Tattersalls Top Lot Galashiels to Join Ciaron Maher

[Wandering Eyes]

NEWMARKET, UK — It's not everyday you see an order of nuns at Park Paddocks but the sisters from the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham were a very welcome presence and appeared to be enjoying their outing to Tattersalls. 

Spotting showing legend Katie Jerram-Hunnable riding around the walking ring on the late Queen Elizabeth's 23-year-old Barbers Shop (GB) was another Tattersalls first and, for the royalists among us, the initials 'ER' on the great chaser's paddock sheet were a poignant throwback. 

Whether it was the nuns' influence or not is hard to say but bright sunshine blessed the pre-sale stallion parade and RoR Showcase and visitors had turned out in their droves for these two spectacles, which included, respectively, Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius (Ire) and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River (Ire).

It was a bit early, even for members of the press desk, to partake of the port on offer at the British EBF-sponsored brunch in the Irish bar but Rae Guest was happy to confirm that it was a nice drop. 

The general consensus from stallion studs visited over the last few weeks has been that bookings for most bar the top-tier stallions are being slower to roll in this year, and that was a view repeated by a number of those who had brought stallions to Tattersalls for this year's parade. No doubt this valuable chance to see them in the flesh will have made up some people's minds.

In the ring, Australian trainer Ciaron Maher made his presence felt, even from 10,000 miles away, when he swooped to buy the day's top lot, Galashiels (GB), through agent Colm Sharkey. How could he not? The six-year-old gelding is after all a son of Australia (GB) and looks to have the ideal profile for Cup races down under. 

“He has the form and pedigree,” said Sharkey, after bidding 220,000gns for the five-time Godolphin winner. “He will be let down first and will probably head out on the next flight.”

It was only last April that Galashiels beat Goliath (Ger) to win the Listed Prix Seymour for Andre Fabre and that form now has a strong look to it with the subsequent G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath ending the year as the co-third-top-rated horse in the world. 

On a day when nine of the top ten lots hailed from the Godolphin draft, Italian agent Alessandro Marconi was the busiest buyer, signing for 17 horses for the same unnamed client, led by Godolphin's Scarlet Princess (GB) at 130,000gns. The three-year-old daughter of Kingman (GB) and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef) was placed twice for Charlie Appleby to earn a Timeform rating of 79p.

“We were lucky buying here in July, and I recommended this sale as I felt it offered good value – that is why we are here,” Marconi said. “My client operates a large, emerging syndicate and is based in the Middle East. There are some big plans and the horses will be based both in Europe and the Middle East. Once the purchases have finished racing, they could be breeding prospects.”

Another of those future breeding prospects is Helen Keller (GB), a three-year-old unraced filly from Godolphin by Night Of Thunder (Ire) out of the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner Discourse (Street Cry {Ire}), who was secured for 90,000gns.

Marconi, who bought last year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) as a yearling at Arqana as well as G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ire) as a foal, also picked up the three-year-old Modernise (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for 90,000gns on Thursday from Juddmonte. 

“I have to thank the Tattersalls marketing department for putting Metropolitan and Facteur Cheval on the back of the catalogue – it may have helped with my client,” he said with a smile. 

Modernise, who was third at Southwell a fortnight ago for Harry Charlton, will head next to France.

“He is by a great sire, he is unexposed and he seems as though he will develop into a very nice three-year-old over a Classic trip. Hopefully the ground and racing in France will suit him,” Marconi added. 

Timmy Hillman signed for the three-year-old filly Paradise Springs (GB) on behalf of Windgates Stud for 82,000gns. From the first crop of Ghaiyyath (Ire), she is a three-parts-sister to G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) made just one start last year.

He said, “It's a very good family with Naval Crown under the first dam. It goes back to a good Kilfrush line and there's a lot going on as the dam has a couple of Dubawis to come and is going back to him.

“Her half-sister Spring Promise is also in foal to Dubawi. This is a good-looking filly, who was well backed when she ran at Newmarket. Plans are undecided but she'll likely stay over here for now.”

With an outlay of 533,000gns for 17 lots, Marconi was the leading buyer of the day while the Godolphin draft, with 36 sold for 1,394,500gns, accounted for more than half the turnover of the opening session. This, along with a healthy clearance rate of 87%, led to a major upturn in the figures when compared to this day last year. 

From 114 horses sold, the average of 22,013gns was up by 56% while the median more than doubled at 14,500gns. The day's aggregate of 2,509,500gns represented a rise of 74%.

The second and final session of the February Sale commences at 10am on Friday.

 

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