Bahrain Series Gains Traction as Buyers Target Winter Riches

NEWMARKET, UK — “Bought him for Bahrain,” is an oft-repeated phrase at the sales these days. With an expansion in the Bahrain Turf Series announced only recently and the stamping of the form of some of the island's better races by Royal Ascot hero Isle Of Jura (GB), it is perhaps no surprise that it has become a target for a number of owners and trainers.

Bahrain was also to the fore at the July Course during a sombre afternoon on which John Hunt was in the minds of his many friends and colleagues at the races. 

After a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect following the tragic deaths of the commentator's wife Carol and daughters Hannah and Louise, the runners for the G3 Bahrain Trophy filed quietly into the paddock to start a day's racing that folk in the subdued press room and broadcasting teams didn't really have the heart for.

Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, chairman of the Bahrain Turf Club, was at Newmarket to present the trophies to Charlie Appleby and William Buick for the victory of Ancient Wisdom (Fr). He would have been heartened if he'd been eavesdropping on some of the conversations at Park Paddocks this week, as the series launched to enhance racing in Bahrain appears to be gaining traction with trainers from this part of the world who are keen to join up the dots and make the most of a valuable programme throughout the Middle East over the winter, beginning in Bahrain. 

During Thursday's morning session China Horse Club bought out partners Qatar Racing in the progressive sprinter Jubilee Walk (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) at 220,000gns. The gelding (lot 748) will remain with his current trainer James Ferguson, for whom he has won three of his six starts at two and three, and Matt Houldsworth, who represents China Horse Club in Europe, advised that the horse will have Bahrain in his sights. 

Out of the Group 3 winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Jubilee Walk was bred by Kirsten Rausing and is a half-brother to Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), the dam of treble Group 2 winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten).

Houldsworth said, “We'll take him around the Middle East and perhaps we'll go to Dubai as well. We haven't had runners in Bahrain before but it's something we're keen to do as it's obviously an emerging part of the world. We thought this horse fitted the profile nicely as he's very much on the up.”

It was a similar story regarding the sale of Son Of Man (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), though his owner-breeder China Horse Club was on the other side of the transaction this time. The three-year-old (lot 780), who was placed in last year's G3 Horris Hill Stakes, will leave Jane Chapple-Hyam's Newmarket stable to join Jim Boyle in Epsom after being bought for 100,000gns by Ross Doyle. 

“He's a horse who could travel a bit,” said Doyle. “And it might be Bahrain where he heads – the good prize-money there is a huge attraction.”

Soldier's Empire (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), who was sold as lot 754 by his owner-breeder Ballygallon Stud, is another three-year-old off to Bahrain. He will be trained by Fawzi Nass for HH Sheikh Sultan Aldeen MS Al Khalifa's Al Mohamediya Racing after the 90-rated colt changed hands for 180,000gns.

Nass will also take charge of the Dutch Art (GB) gelding Salvuccio (GB) (lot 826), who was knocked down to Oliver St Lawrence for 100,000gns. Trained by George Boughey to win three times for Susan Roy, he is rated 97.

“He is heading for the Bahrain Turf series,” Nass said. “There is a good programme for the sprinters, at least five races, if not more, for horses rated 85 to 100, and some conditions races.”

Later on, the 78-rated 10-furlong winner Signalman (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) was added to this list, having been bought from Godolphin at 130,000gns.

Libyan Buyers Pitch In

It's not all about Bahrain, of course. There remained a vibrancy to the trade throughout the evening session, which was peppered with six-figure lots as the final-day clearance rate hovered around 95%. 

Libyan-based Sky Racing struck for two of the day's more expensive lots, signing for 829A, Swindon (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is now rated 88 after his most recent win over seven furlongs at Sandown, and the 85-rated Gamekeeper (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) from the Godolphin draft, for 175,000gns and 110,000gns respectively. Working with Italian agent Alessandro Marconi, Sky Racing has horses in training in Libya and Dubai.

Wild-card entry 800A, The Camden Colt (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), joined a list of four purchases by Libya's Omar Esmil Ghrghar this week when knocked down at 130,000gns. He too will head to Dubai to be trained by Bhupat Seemar, having won for Richard Hannon and achieved a rating of 89. 

Ghrghar was the sale's leading buyer with an outlay of 417,000gns. 

An Indonesian Debut

King Halim Stable is believed to be the first Indonesian buyer to participate at Tattersalls, and the operation left Newmarket with an embryonic breeding operation consisting of two purchases totalling 100,000gns.

The largest portion of that outlay was spent on securing a stallion prospect, the Exceed And Excel (Aus) colt Sunny Street (Ire), who won over a mile at Chelmsford for Saif Ali for a rating of 81. One of his first mates may well be Epic Effect (GB), the Ulysses (Ire) mare bought for 5,000gns on the first day of the sale.

The four-year-old looks to have been well bought as, not only was she carrying to Sergei Prokofiev, who has made a promising start to his own stud career, but she is a descendant of the great Miesque through her third dam East Of The Moon. Not a bad family from which to pluck a potential foundation mare. 

The Chairman Reflects

As twilight crept in on Thursday evening, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony assessed the trade from a smaller offering compared to the catalogue of 12 months ago.

He said, “The combination of top-class racing at Newmarket's July Meeting and the quality bloodstock on offer at the Tattersalls July Sale makes this one of the most enjoyable weeks of the European racing and sales calendar and, as ever, Europe's premier midsummer sale has attracted an extraordinarily diverse crowd of buyers to Park Paddocks.

“A smaller catalogue and one perhaps lacking a little of the depth which produced the record-breaking 2023 July Sale has understandably produced a set of figures which have not quite matched the heights of last year. Nevertheless there has been sustained demand at all levels of the market which has resulted in an enviable clearance rate yet again in excess of 90% and a record-equalling number of horses selling for 250,000gns or more.”

He continued, “So often we reflect on the sheer number of overseas buyers drawn to sales of this nature at Tattersalls and yet again the international buyers have played a huge part in the success of the past three days. Participation from throughout the Gulf region has been prolific as ever, Australian and New Zealand buyers continue to demonstrate their appetite for quality European middle-distance performers and we have had buyers from throughout Europe, India, Japan, Libya, Turkey and first time visitors from Indonesia all making significant contributions alongside their British and Irish Flat and National Hunt counterparts.

“We should also recognise the importance of the consistent support we receive from so many of the world's leading owner-breeders. Regular high-class consignments from the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell are hugely enticing and consistently attract international owners and breeders confident that they will be able to access some of the finest bloodlines to be found anywhere in the world at Tattersalls.”

With an overall clearance rate of 90%, which was identical to 2023, the aggregate from 540 horses sold – 34 fewer than last year – weighed in at 13,904,200gns. The median of 11,000gns was down by 27% and the average of 25,749gns by 13%.