Kovanis (Fr) (Tunis {Pol}), one of 10 lots to bring £100,000 or more during Friday's Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, topped proceedings at £330,000 to Gordon Elliott Racing.
Consigned by Gerald Quinn's Caherty Stables, lot 8 won on debut in a Portrush point-to-point and is from the same family as Friday's G2 Cheltenham Schloer Chase hero Jonbon (Fr) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) and Grade 3 hurdle winner Discover D'Auteuil (Fr) (Mistigri {GB}).
“He is a nice horse, he has come well recommended and he travelled in his race like a good horse,” said Elliott. “I will imagine he will go for a bumper in the spring, he looks a nice big horse and one to go forward.”
Second on the buyers' sheet was wildcard Reckless Spending (Ire) (lot 7) who was sold to Nicky Henderson and Jerry McGrath Bloodstock for £200,000. Part of the Jonathan Fogarty Racing draft, the 4-year-old son of Sholokhov (Ire) was second when unveiled at Umma House on Oct. 20.
“He's for owner Martin George,” said McGrath. “The winner of that race and this horse pulled 10 lengths clear of the third. Nicky Henderson has had brilliant luck with the sire; he can get you a Champion Chaser or a Gold Cup horse. Hopefully this will be a nice horse going forward.”
Jonathan Fogarty Racing also offered lot 25, Hank West (Ire) (Westerner {GB}), who sold for £195,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins. The gelding won at first asking at Lisronagh.
“Westerner has been very lucky for us and we bought the Grade 1 winner Ferny Hollow (Ire) from here,” said Kirk. “This gelding is out of a Montjeu (Ire) mare, and he is another sire we have been lucky with via Hurricane Fly (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). We loved this horse as an individual, and he won his race well. This is the first we have bought from Jonathan.”
From seven fewer lots catalogued than last year, the sale's clearance rate rose to 87% with 33 lots sold of 38 offered for a gross of £3,085,000 (+34%). The average and median both increased by over 20% apiece at £93,485 (+26%) and £72,000 (+24%), respectively.
Shirley Anderson-Jolag, Tattersalls Cheltenham sales manager said, “It has been fantastic to be back at the Home Of Jump Racing for the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale and we have had a sale fit for the occasion.
“We wanted to ensure that this first catalogue of our sales year was select and we concentrated on cataloguing only the very best young jumps horses. I think that goal has been achieved with a top lot of £330,000, seven sold for £150,000 and above and ten six-figure lots.
“The team has worked hard since the beginning of October to deliver buyers an outstanding catalogue of young NH horses and that has been achieved. I am thrilled to see that our consignors have been rewarded with such great results today.
“We all enjoyed watching the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale graduate Potters Charm (Ire) (Valirann {Fr}) win so impressively today [in the G2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle] and we are looking forward to seeing Tattersalls Cheltenham graduates go on to achieve at the highest level over jumps and win on the biggest stages.”
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