Tattersalls July Ends With 'Genuinely Vibrant' Feel

NEWMARKET, UK–Whatever problems British racing faces, a lack of demand at its bloodstock sales is not one of them. That in itself may only exacerbate the exodus of talent, particularly decent young handicappers, to far-flung nations with lucrative pots on offer, but if sales are your business, as is the case for Tattersalls, then this week can only be described as a highly successful one.

From Friday's two sessions of the July Sale, however, the majority of the pricier lots will remain in training in Britain, merely switching from one stable to another and, in some cases, from the Flat to the jumps. This correspondent has been in the chair for plenty of TDN sale reports since the July Sale of 2012 and, during that time, a clearance rate of 100% has never been witnessed–until today. That came during the morning session of trade at Park Paddocks, before time was temporarily called to allow for some truly excellent action on the July Course.

During those pre-lunch hours, 71 horses were put through the ring and all found buyers. By the close of play, as dusk danced in around 9pm, the scene wasn't too far removed. A final-day clearance rate of 98% was brought about when only four horses remained unsold, and throughout the three days 94%, or 538 horses, were sold.

“Perhaps more importantly than figures alone, it has also been a sale with a real sense of business returning to something resembling normality,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony in his end-of-sale statement.

“We cannot make meaningful comparisons with last year's abbreviated and Covid-ravaged July Sale, but this year's sale has produced a level of trade that compares very favourably with both the 2019 and 2018 renewals and crucially has yet again achieved a remarkable clearance rate in excess of 90%.”

The Godolphin and Shadwell drafts combined contributed more than 3.5 million gns towards the sale's final turnover of 12,301,300gns. The final average was 22,865gns (+27%) and the median 12,000gns (+20%).

Mahony added, “Even in a sale of genuinely vibrant trade from start to finish, the penultimate session stood out with an extraordinary 100% clearance rate driven by strong domestic demand mixed with the sort of international participation which has been so encouraging, considering the widespread travel restrictions which are still in place. Significant consignments from some of the world's leading owner/breeders, including Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates, have been as popular as ever and buyers from all over the world have continued to make full use of the Tattersalls live internet bidding platform as well as telephone bidding through our team on the ground.”

Brothers Play Leading Roles…

We are coming to realise that we are living through the year of Frankel (GB). While his daughter Sky Lantern (GB) rightly gained all the plaudits on the racecourse on Friday afternoon, one of his sons was among the leading lights in the ring. Cap Francais (GB), bred by the late John Pearce, will remain in training in Britain, switching from Ed Walker to the highly successful dual-purpose stable of Ian Williams, who bought the 5-year-old (lot 677) for 88,000gns with Richard Ryan.

“We've been very fortunate with a Frankel who came from a Tattersalls horses-in-training sale,” said Williams, referring to Royal Ascot winner The Grand Visir (GB). “We love the stallion, as does everybody.”

He added of his new recruit, a 100-rated treble winnner, “He is a horse who has had a good break having come back from Dubai, and looks set to be competitive in a lot of the winter festivals abroad. He could possibly go jumping next spring.”

In this rare instance, however, Frankel was outdone by his brother Noble Mission (GB), who featured as the sire of the day's top lot Laafy. The 5-year-old gelding (lot 796) was bought for 105,000gns by trainer Mark Campion to go jumping. Previously in training with Sir Michael Stoute, Laafy has won four races at up to 1m6f, a profile which naturally endeared him towards the National Hunt crowd.

“My son Arthur spotted him and told me I had to have a look at him,” said Campion, who trains in North Yorkshire. “He's a lovely big horse and we have put a team of owners together for him.”

King For A Day…

Recent Thirsk novice winner King Triton (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is also relocating to Yorkshire after selling for 100,000gns. The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum homebred will race on from the stable of Grant Tuer, who signed for the 3-year-old on behalf of owner Edward Ware.

King Triton's erstwhile Roger Varian stablemate Pierre Lapin (Ire) (Cappella Sansevero {GB}), the half-brother to Harry Angel (Ire) who won the G2 Mill Reef S. of 2019, was bought for 80,000gns by Shamrock Thoroughbreds, which had also purchased the progressive Bringsty (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) on the first day of the sale.

The 4-year-old (lot 767) has run just once so far this year when fourth in a conditions race at Thirsk. He will now be exported to Ireland, where he will be trained by Adrian McGuinness, who has successfully campaigned the listed winner Harry's Bar (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) for the same syndicate.

Stephen Thorne of Shamrock Thoroughbreds said of Pierre Lapin, “He had a massive profile and was a very talented 2-year-old. We have a great relationship with Roger Varian and have bought two stakes horses from him, and we were very keen to do business again. It is great to build relationship with these consignors and a trainer like him leaves a little bit left for the next man.”

Price Boost For Bargain Mare…

Joseph O'Brien has signed for three horses over the last couple of days, including lot 675, Royal Dynasty (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), from Mohammed Moubarak's Newmarket stable for 80,000gns.

The 5-year-old mare is already a seven-time winner, her latest success coming after the publication of the catalogue on June 17 over six furlongs at Chelmsford. Her sale price represented a decent return on Moubarak's outlay in December 2919, when he bought her as a maiden in the same ring for just 1,000gns. The sprinter boasts a decent pedigree, too, as she is a grand-daughter of Meon Valley Stud's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S winner Milligram (GB) (Mill Reef), from a family which includes the Oaks winner Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and dual Group 1 winner Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal).

O'Brien's former weighing-room colleague and Speedy Boarding's regular partner  Freddy Tylicki is now combining his TV presenting duties with his role as a bloodstock agent, and he has been similarly active this week at Tattersalls, where he celebrated his 35th birthday on Friday.

Together with his former boss, trainer Richard Fahey, Tylicki signed for lot 638, the Fascinating Rock (Ire) 3-year-old Life On The Rocks (Ire), also for 80,000gns.

There will not be the usual hiatus between the July Sale and October Yearling Sales at Tattersalls. Last year's disrupted schedule included the launch of another mixed auction, the August Sale, which will remain in place for this year, and the rebranded Ascot Yearling Sale, now known as the Somerville Yearling Sale will kick off the yearling season in Newmarket.

Edmond Mahony concluded, “All the signs now suggest that we can look forward to returning almost to normal for the forthcoming Tattersalls August Sale and for the market-leading Tattersalls yearling sales which begin at Park Paddocks with the new Somerville Yearling Sale on Sept. 7.”