International Demand Remains Strong At Tattersalls

[Wandering Eyes]

NEWMARKET, UK—While British prize-money cannot possibly keep pace with better-funded racing nations, the one benefit to the country is the demand for form horses from these quarters with the potential to run in valuable races around the world.

Buyers from America, Australia and Hong Kong have already featured prominently throughout this sale, as has become the norm, while a strong contingent from the Middle East is another regular feature.

The daily figures from this sale are not directly comparative to last year, but overall, the fact that business is holding up remarkably well has been a talking point among those ringside over the last three days. Traditionally, the Wednesday of this week revolved around the Juddmonte draft but that had been moved to Monday and had provided a number of opening-day highlights. Certainly the day’s takings were down, at 8,206,000gns for 270 sold, but a more telling picture will emerge at the end of Thursday. The session average for Wednesday was 30,393gns and the median was 16,500gns, both of which were down by 18%. Once again, there were not too many horses struggling to find a buyer, and those 270 to change hands represented a clearance rate of 89%.

Owners seeking horses to race in Dubai, Bahrain and particularly Saudi Arabia, which is now able to boast of being the host of the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup, played a prominent role as the lengthy auction rolled into its second half. Bahrain trainer Fawzi Nass will take charge of the day’s top lot (1149), Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) whose four victories for a partnership involving his breeder Alan Spence and subsequent 104 rating, boosted the 4-year-old’s sale price to 380,000gns—the second highest of the week.

As usual, Oliver St Lawrence went in to bat for Nass and said after securing the gelding whose career to date has been honed by Clive Cox, “He goes on fast ground and should suit racing in the Middle East. Fazwi will train him, but I am not sure yet whether the horse will go to Bahrain or Dubai. Clive is good trainer and brings them along well.”

The agent later also signed for Jazeel (Ire) (Roderic O’Connor {Ire}), another four-time winner, this time from the stable of Jedd O’Keeffe, at 160,000gns. Lot 1202 has this season raced in the colours of Quantum, which was active on the day as a buyer as well as vendor.

Cup Prospects
From Wednesday’s session, another two major purchases are both destined for Saudi Arabia after owner Khalid bin Mishref, working in tandem with agent Paul Harley, spent 420,000gns in a matter of minutes on a pair of geldings. He later had to give way to Oliver St Lawrence in the bidding for the day’s top lot.

Dramatic Device (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has proved to be an inspired purchase for jockey-turned-agent Ted Durcan, who bought the 4-year-old (lot 1060) for 20,000gns from the draft of his former employer Godolphin at the February Sale. Winless from six starts for Andre Fabre during his time in Chantilly, a change of scenery to Chris Wall’s Newmarket stable has transformed the horse’s fortunes—and those of his syndicate of owners—with his three consecutive wins in July, August and September result in a ratings rise to 93 and a price of 220,000gns.

“George Baker and I both used to ride quite a bit for Chris Wall and George said to me he would get involved if I ever found a horse,” Durcan explained. “I really liked Dramatic Device at the February Sale and Chris loved him, so we bought him on spec. George and I both took a leg and owners in The Clodhoppers syndicate, who raced Syrian Pearl (GB), took the other half.”

He added, “Chris and his team have done a brilliant job with the horse. Chris is very modest but he did similarly well with [dual Group 3 winner] First Sitting (GB) and he really deserves more recognition. In a way we are very sad to lose the horse as we’ve all had a lot of fun with him.”

Just three lots earlier Mishref and Harley had bid 200,000gns for lot 1057, Rock The Cradle (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}). Purchased as a Book 2 yearling for 25,000gns by Paul Moroney, the New Zealand agent also kept an involvement with the horse and recruited Tattersalls’ marketing manager Jason Singh as a co-owner before sending the horse into training with Ed Vaughan in Newmarket. The 3-year-old’s consistent form this year, with six top-three finishes from as many starts and two victories, have seen his profile rise. Rock The Cradle was put up to a mark of 88 following his most recent win at Yarmouth in September.

Mishref said of his new recruits, “They will both go well in Saudi—I think they will go on the dirt surface there. Dansili has a good record in Saudi. I hope Rock The Cradle will run in the King’s Cup and then go on to the Saudi Cup. My son will train them.”

Mishref this week bought into Dubai World Cup runner-up Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}), who is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and is also being aimed at the Saudi Cup. He also agreed a private sale for an unsold offering from Tuesday’s session, Mekong (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Offered as lot 694, the 112-rated treble winner was initially returned to his owner-breeder Philip Newton at 425,000gns, but a deal was subsequently struck with Mishref for the 4-year-old to be sold for 400,000gns.

Kiefer For O’Keeffe
This time 11 years ago, Bauer (Ire) (Halling) was denied Melbourne Cup glory by just a nose, and on Thursday it was the turn of his youngest half-brother Kiefer (GB) (Pour Moi {Ire}) (934) to have a moment in the spotlight. Consigned by his trainer Eve Johnson Houghton for breeder Spencer Chapman of Aston House Stud, the 3-year-old colt made it to the top of the list of purchases by owners Quantum and trainer Jedd O’Keeffe.

Paul Moroney, who has enjoyed Melbourne Cup success himself as one of the owners of Brew (NZ), trained by his brother Mike, had to settle for the role of underbidder when O’Keeffe lifted the bidding to 210,000gns.

“This is a lovely horse and he came highly recommended by Eve,” said O’Keeffe. “I am very lucky that Quantum are working with me, putting their trust in me and sending some lovely horses for me to train. Jonathan Ramsden is the brains behind the group. He finds the horses with the profiles that he is looking for and I check them out physically here at the sale.”

A winner at Newbury in May, Kiefer has also been placed three times in decent handicaps. Grey like his brother Bauer, he takes his colouring from his Linamix (Fr) dam Dali’s Grey (GB), a product of Jean-Luc Lagardere’s breeding operation and from a family which includes another good grey, the St Leger winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Star Of The East
While many of his colleagues are already in Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup, Simon Crisford was dutifully overseeing the draft from his stables at Tattersalls on Thursday before heading to California to put the finishing touches to the Juvenile Turf Sprint bid of A’Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}).

Among those leaving his stable and heading east is Revestar (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (910), who was bought by Peter and Ross Doyle for 140,000gns.

“He is going to the Middle East for a client,” said Peter Doyle of the juvenile who won on his second and most recent start at Lingfield on Sept. 24.

“He’s a good-moving and good-looking horse and he came highly recommended by Simon Crisford,” the agent added. “This is the second 2-year-old I have bought for this client at the sale but we are looking for older horses, too. The trade has been strong this week, it’s fantastic to see so many buyers from all over the world.”

A Gift For Australia
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will have their sights set on Saturday’s Victoria Derby, for which their challenger Thought Of That (Aus) (So You Think {NZ}) has unwittingly been at the centre of some public disgruntlement after his owner decided to replace the colt’s recent successful jockey partner Linda Meech with Mark Zahra.

The training duo’s representatives at Tattersalls, however, which include Will Bourne and Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman, have had their minds set on stocking the stable with another decent intake of imports. The latest on the list of three from this sale is Global Gift (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), formerly owned by Dr Johnny Hon and in training with Ed Dunlop, and bought for 110,000gns.

Previously a €200,000 Arqana August yearling, the 3-year-old (lot 980), is a three-time winner at a mile and was bred by Lordship Stud in partnership with Ecurie des Monceaux. The latter, headed by Henri Bozo, could be in for a good week as they are set to be represented as breeders in Santa Anita by the six-time Grade 1 winner Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, while another of their graduates, Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is a likely starter in the Melbourne Cup after finishing fourth in the Cox Plate.

The final session of the Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale gets underway at 9.30am on Thursday.

 

 

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