Childers and G3 Molecomb winner Wunders Dream (Ire) (Averti {Ire}), a half-sister to Falaj's dam. The dam of Battaash, remember, was bought at this auction nine years ago for just 14,000gns.

“This sale has been lucky for us,” McCartan said. “And we loved her pedigree: Asymmetric is a good horse and his half-brother was stabled next to us this year, a Gleneagles (Ire) colt from Redpender, and he's a beautiful-looking horse. We have a breeding right in Showcasing (GB) so she may go to him.”

There was the customary interest in older Shadwell stock, too. Montather (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), for instance, brought 140,000gns as lot 280 from Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock on behalf of Ciaron Maher Racing. The 4-year-old has needed patience, mustering just three starts across his first two seasons, but has settled on a mark of 94 and the agent said he considers him tailormade for Australia.

“Roger has handled the horse beautifully,” Boman said. “We've had a bit of luck at this sale over the years, and I think this is a very talented horse who will appreciate the faster pace in Australia, because he can get a little bit keen, and he loves firm ground too.”

Hoping For Another Mishriff

Seeing is believing, and while few would have viewed Make Believe (GB) as an obvious dirt influence before his son Mishriff (Ire) took to the surface with such lucrative effect in the Saudi Cup, then compatriots of his owner Prince A.A. Faisal were clearly inspired in giving 135,000gns for the homebred 3-year-old Third Kingdom (GB) (lot 201).

Assumptions about the versatility of bloodlines do tend to be self-fulfilling, being so rarely tested. Regardless, this colt responded to blinkers in spectacular fashion for John and Thady Gosden at York last month, winning a handicap by eight and a half lengths. That performance belatedly renewed the promise he had shown with a similarly emphatic maiden success last year, and secured a new rating of 103.

In fairness, unlike Mishriff, Third Kingdom's maternal family contains a number of blatant clues that dirt might prove congenial, notably a second dam whose half-brother Tejano Run (Tejano) ran second in the GI Kentucky Derby. (Dam Spring In The Air {Spring At Last} did win the GI Alcibiades S. but that was during Keeneland's synthetic experiment.)

So it'll be interesting to see how he fares for Najd Stud, who were represented here by Peter Doyle and Saad Bin Mashraf, who confirmed: “We like the breeding for the dirt, especially on the dam's side, we think he will improve on that surface.”

Descent Taking Off

Increasing competition from Australian and Saudi Arabian investors has made this sale much tougher going for jumps trainers than was the case a few years ago, but Anthony Bromley secured a nice staying prospect for Warren Greatrex in Line Of Descent (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who made 135,000gns as lot 269.

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum's homebred gelding, unraced at two, has been brought along to a rating in the mid-80s in the expert care of Simon and Ed Crisford, while remaining unexposed and with obvious scope for his new career.

“He's been bought for my new landlords, Jim and Claire Bryce,” said Greatrex. “We've bought a few nice horses for them recently and they wanted a juvenile, and this horse fitted the bill. We know the Nathaniels jump, and they improve with age. Time will tell but he looks the part so fingers crossed.”

Greatrex has sent out three winners from his new base in Lambourn, Rhonehurst, and hopes that this horse can emulate one of his first flagbearers, Barwell Bridge (GB) (Red Ransom), bought at this auction for 80,000gns before running fifth in the Triumph Hurdle. “But it's a hard sale,” he admitted. “You need a good budget to buy a good one here.”

If At First You Don't Succeed…

Perseverance paid off for breeders Hunscote Stud with Cairn Gorm (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who failed to reach his reserve here as a foal, at just 19,000gns, and again at Doncaster as a yearling, at £35,000. Retained to race in partnership, he won his first three for Mick Channon as a juvenile, including a group race in France, before stabilising on a mark in the mid-90s with a solid handicap campaign this time round. That qualified him to meet the brief of James Couldwell of Value Racing Club, operating on behalf of a shareholder who could now afford to raise his sights to 105,000gns for lot 252.

“Richard Sanderson has been a member with the racing club for some time, but recently sold his business and wanted a horse of his own who could run at the top weekend meetings,” Couldwell said. “The budget was 100,000gns, but we weren't to lose out for an extra bid. That's how it worked out, but we couldn't have gone again. We're usually spending around 30,000gns, so it was a bit nerve-wracking.

“He'll be going to Mick Appleby, who has done so well for us, and hopefully he can target the Wokingham. He did brilliantly as a very forward 2-year-old, but then the others maybe caught up with him a bit at three: he's been running under big weights and not beaten far, so we're hoping that Mick has done the work for us and got him handicapped.”

Still being an entire, moreover, Cairn Gorm gives his new connections the option of rendering him, in the traditional formula, “two stone lighter.”

Fresh Start For Dirtyoldtown

After a breakout season, with 44 winners at a 21% strike-rate, Grant Tuer will face the challenge of consolidation with a promising new recruit in Dirtyoldtown (Ire) (No Nay Never), a runaway maiden winner at Chepstow for George Boughey before failing to cope with a rise in class in the G3 Autumn S. Offered as lot 324, he was knocked down to Alex Elliott at 100,000gns.

“I think he was probably just a bit free the other day, but I know George well and he's very sorry to see the horse go,” the agent remarked. “We've been waiting on him all day, didn't bid for two or three others because this was the one we wanted, but the way the market has heated up we were a bit worried whether we'd get him. So Grant is over the moon. He's had a wonderful season and this one is for a new client of the stable.”

It was Elliott, incidentally, who found Raadobarg (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) at Doncaster as a yearling for £200,000, and he was handsomely vindicated when that colt ran up a hat-trick in the spring for Roger Varian in the silks of Amo Racing, culminating in a Class 2 Handicap at Haydock. It feels like a depressing commentary on the curious economics of our business that the colt's earnings nonetheless remain short of £40,000; and nor, even as one of the top lots of the day, could he quite retrieve his original value. Offered as lot 344 through Aguiar Bloodstock, he made 150,000gns from Hamish Macauley Bloodstock and will now transfer to the yard of Johnny Murtagh.

“I'm delighted to get such a high-class horse,” Murtagh said. “His form looks solid and hopefully he can improve from three to four.”

Of course, it's hard to put a price on the sheer pleasure of owning a decent racehorse and there is surely plenty more of that to come for those partners in Ace Rothstein (More Than Ready) who bought out those who sent him into the ring as wildcard lot 364C. He was late resurfacing this season but has looked highly progressive in winning two of three starts since, and returns to Fitzroy House after Nick Bell signed a 125,000gns docket on behalf of his father Michael. He'll be looking to Dubai or Bahrain this winter.

Annandale Following Glen Trail

One stayer who eluded both the export and jumping markets was Annandale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who topped the quieter morning trade in fetching 82,000gns as lot 88. Mind you, he will be crossing what remains (for now) an internal frontier, as befits one named after a region of the glorious Scottish Borders.

Winner of four races in the care of Mark Johnston for Ayrshire owner-breeder William Johnstone, Annandale will now join Jim Goldie outside Glasgow–at stables already housing Johnstone's evergreen Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized), better than ever this year at the age of eight. Goldie hopes that he, too, can progress out of handicap grade as he matures.

“He's obviously from a breeder I know well,” Goldie said. “I'm hoping he will turn into a Cup horse. He's a nice horse, a typical Mark Johnston horse, and I think he'll progress. He might have a break, but he has won at Newcastle and with the All-Weather Finals moving there we might have a think about that.”

Johnstone is a believer in close inbreeding. Euchen Glen's dam Jabbara (Ire), picked up for just €25,000, was out of a Nureyev mare–just like her sire Kingmambo. And Johnstone mated her with a grandson of Nureyev's three-parts brother Sadler's Wells. Annandale, for his part, is out of a mare by Sadler's Wells–who is also his great-grandsire.

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Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) likewise provided a quick return on the 150,000gns that Blandford Bloodstock and trainer Annabel Neasham paid for him at last year's sale. He has won five group races in Australia this year, headed by the G1 Doomben Cup and G1 Underwood S.

The four-day sale includes drafts from leading trainers like Mark Johnston, Richard Hannon, Andrew Balding, Roger Varian, Jim Bolger, Joseph O'Brien, Dermot Weld and Henri-Francois Devin. In the continuation of its cutbacks, Shadwell brings 121 to the sale, including a handful of lightly raced 3-year-old rated 105 and above, and some promising 2-year-olds. Juddmonte has some unexposed 3-year-olds among its nine-strong draft, while Coolmore offers black-type performers such as the G1 St Leger third The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 238) and the G1 Melbourne Cup second Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 548).

Among the highlights of the catalogue are this year's dual German and Italian Group 3 winner Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 738), who was second in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in July. Like the listed-winning 4-year-old Praetorius (Ger) (Novellist {Ire}) (lot 739), he is offered by Ronald Rauscher.

Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) has picked up four wins from nine starts for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton in 2021, including the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, and the admirable 2-year-old is catalogued as (lot 1055). Another black-type juvenile on offer is Papa Don't Preach (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 600), second in the Listed Prix Yacowlef and fourth in the G2 Flying Childers S., while the dual winning and Timeform 95-rated 2-year-old Nero Tulip (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (lot 364D) and the winning Timeform 87-rated Josies Kid (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) (lot 1186B) also look to have upside.

Also catalogued is Ahmad Al Shaikh's 2021 G3 Chester Vase scorer Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) (lot 1186A); last out G3 March S. victor Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) (lot 778); Lloyd Williams's Listed Her Majesty's Plate winner Master Of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1186C); Cheveley Park Stud's listed-placed 3-year-old Fundamental (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (lot 1142); and Lady Bamford's Balmoral H. third Magical Morning (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) (lot 1143).

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Several recent sale graduates have enjoyed Group 1 success on an international level in 2021, including Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) and Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The catalogue features 80 group and listed performers. Among them are two-time group placed Hierarchy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) (lot 1205); Listed Windsor Castle S. winner Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) (lot 1055); G1 Cazoo St Leger third and fourth The Mediterranean (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 238) and Interpretation (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 236); and G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 548); listed winner Chalk Stream (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 666); and G3 March S. winner Dancing King (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) (lot 778).

There are sizable drafts from Juddmonte (10), Coolmore (52), Shadwell (154), Godolphin (20), William Haggas's Somerville Lodge (25), The Castlebridge Consignment (101), Mark Johnston's Kingsley Park (54), Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables (51), Andrew Balding's Park House Stables (36), and Roger Varian's Carlburg Stables (32).

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The unique diversity of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale is the key to its enduring appeal to both domestic and international buyers. Flying the flag this year for the Autumn Horses in Training Sale is the outstanding Australian multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki, purchased at last year's sale, and this year's catalogue has all the ingredients to appeal to the customary global audience including the significant, high-class consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates.”

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After all, when auctioneer John O’Kelly tried to coax one last effort out of underbidder Ted Voute for lot 1153a, he told him: “There’s only one chance to buy English King.”

But Jeremy Brummitt could tell you otherwise, having picked him out as a yearling at the Arqana October Sale for €210,000. As a result, following a dazzling rehearsal in the Lingfield Trial, patron Bjorn Nielsen was able to savour the exhilaration of fielding the leading home-trained colt for the G1 Investec Derby itself—an experience that very pardonably, given the vagaries of the game, eludes many a lifelong investor.

Things did not play out on the day quite as hoped, English King finding himself adrift with most of the field early before staying on for fifth. But all the embryonic attributes perceived by Brummitt have now matured to the point that Armando Duarte was prepared to see off Voute at 925,000gns and send English King from the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale to the Ballymore Stables Australia of Mike Moroney.

Brummitt, moreover, can also take credit for amplifying the marketability of the colt’s sire in Australia. For it was in this ring, 12 days before his Deauville coup, that the agent found another son of the Coolmore stallion for 120,000gns out of Book 1. As Russian Camelot (GB), that colt has this year become the pioneering winner of two Group 1 prizes Down Under for trainer Danny O’Brien, before finishing third in the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate only last weekend.

Others have played their part. The Cox Plate winner, Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), is himself a recent import and also gave a boost to the profile of their sire. And then there is the work of trainer Ed Walker, who understandably described the sale of his most cherished charge as a “very bittersweet” spectacle.

“I’d far rather have won the same money on the track,” Walker admitted after congratulating Duarte. “I’d far rather have won it in the Derby, obviously. But it was all a bit of a perfect storm. I suppose in a normal year, Bjorn may have sold more yearlings, and might have been up for competing internationally with this horse. But when I tried to persuade Bjorn to keep him, and aim for all these big races in Australia and Hong Kong and around the world, quite rightly he was worried as to whether we’d be able to race in those races. Will racing be happening? Will we be able to travel? Will the horse?

“But look, it’s a great result. Bjorn puts a lot into the game. So I do take great pride. A lot of trainers nowadays are selling through professional consignors. But Luca [Cumani, whom Walker served as assistant] used to take a lot of pride in preparing his horse for the sales, and I try to replicate that. When Luca retired, I wrote and asked for his spot in the Somerville Paddock and Tattersalls kindly gave it to me. We try to produce our horses sound and well, and it’s always good to get a result.

“And this has all been a great journey. English King made lockdown a bit more interesting, that’s for sure. Obviously it didn’t end as we hoped. I’m still looking for my first Group 1 winner. I was absolutely certain it would be him, but things just played against him.”

The eccentric way in which the Derby unfolded this year certainly made strenuous demands of English King, and Walker is certain that he will regroup for his new connections after twice disappointing since.

“He’d had a couple of hard races,” he said. “You don’t break a 30-year-old track record, like he did at Lingfield, without giving your all. And he had a very hard race in the Derby when he ran an absolute blinder. His next two races weren’t up to that level, but he’s not the biggest horse and those probably took their toll. For me, he’s tailormade for the Melbourne Cup. He stays, he travels, and he loves that fast ground. I am very grateful to the guys who bought him, and wish them every bit of luck.”

This transaction set a spectacular seal not just on Duarte’s purposeful shopping for brothers Mike and Paul Moroney over the preceding couple of days, but on the critical value of the Australian export market this week.

Duarte admitted that this was a real stretch but had anticipated a price between 750,000gns and 1,000,000gns and played his cards accordingly. Voute, seated to the right of the rostrum, was on a video call to his client in Saudi Arabia as Duarte lurked outside the ring, bidding through a spotter. At 875,000gns, Voute appeared to quit, only to bounce back just as the gavel was coming down with a last-ditch sally of 900,000gns. That caused a chuckle around the ring, but Duarte quickly closed in for the kill.

Paul Moroney outlined his thinking from home. “English King’s track-record performance at Lingfield, beating [G1] St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), was one of the most breathtakingly dominant performances anywhere this year,” he said.

“He is clearly a highly talented colt with loads of quality and we are thrilled to have secured him. Through their joint sire Camelot, and with similar race records at the same stage, English King maps the same as Sir Dragonet.

“We’ve bought him for a syndicate headed by two New Zealand businessmen and a collection of Ballymore Stables’ Australian clients. He’s certainly an exciting addition to the team, and our first time playing at this very high level, so one could say the pressure is on for him to perform.

“He will head Down Under in December to join Mike’s Flemington stable early January and [we’ll] play things by ear. He will likely race in our autumn but next spring will be the main focus going forward.”

Congratulations to all concerned, then, most obviously to Nielsen himself. It was a bold idea to come here, as a wildcard, and presumably there was an equally bold reserve. But the reward was a deal that blew the previous record for a colt at this auction—the 625,000gns paid by Joseph O’Brien for Summer Sands (GB) (Coach House {Ire}) last year—out of the water. But Royal Ascot winner Aljazzi (Shamardal) retains the record after her 1,000,000gns transfer, as a broodmare prospect, to Newsells Park in 2018.

Following hard on the heels of the Juddmonte draft, English King duly completed the predicted rally in the third session of the sale. Turnover of 9,779,600gns represented a 19% gain on 8,206,000gns last year, driving the average up 15% to 34,803gns from 30,393gns. Clearance was strong even by 2020 standards at 92%.

With a fairly low-key finale anticipated for Thursday, year-on-year comparisons have meanwhile now levelled off more validly. And while aggregate business is down to 20,488,800gns from 24,037,000gns, the 26,748gns average dipped from 30,235gns last year; and the median dropped to 12,000gns from 16,000gns.

Bullfinch Joins the Migration

With stronger domestic prizemoney apparently reserved for Shangri-La, this sale has certainly reiterated how precious is the symbiosis between the British and Australian Turf; between the heritage of one, and the quality of stock duly attracted, and the prosperity of the other.

As John Ferguson stressed, after signing a 370,000gns docket on behalf of Chris Waller for Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), “The minimum prizemoney at an Australian city track at the weekend is Aus$125,000. The minimum! That does make a difference, you know.”

The 3-year-old Bullfinch (offered as lot 1100 by The Castlebridge Consignment) is a classic example of the value that can be established even in winning barely £25,000—his nugatory reward for winning three of just five starts for Roger Charlton. The colt was homebred by the Rothschilds, at a stud with a venerable history now undergoing dispersal; he has been brought along expertly on the historic Beckhampton gallops by Roger Charlton; and he has been measured against competition that far surpasses the rewards contested.

“From an Australian point of view, there are a lot of reasons why a horse like this could be a lot of fun,” Ferguson said. “Kodiac has already sired a [G1] Caulfield Cup winner in Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who we bought a few years ago, and the dam [Group 1 winner Thistle Bird (GB) (Selkirk)] was a champion older mare. This is a progressive horse, with undoubted ability, that has been quite beautifully trained.”

Best Solution, a 90,000gns find in Book 2, shows the range of Ferguson’s long service for Godolphin and Waller could hardly have entrusted his recruitment to more seasoned judgement. Each of Bullfinch’s wins was marked by real flair, and he clearly can’t be judged on a disappointing stakes debut at Goodwood last time, having raced freely over a new trip. Ferguson and Waller had teamed up for three other attractive lots the previous day, for an aggregate 520,000gns.

Emissary Acts as Pathfinder for King

Duarte and the Moroney brothers had shown the vigour of their interest just minutes before topping the sale. Having given 200,000gns for Ballydoyle’s Keats (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) the previous day, they invested in another elite draft—Juddmonte —when paying 350,000gns for Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

A half-brother to Derby winner Workforce (GB) (King’s Best) and winner of his only start at two for Hugo Palmer, Emissary ( lot 1126) returned to form to win a York handicap last month.

“Physically, he’s a very nice horse,” Duarte said. “He’s 16.2, has not had many runs, is improving all the time, and there’s plenty more to come. It is the same story as yesterday. We probably had to pay a bit more than we expected, but he could be a special horse in Australia next year. This sort of horse does not come onto the market very often. The background family, the first dam and second dam, is very important to the buyers; and this horse passed the vet too, which is very hard.”

Australian Bloodstock/Ronald Rauscher meanwhile crowned their own brisk investment through the sale when giving 180,000gns for Fifth Position (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who has achieved a mark of 104 for Roger Varian and was sold as lot 1107.

In terms of prizemoney, it was much the same story as Bullfinch. Fifth Position leaves Britain with the metre stopped at just over £30,000; and Emissary, not quite £25,000.

Urban Opportunity Finally Cashed in

Having been coolly retained for no less than 340,000gns at this sale last year, when he included sixth in the G1 2000 Guineas among his accomplishments for Richard Hannon, Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) was back as lot 1052.

In the meantime he had maintained his rating at 110, notably in winning his first stakes race at Wolverhampton in March; and, with everything else that has happened, had arguably done just as well to maintain broadly the same value.

Certainly Ted Voute’s bid of 320,000gns represented a very satisfactory dividend for owner Michael Pescod, as the colt had been picked out as a yearling for just £23,000 by Peter & Ross Doyle at the Tattersalls Ireland Ascot Sale.

Voute was operating for the emerging Saudi venture, Najd Stud, as when buying five lots at the inaugural August Horses-in-Training Sale here.

“He’s a big, robust horse who should stand a lot of training out there,” he said. “He’s tough and consistent and will go on quicker ground. He’ll ship out and we’ll see how he adjusts and acclimatises, but ideally he’ll go the normal route through the Cup races and then see if he can be good enough for the big Saudi international day.”

Voute also gave 340,00gns for Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 1130). Having won three times for Sir Michael Stoute last year, Derevo has found a plateau in the mid-90s though beaten under a length in a Doncaster handicap last month. He should find new horizons in the desert.

“We like to buy from the Juddmonte draft and Dansili is a big plus in Saudi Arabia,” Voute said. “This horse has good form and has been well produced.”

Underbidder Ed Dunlop did at least manifest plenty of appetite and perseverance for the locals, throughout the Juddmonte draft, and finally got his reward when landing Derevo’s younger brother Society Lion (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 1132) for 180,000gns.

Fight Opening a New Front in Dubai

The Middle East also beckons for Fight Zone (War Front), two of whose siblings have already proved effective in the U.A.E.

It has been quite an odyssey for the 2-year-old, as he had failed to meet his reserve at $120,000 as a Keeneland September yearling; and was then scratched from Lynn Lodge’s draft at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in July. Instead he surfaced in the care of Ger Lyons, for whom he has steadily improved to win a Naas maiden last month and a Dundalk nursery a few days later.

Everything finally came together when, presented by The Castlebridge Consignment as lot 1068, he brought 290,000gns from Victoria de Sousa and Chris Dwyer.

“He’ll be going out to Dubai for Sheikh Rashid and will hopefully be one for the Carnival,” de Sousa said. “I’d say he’ll probably go to one of the lads based at Meydan. He’s a lovely, scopey horse, well put together, and vetted very clean. It’s hard to get all that here, along with good form, and Chris really liked him.”

Festival Day Back to Her Roots

The fireworks later in the day were preceded by a rather torpid morning, but proceedings were enlivened by the appearance of Festival Day (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as lot 912. Despite regressing at three, she did win a maiden by six lengths for Mark Johnston last year and would have been a valuable proposition had she never even made the track.

That’s because she is out of a Storm Cat daughter of the mighty Miesque, who matched her stellar track career in establishing a wonderful dynasty through the likes of Kingmambo (Mr. Prospector) and East Of The Moon (Private Account). The family continues to thrive, the latter’s daughter Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy) having produced two of the last three winners of the G1 Coronation S., while Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein) and Study Of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) are now trying to establish branches of their own at stud.

Any breeder would relish access to those bloodlines, but Festival Day turned out to be returning to the Niarchos fold after a 170,000gns docket was signed by Martin Buick. Himself of a notable Turf family, of course, Buick has had “the huge privilege” of working for the Flaxman bloodstock empire for around five years.

“It’s obviously one of the best pages in the Stud Book,” Buick reasoned. “And the Niarchos family were keen to get back in. The pedigree speaks for itself, it’s just amazing how it keeps repeating.”

This was not the first time his employers had reclaimed this blood. Festival Day’s dam, having been placed in a light career in France, was recruited by Godolphin on her retirement for 1,800,000gns at the December Sale here in 2007. She was culled 10 years later, however, when Flaxman Stables were able to retrieve her for just 160,000gns; yet all six foals of racing age have won.

Buick was wearing a Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) baseball cap and evidently that was instructive of his employers’ intentions for Festival Day.

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