By Brian Sheerin
The action revolved around Coolmore's 17-strong draft on day one of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale where the Aidan O'Brien-trained Carracci (Quality Road) was sold to continue his career in Saudi Arabia for 320,000gns
Carracci boasted one of the most attractive profiles on offer at Tattersalls on Monday and the market agreed. Placed in a Group 3 earlier this season, Carracci was last seen finishing a respectable fourth in a listed contest at Dundalk in September.
He boasts a rating of 101 and was described by Aidan 'Mouse' O'Ryan as his pick of the sale after the bloodstock agent signed for the top lot of the opening session on behalf of Saudi interests.
O'Ryan said, “He has been bought for SBS Global and he goes to Saudi Arabia. He is my pick of the sale, I love the sire and he speaks for himself. This horse's form is good, and we were keen to get him. He should be one for the big races in Saudi in the spring.”
As well as making the frame in the G3 Irish 2,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown earlier this season, Carracci also won at two, when beating stablemate Farnborough (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a back-end maiden at Dundalk.
Incidentally, Farnborough, who bolted up off 86 at Leopardstown on Sunday, went through the ring less than 24 hours later and sold to Hubie de Burgh and Darby Racing for 75,000gns.
Listed winner Salt Lake City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also formed part of the strong Coolmore draft when selling to Australian interests Domeland for 100,000gns.
All told, Coolmore sold 17 horses to the tune of 834,000gns. At close of play on Monday, the aggregate stood at 6,273,500gns, which represented a 27% drop on last year's corresponding session. The median was the same at 16,000gns while the average fell 18% to 26,810gns and the clearance rate by 5% to 84%.
Inquisitively's Owner Returns To The European Market For Wootton Bassett Colt
Fresh from a breakthrough Group 3 success with Cornwallis S. winner Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), Hong Kong-based businessman and owner Sean Wee Gan returned to the European market for promising Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Rascal Recknell (Fr) at 215,000gns.
The owner, who has enjoyed plenty of success locally in Hong Kong with European imports, notably First Responder (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}), was buying through agent Sam Wright and trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy.
It was Wright who sourced Inquisitively on behalf of Sean Wee Gan. The agent has close ties with Philippart de Foy, given the pair worked together at Christophe Clement's almost a decade ago.
The trainer explained, “The plan is the same-keep him in the UK for a bit and then send him to Hong Kong. This horse is a nice big type, he looks a decent prospect. We might run him once this year, but the plan is to give him as much time as he needs.”
Philippart de Foy added, “He has a big frame and plenty of scope. I am surprised he ran in August, but he showed plenty of ability that day. He will hopefully run a couple of times next year and then head to Hong Kong next summer.”
Well-Bred Lope De Vega Filly Joins Paddy Twomey
The well-bred Firebird (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who finished second on her only start at Ayr this month in the colours of the late Sir Robert Ogden, will continue her career for Irish maestro Paddy Twomey.
Twomey secured Firebird for 260,000gns through agent Matt Coleman, who explained that the juvenile will be targeted at black-type races next season.
He said, “She goes to Paddy Twomey. We know the filly well as I looked after the late Sir Robert and Lady Ogden's horses. The filly is a good-looking sort by Lope De Vega, has always shown plenty in training, put in a promising race on her debut and, fingers crossed, she can go on to get some black-type next year.”
Firebird's half-sister Balalaika (Ire) (No Nay Never) made a pretty penny at Park Paddocks last year. She was snapped up by BBA Ireland for 330,000gns after finishing third in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot. Both fillies were trained by Rebecca Menzies.
Coleman continued, “All of the mare's runners have achieved high ratings and this year's Too Darn Hot yearling made 110,000gns. Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), under the second dam, finished second in the Irish Oaks in July, and was a neck second to Poptronic in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes on Saturday. It is a happening family.”
Australian Buyers Land A Blow
It wouldn't be a horses-in-training sale at Tattersalls without the Australian buyers and Will Bourne, head of bloodstock for Ciaron Maher, got in on the action early when going to 140,000gns for the Jamie Railton-drafted Kings Valley (Ire) (Territories {Ire}).
Kings Valley ran four times–and placed twice–in Britain for trainer Ollie Sangster, who sourced the colt for 65,000gns at Book 3 here last year.
Bourne said, “The plan is to send him to Harry Eustace for now and then ship him straight off to Australia. He has run some really good races, he has been unlucky, he is still a maiden but he is a lightly raced two-year-old.
“He is very athletic, sound, clean-limbed, has good feet, and he ticks a lot of boxes for Ciaran. We spoke to Ciaran and videoed the horse for him and he was very keen on this horse.”
Triumph Candidate? Mullins Lands 100k Night Moon For Juvenile Hurdling
Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk played a major role at the horses-in-training sale here in July when snapping up Ethical Diamond (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) for 320,000gns and the pair were responsible for the first six-figure lot on Monday when snapping up Night Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) for 100,000gns.
Trained by David Marnane, Night Moon earned a 14lb hike when bolting up off a mark of 60 at Listowel last month and will continue his career for Ireland's dominant jumps trainer.
The sale represented a good return for Marnane and owners MRC International, who sourced the horse through the trainer's brother Con for €50,000 at the BBAG September Yearling Sale in 2021.
Marnane and MRC will offer the classy 93-rated sprinter Lady Tilbury (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) at the December Mares Sale from the same batch of yearling recruited in 2021.
Explaining the concept, Marnane said, “We put the ownership group together in 2021 with the idea of buying some yearlings and we'd like to wish Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins the best of luck with Night Moon. It's a great result for the syndicate and we look forward to offering Lady Tilbury here in December.”
Marnane continued, “We bought another batch of yearlings on behalf of the syndicate–upwards of 20–and are always open to new investors. The syndicate has enjoyed a lot of success in a short space of time and we have Jakajaro (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) to look forward to from last year's yearling crop. He is a smart colt going forward and should provide everyone with a lot of fun next season.”
Nicholls And Malone To The Fore For Golden Horn Gelding
The jumps boys were out in force on Monday and Tom Malone, buying on behalf of Paul Nicholls, snapped up proven soft-ground performer Golden Move (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) for 215,000gns.
The sale came off the back of a strong weekend for the sire. Not only did Golden Horn supply the winner of the G2 Long Distance Cup at Ascot through Trawlerman (Ire), but Cais Chorister (Fr) also landed a Group 3 in France.
Golden Move, a winner over 1m4f on soft ground, was bought on spec by Malone.
Speaking after the sale, he said, “He is a lovely animal, he looks like he stays, needs all of the trip he is running over at the minute, he goes on soft ground, is by Golden Horn, who is doing so well, and is the one we wanted today. He goes to Ditcheat and is for sale.”
Buy Of The Day
Gordon Elliott made his mark in the training ranks with bargain buys and it was Silver Birch, the horse he sourced from Paul Nicholls for £20,000, who put him on the map when landing the 2007 Grand National.
While he may be more associated with signing for six-figure point-to-pointers in recent times, Elliott proved that he still has an eye for a bargain by snapping a sister to his own classy hurdler Pied Piper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) for just 10,000gns.
Without being privy to how Barrier (Fr) (Australia {GB}) vetted, it's hard to see an outcome where Elliott, along with agent and close friend Mouse O'Ryan, didn't find value here.
Lest we forget, Pied Piper is an extremely talented dual purpose horse who boasts an official hurdles rating of 157 and was only narrowly touched off in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket earlier this month.
He should also be a Cheltenham festival winner given Davy Russell was walking wounded when going down by just a head aboard the five-year-old in this year's County Hurdle.
There is so much more to come from Pied Piper this season and, given Constitution Hill is likely to frighten off plenty of challengers in the two-mile hurdling division, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could sneak a place in next year's Champion Hurdle.
Regardless of what more Pied Piper can achieve, the fact remains that his little sister will retain some residual value as a broodmare being a half to a black-type hurdler while few would bet against her making her own mark in that division for Elliott.
Thought for the day
Trade wasn't exactly straightforward on Monday, which was represented in the figures, but much better can be expected on Tuesday with a strong selection of horses due into the ring on day two.
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