By Brian Sheerin
Tattersalls has been a happy hunting ground for Najd Stud in recent years and the powerful Saudi outfit struck for the 210,000gns top lot Tabaretta (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) on the final day of the July Sale.
Tabaretta (lot 902) has good form under his belt and boasts a rating of 90 after eight starts for Charlie Appleby. The three-year-old's latest win came in a 1m4f handicap at Wolverhampton in January and it was that sort of form that led Jimmy George of Tattersalls, who was doing the bidding on behalf of Najd Stud, to label the gelding as the “standout” of Friday's catalogue.
After taking instruction on the phone to the left of the rostrum, George explained how Najd Stud's previous successes at Tattersalls have resulted in the operation returning year after year.
He explained, “This [Tabaretta] was a bit of a standout today. The scene in Saudi Arabia is going from strength to strength and he looks a horse who will suit the country's racing perfectly.
“Najd is a regular buyer here and a great client and hopefully this gelding will go on to be successful for the Stud.”
Najd Stud has enjoyed some memorable days at Tattersalls, including when coming out best at 3.6 million gns for Jane Chapple-Hyam's dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) at last year's December Mares Sale.
The latest recruit for the operation is a half-brother to G3 Prix Miesque winner Devant (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) and, according to George, should fit in perfectly in the expanding programme in Saudi Arabia.
George concluded, “Najd has been buying for many years but the racing in Saudi is expanding. The farm has been very successful with Tattersalls graduates and, like everything, it is success driven–the more winners they buy from Tattersalls, the more they come back.”
It was a strong July Sale on the whole with 574 of the 635 lots selling at a clearance rate of 90%. The aggregate climbed marginally by 1% to 16,986,000gns for a bigger catalogue while the average fell 8% to 29,592gns and the median stayed the same at 15,000gns.
🇸🇦 Najd Stud strikes at the #TattsJuly Sale, coming out on top for @godolphin's Tabaretta, a 3YO son of Dubawi boasting an official rating of 90. pic.twitter.com/QVRU4ElHDs
— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) July 14, 2023
Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “To have bettered last year's wide margin record breaking Tattersalls July Sale turnover is a clear indication of the robust and vibrant market which year after year makes this fixture so popular with vendors and purchasers alike.
“The key feature of the Tattersalls July Sale is its unique combination of quality and diversity which cannot be found anywhere else at this time of year and as ever Park Paddocks has been alive with a global melting pot of buyers from every continent in the world who have faced strong competition from British and Irish buyers, both Flat and National Hunt.”
He added, “A record 12 lots making in excess of 200,000 gns and 35 selling for 100,000 gns or more demonstrates the strength at the top of the market, but equally important has been the consistent demand at all levels resulting in a record-equalling median and for the fifth consecutive year the Tattersalls July Sale has achieved an enviable clearance rate above 90%.
“While the high class consignments from Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates have as ever proved to be amongst the highlights of the July Sale we have also seen some smaller operations spectacularly rewarded, none more so than Tipperary-based trainer Michael O'Meara and owner Emma Kennedy whose three-year-old homebred Ethical Diamond (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) sold for 320,000 guineas. Results of this nature are the hallmark of mixed sales at Tattersalls and we now look forward to the Tattersalls Summer Sale, relocated from Ascot, which numbers 120 lots and takes place at Park Paddocks in Newmarket on Tuesday, July 18.”
Clouds The Gift That Keeps on Giving For Tuer
At first glance, the sale of Walking On Clouds (Ire) (Gale Force Ten {GB}) for 40,000gns may not appear too exciting, but the horse has to go down as the gift that keeps on giving for trainer Grant Tuer and his owner Jay Dilger.
After being bought for small money on the private market in Ireland by Dilger and his close friend and fellow Limerick man Conor Magner, Walking On Clouds (lot 948) was sent to Tuer rated just 59, but changed hands on Friday to JB & WJ Lewis with a rating of 84.
In climbing those 25lbs in nine months, Walking On Clouds won six and placed a further seven times for Tuer, with the majority of those performances coming on the all-weather.
That led to Walking On Clouds netting connections a whopping £100,000 bonus for being crowned the leading all-weather horse last season and Tuer was left marvelling at the fun the four-year-old provided his stable in such a short space of time.
Tuer said, “He's been a superstar for us, hasn't he? He was sent to us around September last year and we certainly didn't plan or plot winning the bonus with him. It just happened that way and it was only around Christmas time that we spotted the opportunity for him to win the bonus and plotted his campaign from there on in.
“I think the amateur race that Eirann Cagney won on him at Southwell back in February was the key to winning the ARC Million Bonus. It looked a soft opportunity for him and he got away with winning over five [furlongs]. It was after that where we started to think, 'we have a chance here.'”
Walking On Clouds ran 17 times all told for Tuer and it was the gelding's soundness that was put forward as the main reason for him winning the bonus.
Tuer said, “He's never seen my vet. You wouldn't find a nicer horse and he has a great mind on him. He just takes his racing very well and I hope he gives his new connections as much fun as he gave us.”
There are few trainers who are regarded as highly as Tuer is in improving second-hand horses and Walking On Clouds is just the latest example. Although he picked up a cheap horse at the sales this week, he reported trade to be strong and said that he doubts he will be coming home with the next Walking On Clouds from the sales.
He said, “We bought a cheap horse for a small syndicate in the north to run on the all-weather and try and win some bonus money with. He was pretty inexpensive and I would be surprised if he was another Walking On Clouds but here's hoping. The sale has been very difficult all week. It's been the same old story, everyone seems to be on the same horses and inflation is there.”
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