DBS Autumn Gets Underway

DBS staged the first day of its Autumn Sale–the horses in training section–Wednesday, with figures coming in slightly below last year’s. A high buyback rate of 40.8% saw just 109 of the 184 horses offered find new homes, with those lots grossing £844,900, compared to £1,457,350 for 166 horses sold last year. The average was down 11.7% to £7,751, while the median dipped 9% to £5,000.

The leading light of the day was lot 139, the 2-year-old colt Receding Waves (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}) who has won three times this year for trainer Richard Hannon. Purchased by Howson and Houldsworth and Will Douglass on behalf of Charlie Gordon-Watson for £80,000, the juvenile will continue his racing career in Qatar. Also signed for by Howson and Houldsworth and headed overseas is the second-highest priced lot, 232, a five-time winning 5-year-old entire named Ayaar (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) offered by the Luca Cumani stable. Ayaar will be headed to Australia to be trained by Cumani’s son, Matt, who is to begin training Down Under next year.

The second day of the Autumn Sale Thursday will feature yearlings, and will begin at 10 a.m. local time.