Group 1-winning Jumps mare Skyace (Ire) (Westerner {GB}) (Lot 114) brought a record price of £80,000 at Thursday's Tattersalls Ascot March Sale. Consigned by John 'Shark' Hanlon's Court Stud, the 7-year-old will return to her own stable in Ireland after being purchased by Hanlon on behalf of new ownership.
“I am delighted to get her back and I have bought her for T J McDonald, who already has horses with me,” confirmed Hanlon. “He wants her to go back in training, race her for a year and then put her in-foal and go breeding.”
Explaining the decision to put the Irish-bred up for sale, he said, “She got a chip in her knee at Sandown and her former owner–the Birdinthehand Syndicate–decided to sell her. Hopefully, we will see her at Cheltenham next March. That is the plan.”
It is the second time that Hanlon has purchased the daughter of Graigace (Ire) (Milan {GB}) at Tattersalls Ascot. The first was after she'd had three starts in NH Flat races in Ireland when Hanlon bought her for £600 at the 2019 November Sale. She went on to win five races for Hanlon and Birdieonthehand, including the G1 EBF Mares' Novice Final at Fairyhouse last spring.
The day's second highest price was paid for Boafo Boy (GB) (Lot 41), a 3-year-old colt by Lope de Vega (Ire) out of Royal Empress (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Purchased by Jamie Lloyd of Meah Lloyd Bloodstock for £40,000, the bay was consigned by Jamie Osborne's The Old Malthouse Stables.
“He goes to Tom Molloy, who has just started training in Qatar for my client, who is wanting to completely restock his string,” explained Lloyd. “We think this horse could end up as the kind of horse we want in Qatar later on this season. He has shown enough so far, he was very precocious but there looks to be more to come. Hopefully, he will look cheap at the end of the year.”
The sophomore was a winner on his debut at two and has placed twice from five starts.
Of the 115 horses offered through the session, 97 sold producing a strong clearance rate of 84%, with a gross turnover of £707,900.
The online bidding platform was active throughout the session with 15 horses going to online bidders, while 22 of the underbidders were also based online. The platform produced a turnover of just over £100,000 from 189 bids.
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