Hope Springs To Dubai After Topping Tatts

by Emma Berry

The common feature of the horses-in-training sales at Tattersalls in July and October is the diversity of destinations of the horses sold through the ring. The same was true for the middle session of the three-day auction, as broodmares gave way to form horses. A late flurry of activity just a handful of lots from the end of the day saw the Lemon Drop Kid gelding American Hope lot 552 snapped up by BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe for 210,000gns after he saw off a challenge from Matt Coleman. The 4-year-old won over six furlongs at Dundalk at two and recently posted an eye-catching performance to finish sixth, just three lengths behind winner Gm Hopkins, in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot. He is now bound for the Dubai International Racing Carnival. “He has high-class form on the all-weather and I thought his Ascot run was really good,” said Donohoe, who bought the 101-rated runner for an unnamed client.”He’s a horse I’ve been following for a while, ever since he was in training with Willie Browne.”

Another solid clearance rate – this time of 91% – saw a rise in median for the session to 11,000gns (+10%), while the average price dropped by 5% to 16,859gns. With 23 fewer horses sold than at the corresponding session in 2014, turnover dropped by 19% to 2,309,700gns. Regular Tattersalls buyer Jassim Al Ghazali, who finished the Qatari trainers’ championship 137 wins clear of his nearest rival, swung into action to secure the most expensive horse of the morning session, lot 358 Go Sakhee (GB) (Sakhee’s Secret {GB}), whose win five days ago helped to elevate his price to 88,000gns. “He won well on Saturday, and is a nice horse with some ability. We are looking for horses with quality,” said Al Ghazali. Rated 89, the 4-year-old leaves Roger Varian’s stable, from which he has posted three victories, to travel to Doha to continue his racing career.

Also heading to the Gulf is lot 476 Grand Argentier (Fr) (Palace Episode), a winner on the sand at Cagnes-Sur-Mer over the winter and most recently placed in the listed Prix Omnium II at Saint-Cloud for Con and Theresa Marnane. Justin Byrne, who runs the Emirates Entertainment Racing Club (EERC) in Dubai went to 80,000gns to secure the 3-year-old, who is to be trained by Doug Watson. He said: “I am good friends with Con [Marnane] and have missed horses before he has recommended and they have turned out to be good, so we were keen for this horse. On pedigree he looks as though he will go on dirt, but he has a rating good enough for the carnival so we have plenty of options.” Chris Waller is currently in Newmarket ahead of Brazen Beau’s assault on the Darley July Cup on Saturday and he made the most of his trip when adding another inmate to his Sydney stable in Juddmonte consignee Orienteer (GB) (Dansili {GB}) offered as lot 497. Buying through his fellow New Zealander and regular agent Guy Mulcaster, Waller went to 65,000gns and was obviously keen to try to repeat a winning formula: in 2010 he paid 100,00gns for another Juddmonte-bred son of Dansili, Foreteller (GB), who went on to win three Group 1 races in Australia. Previously trained in France by Andre Fabre, three-time winner Orienteer is a son of listed PrettyPolly S. winner Take The Hint (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). The Charlie Hills-trained Falconize (Ire) (Henrythenavigator), lot 363, a three-quarter sister to St Leger winner Rule Of Law (Kimgmambo), proved an early highlight of the day’s trade when fetching 60,000gns to a bid from Mags O’Toole.

Shalaa delights breeder Kinane and Gittins…

Castlefarm Stud’s three catalogued entries for today’s session have all been withdrawn but the trip to Newmarket was more than worthwhile for the farm’s owners Mark Gittins and Aisling Kinane, who watched Al Shaqab Racing’s juvenile colt Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) storm to victory in the G2 Arqana July S. The couple bred him from their winning War Chant mare Ghurra and sold him as a foal at Tattersalls for 100,000gns. They plan to offer his High Chaparral (Ire) half-sister at this year’s December Foal Sale. Ghurra is now in foal to Invincible Spirit’s son Charm Spirit (Ire).

Hail the wild card…

A late addition to today’s offerings is the Galileo (Ire) colt Hail The Hero (Ire), who is slated to sell as lot 747A for Middleham Park Racing. The son of GI Beverly D S. winner Mauralakana (Fr) (Muhthathir) won over seven furlongs in March and was fourth, beaten four lengths, in Thursday’s listed Henry Cecil S. at Newmarket. The former 525,0000gns Tattersalls yearling will stand in the Wall Box Z, box 569.