‘He Could Be Anything’ – Jet-Setting Jamie Piggott Lands 150k Skiathos From The Sky

[Wandering Eyes]

The beauty of modern technology allowed agent Jamie Piggott to get in on the action on the penultimate day of the Autumn Horses-In-Training at Tattersalls, with the jet-setting bloodstock agent going to 150,000gns to secure recent Redcar winner Skiathos (Wootton Bassett) whilst on board a flight to America for the Breeders' Cup.

Piggott has been quite active this week and signed for seven horses to the tune of 464,000gns on behalf of various different clients – but Skiathos was by far the most expensive and the Thursday sale-topper will join trainer Henry Dwyer.

Commenting after the plane touched down in America, Piggott said, “Skiathos is an exciting, progressive colt who has a heap of options next year, including the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. He could be anything – his sister [Attagirl (Wootton Bassett)] had talent but she was physically a different type – a speedy two-year-old. He's a good-moving sort with the scope for a mile. The colt stood out today with his updates. I was impressed when we watched him win from the Green Room at Tattersalls on Monday.”

Skiathos was a cosy winner of a Redcar novice only three days ago over 7f. The Karl Burke-trained juvenile carried the colours of Clipper Logistics and earned himself a Timeform rating of 86p in the process. He was the only horse to make six figures on Thursday yet the turnover climbed by 25% to 2,424,000gns. The clearance rate was also up by 5% to 90% while the average climbed 2% to 11,767gns. However, the median dropped by 13% to 7,000gns. 

Piggott continued, “I was on a flight to Del Mar when he was in the ring and the WiFi wasn't great so I was relying on WhatsApps from Harvey Williams who was on the ball – we've already picked up five in this sale for his father Ian. Henry is asleep at the moment so he doesn't actually know that we've got Skiathos just yet! Everyone can see how incredibly well he's doing right now and I believe this colt will complement his training. We'll discuss his plans but at the moment I'm just pleased that we were able to get our hands on a colt with such potential. He may well stay in the UK for a while.”

Piggott was speaking just as the news broke of apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes's passing and the bloodstock agent offered up a heartfelt tribute.

He said, “I had just heard news about Tommy Jakes when we were bidding. He was the nicest lad you could meet and a talented rider. His last winner was on a horse I own a share in, Fouroneohfever. He was so enthusiastic afterwards when chatting about the horse's future. Our thoughts go out to everyone at George Boughey's.”

Hughes Sells National Hunt Prospect For 65k

This has been one of those years where everything seemed to go right for Richard Hughes. As well as bagging a breakthrough Group 1 win with No Half Measures in the July Cup, Hughes is on course to better his best-ever tally of domestic Flat winners [64].

Cracks Speed (Cracksman), who the trainer sent out to run a gallant second – beaten just a neck – on debut in a three-year-old bumper at Market Rasen, didn't go unmissed and sold to Red Racing for 65,000gns.

“He will stay in bumpers for now,” said purchaser Lottie Ingleton. “He showed enough on his first run and he will be trained by Thomas Gallagher.”

Hughes was in attendance at Tattersalls to see the Jaber Abdullah-owned gelding sell for what was the second-highest price on Thursday.

He said, “We are thrilled – anything over 50,000gns we thought would be a good day's work. He came to me in the spring. He had been on the farm a long time because he was so big and he looked a little bit slow to start off with, so I mentioned to Mr Jaber that we should run him in a bumper. I had to explain what a bumper is and he ran a blinder on debut – only just got beaten – and, as he had never been on grass before, ran a really good race. He is an easy, kind horse with a very good pedigree. He is a real National Hunt horse and he sold well.”

Cracks Speed selling for 65,000gns came the same week when his sire relocated to Yorton Stud where he will resume the role as a dual-purpose stallion. 

O'Neill Team Like What They See In Farrell's Filly

Cormac Farrell is another man who enjoyed a banner year – be it with his breezers or horses on the track – and sold recent Curragh maiden scorer Likewhatyousee (Street Sense) for 60,000gns to Matt Coleman on behalf of Jonjo and AJ O'Neill.

Likewhatyousee was sourced by Farrell for $60,000 at Keeneland but missed her window at the breeze-ups. The decision to run the American-bred paid off and, after running out an impressive winner over 1m4f last time, the three-year-old filly boasted obvious appeal as a dual-purpose prospect. 

AJ O'Neill said, “We were keen to find a juvenile hurdling prospect or two this week. She has a US sire but she has run well on her last three starts in Ireland – she tries hard and stays well and was a very game winner at the Curragh on soft ground.”

He added, “She is a tall filly with plenty of scope, and I think she is a filly who should improve with time. Cormac bought her as a breeze-up prospect but she was too tall and immature so he kept her and raced her. He was very keen on her and recommended her. She is a filly who will go hurdling after Christmas and then can run on the Flat next summer.”

 

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