Tattersalls Book 2

TATTERSALLS, ENGLAND - Trainer George Boughey was the latest big name to join the Night Of Thunder fan club at Tattersalls when going to 800,000gns to secure a colt by the stallion on behalf of leading owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.  Boughey has enjoyed success with the progeny of Night Of Thunder already, notably through that owner's Bow Echo, who was last seen winning the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket in September.  The Wednesday sale-topper was consigned by New England Stud and Boughey drew comparisons to his Group...

TATTERSALLS, ENGLAND - Godolphin paid the ultimate compliment to unbeaten juvenile Avicenna by spending 900,000gns on his full-sister on day two of the Book 2 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.  The Starspangledbanner filly was bred by Sue Ann Foley and described by the Islanmore Stud manager Nigel Anderton as "a queen". It was Anthony Stroud, bidding on behalf of Godolphin, who saw off the attention of bloodstock agent Ed Sackville as underbidder. That purchase took Godolphin's total spend between Book 1 and 2 to over 20 million gns. Stroud said, "She...

TATTERSALLS, ENGLAND - The young pinhookers behind the 450,000gns Minzaal filly that lit up Book 2 will face an interesting proposition when they return to school on Tuesday given the teenagers each walked out of Tattersalls on Monday with more money than their teachers will earn in a year.  Fionn White (16) and brothers Jack (17) and Max Galway (13), whose father Richie is racing manager at Punchestown and son-in-law of Jessica Harrington, will do well to ignore sales catalogues for school books from this day on given the three...

A Territories half-brother to this year's G1 July Cup heroine No Half Measures is among the potential highlights in the newly-published catalogue for Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, which is scheduled to take place from Monday, October 13 to Wednesday, October 15. The sibling to No Half Measures will be offered as lot 789 by Finbar Kent, on behalf of Sally Nicholls. Another star performer from this year's Newmarket July Festival, the unbeaten two-year-old colt Zavateri, features among the high-profile graduates of Book 2 in recent years,...

Alex Elliott lauded Tattersalls for its "hold my beer" flex during Book 1 and 2 of the October Yearling Sale after the leading bloodstock agent signed for the 600,000gns Too Darn Hot (GB) joint-top lot on Tuesday for Amo Racing and Al Shaqab from Appletree Stud.  One of the stories to emerge from Park Paddocks throughout Book 1 and 2 has been the strength of Amo and Al Shaqab while Elliott, who has now become something of a super agent, revealed that the figures floating around the ring over the...

At 30 years of age, Hamish McCalmont has already experienced two different worlds. Having spent seven years working in finance in London, and enjoyed the delights that comes with city living, McCalmont made the decision to return home to his family's Norelands Stud in County Kilkenny and immerse himself in the world of bloodstock.  In fairness, he picked a good time to change career path and come home. Norelands was one of three consignments selected by the Niarchos family to offer some select mares at the Goffs November Breeding Stock...

Many hands make light work. Or in this case, it was many feet and steps that allowed Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock to find and then secure the Sea The Stars (Ire) colt who topped the final session of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Wednesday at 425,000gns. It was Juddmonte's Sam Guyette, shortlisting for the top bloodstock agent this week, who first lauded the Norelands Stud-drafted colt as a potential nap.  Brown revealed that, after taking this nugget with a heavy pinch of salt initially, he...

It seems as though Michael Fitzpatrick and Havana Grey (GB) have something in common with the lord himself as turning water into wine comes natural.  Time and time again, the man behind Kilminfoyle House Stud produces pinhook after pinhook in a similar fashion to how Whitsbury Manor Stud's emerging force seems to transform whatever pedigree he touches.  The latest transformation played out on Tuesday evening of Book 2 at Tattersalls when a colt by Havana Grey (lot 1020), who Fitzpatrick purchased as a foal under the banner of JC Bloodstock...

NEWMARKET, UK-The prevailing mood at Park Paddocks this week has been a mixture of relief and amazement at the level of trade which, across each of three Book 2 sessions, has come close to matching the record sale of 2019. Whether there is enough depth to the buying bench ultimately is questionable but there has certainly been variety and a decent amount of international participation which, in this year particularly, is remarkable. Ever since the start of the breeze-up season, the general approach from vendors has been one of pragmatism,...