Mulcaster leads the way again with 310,000gns purchase
Having purchased Monday’s session topper Waterville (Camelot) for 410,000gns, prolific buyer Guy Mulcaster struck for a further two lots at yesterday’s third session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
Tough staying handicapper The Gadget Man (Jack Hobbs) was the pick of the duo, bought in conjunction with champion trainer Chris Waller for 310,000gns (approx. AU$581,640).
Consigned as Lot 1032 by agent Jamie Railton, the gelded three-year-old son of Jack Hobbs (Halling) is a two-time winner for trainer Ralph Beckett and has earned another three placings to boot, including on his latest outing when he finished third, beaten three and a quarter lengths, behind useful handicapper Post Impressionist (Teofilo). The Gadget Man departs the UK with a BHA rating of 91.
“Let’s hope he keeps on the upward curve,” Mulcaster said. “I just watched his replays this morning and thought he was so tough.
“He is also a very athletic horse, he is light on his feet, moves well and we think he will fit into our programme pretty well.
“He was not cheap, but judging by the way this sale has gone, he might not have been that expensive either – there was a number of people pushing us along.
“We are pretty happy to have got him at that sort of money. When you see his replays and he gets stuck in… he is only going to go forward and he is going to develop a bit as well. He has a pretty dour sort of pedigree.”
The Gadget Man is the first foal out of the Listed-placed, middle-distance-winning mare Kallisha (Whipper), herself a half-sister to middle-distance winner Ultimate Destiny (Hurricane Run).
Mulcaster had earlier purchased Lot 975, Speycaster (Highland Reel), for Albert Bosma’s Go Racing Syndicate.
The Kiwi agent snared the son of Highland Reel (Galileo) for 70,000gns (approx. AU$131,580), with the three-year-old set to follow The Gadget Man, the Coolomore-consigned Waterville and another first-session buy Postwick (Postponed) over to Chris Waller’s Sydney base.
“He’s a buy for Albert Bosma’s Go Racing and he’ll be headed to Chris Waller,” Mulcaster said. “We’ll just pop him in the system and see where he ends up.
“Bosma has got a lot of nice horses in Australia and they’ve done well out of this sale. They purchased one yesterday [Mutamanni] so hopefully this one can be successful.”
With an official rating of 80, Speycaster has managed one win and two placings from seven outings. He was last seen finishing down the field when favourite for a competitive 16-runner staying handicap at Haydock on September 23.
The fourth foal out of the Monsun (Konigsstuhl) mare Examinee, herself a sister to Group 3 winner Energizer, he is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Atzeco (Fastnet Rock), Group 3-placed winner Blanchland (Farhh) and to winners Bobby Ewing (Charm Spirit) and Pass Mark (Raven’s Pass).
Snowdens and Johnson add second for the week
Father-and-son training duo Peter and Paul Snowden teamed up with bloodstock agent Will Johnson for the second occasion this week as they acquired progressive middle-distance handicapper Unspoken (Territories).
Having already parted with 160,000gns in Tuesday’s session for Substantial (Siyouni), the trio secured the three-year-old Unspoken for 170,000gns (approx. AU$318,640).
Trained by Ralph Beckett, one of three Australian buys out of his yard yesterday, Unspoken has raced eight times for three wins and a placing and was last sighted staying on strongly to land a class 3 handicap over a mile and two furlongs at Doncaster.
“He has some good form over seven furlongs,” Johnson said.
“Ralph [Beckett] ran him over a mile and two furlongs last weekend at Doncaster – he was tough and tenacious and won well. We can often have wet autumns here in Australia and he has shown he will go on good ground as well as rain-softened ground, too.”
“His form over seven furlongs gives a few options and Peter and Paul [Snowden] like to see that in a horse.
“Hopefully, he can come here well handicapped, and go up through the grades.”
Owned by The Audax Partnership, Unspoken was consigned by Jamie Railton and is the eighth foal out of the winning Dubai Destination (Kingmambo) mare Silent Secret, herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cheyenne Star (Mujahid). He is a half-brother to Listed winner Sparkle’n’joy (Sepoy).
Gold Coast-based Domeland make first purchase
Market newcomers Domeland made a significant debut purchase at this year’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale as they went to 360,000gns (approx. AU$675,000) for Kyeema (Siyouni).
Catalogued as Lot 712, the William Haggas-trained two-year-old gelding was last seen finishing runner-up, beaten a head, in the Rockingham Stakes (Listed, 6f) at York, earning the son of Siyouni (Pivotal) an official rating of 102.
Domeland, a breeding and racing ownership organisation based in Kulnura, made the winning bid online.
“My boss really liked this horse – he will be heading to Sydney, we are not sure about a trainer yet,” said representative Roy Chang.
Bred by Carisbrooke Stud, owned by Mrs Yvonne Jacques, and consigned by Haggas’ Somerville Lodge Ltd, Kyeema is the second foal out of the winning Lawman (Invincible Spirit) mare Karisma, herself a half-sister to Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Phoenix Of Spain (Lope De Vega). He is a half-brother to useful winner Indemnify (Lope De Vega).
Horses owned by Domeland run under the banner Viribright Racing. They enjoyed a fourth place in last weekend’s Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) with Matcha Latte (Maurice).
Waterhouse and Bott acquire horse bred by late Queen
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott made their first move at this year’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training sale as they went to 300,000gns (approx. AU$563,570) to purchase Just Fine (Sea The Stars) with the help of bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever.
Owned by His Royal Highness The King and bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, the son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) is a three-time winner from 14 starts, including on his latest outing where he came home a four and a half lengths victor of a class three handicap over a mile and two furlongs at Leicester.
“We are looking for good quality horses, Sir Michael [Stoute, trainer] recommended him very strongly, he vetted extremely clean, there were no issues on x-rays,” McKeever said.
“I don’t know if there have been many Sea The Stars in Australia, but this horse’s level of form is pretty good.
“He is the right sort of horse [to head to Australia] and we have tried on a few others – we were underbidder on Chairman [Lot 304A] and this morning on Inverness [Lot 468].
“He will head straight down to Australia. He will have some time off and be given some time to acclimatise, and we generally only see how good they are about a year later.”
Waterhouse trained the Queen’s horse Carlton House (Street Cry) to a runner-up finish behind three-time Group 1 winner Silent Achiever (O’Reilly) in the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) in 2014 and a third to Dundeel (High Chaparral) in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
“It is a while since I have bought one from the Royal Studs. Gai Waterhouse trained for the late Queen and will be thrilled to be getting a horse that she owned,” McKeever said.
“Sea The Stars is one of my all time favourite racehorses and sires, I rate him up there with all the great ones, and except for Frankel, is one of the best staying stallions in the world.”
Just Fine is rated 91 and has won three races, including last time out when providing a first winner for The King at Leicester on October 4.
Warwick Farm-based trainer Bjorn Baker was another to get involved in the action this week as he purchased Lot 679 in conjunction with Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock and Jim Clarke.
Two-year-old Group 3 winner Glaunthaune (Kodiac) was sold to the trio for 135,000gns (approx. AU$253,610) out of the Coolmore draft from the Aidan O’Brien stable.
Having made a promising reappearance to finish runner-up in a Group 2 contest at Leopardstown in September following a 131-day break, earning him an official rating of 107, the three-year-old son of Kodiac (Danehill) has not been able to match that effort since, finishing down the field in subsequent Group 2 and Listed contests.
The second foal out of the unraced Nayef (Gulch) mare Khaimef, herself a half-sister to Listed winner Motamarris (Le Havre) and Listed-placed winner Riqa (Dubawi), Glaunthaune is a brother to winner Mr Kodi.
Australian Bloodstock purchase cup horse
Ronald Rauscher and Australian Bloodstock added a second buy to their haul this week as they purchased Listed winner and Ebor Handicap (1m 6f) third Earl Of Tyrone (Australia) for 300,000gns (approx. AU$563,570) as the lots wound down in Newmarket on Tuesday evening.
The four-year-old gelding was consigned by Jamie Railton and has three wins and a further four placings for County Tipperary-based trainer Paddy Twomey.
“The objective is staying races in Australia. I know where he has come from and who trains him very well, he was obvious for us,” Rauscher said.
“I thought there might be a bit more action on him, so I am not unhappy where we landed. He is a very nice horse, very correct, very well looked after.”
Earl Of Tyrone is a half-brother to Hong Kong winner John Splended (Acclamation) and three other winners, being the sixth foal out of the unraced Pivotal (Polar Falcon) mare Affirmative, herself out of Nassau Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 2f) winner Favourable Terms (Selkirk).
Rauscher and co were not finished there, as the spending flowed over into yesterday’s third session, when the agent went to 50,000gns (approx. AU$93,870) to snap up Ribchester (Iffraaj) filly Keep Bidding out of the Ralph Beckett yard.
Yet to win in four starts for her trainer, the two-year-old has finished runner-up in three of those outings, including when beaten one and a half lengths on her latest appearance over six furlongs at Goodwood.
Consigned by agent Jamie Railton, the juvenile was originally a €20,000 buy at the 2020 Goffs November Foals Sale before being resold to bloodstock agent Alex Elliott for 46,000gns at Book 3 of last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
She is the second foal out of the winning Roderic O’Connor (Galileo) mare Coolfitch, herself out of a winning half-sister to Group 1 winner G Force (Tamayuz) and Grade 3 winner Louvain (Sinndar).
Mee finds value in breeding angle
Dave Mee took advantage of a quiet morning at yesterday’s third session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale as he acquired an unraced Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) filly, Lot 812, for 22,000gns (approx. AU$41,250).
Consigned by Newmarket-based trainer James Tate’s Jamesfield Stables, Hidden Sands was purchased by Mee under his banner Pinhook Bloodstock International, with the New Zealander describing the buy as ‘excellent’.
“We’re going to try one shot at covering her in the northern hemisphere before she’s eventually relocated to Australia,” he said.
“She’s got great blood and I think she’s one of the few Dubawis in this sale. She’s from a great, deep family and we’ll play the long game with her now.
“I thought the price was excellent. It’s a little early in the sale and I think a few might still be in bed! Given some of the prices at this year’s sale, we’re very happy with our buy.”
The fifth foal out of the Group 3-placed winning Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Demurely, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winners Cerulean Sky (Darshaan) and Moonstone (Dalakhani), the three-year-old chestnut is a half-sister to winners Unpretentious (Invincible Spirit) and Black Fever (Invincible Spirit).
Smith doubles up for the week
Having found success with his 120,000gns purchase of three-time Group 1 winner and now Leneva Park stallion Fierce Impact (Deep Impact) at the Autumn Horses In Training Sale back in 2017, Matthew Smith has so far added two purchases to his books this year.
Beginning in Monday’s opening session, the Warwick Farm-based handler purchased staying four-year-old gelding March Law (Lawman) for 20,000gns (approx. AU$37,530).
Currently under the care of Middleham-based father-and-son training duo Charlie and Mark Johnston, the son of Lawman (Invincible Spirit) looked a thorough stayer in the making when finishing a half-length runner-up in a one-and-a-half-mile contest at Newcastle last month.
Originally a 58,000gns buy for his trainers at Book 3 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, March Law is the eighth foal out of the unplaced Linamix (Mendez) mare Dookus and is a brother to Group 3 winner US Law and useful winner Itoobeboss, as well as a half-brother to two winners including Group 3 scorer Frankuus (Frankel).
Back again at yesterday’s session, Smith then hammered down Lot 911, Napper Tandy (Mukhadram), to 28,000gns (approx. AU$52,550) as he bids to find the next star European import.
Consigned by Kingsclere-based trainer Andrew Balding’s Park House Stables for owner Lisahully Investments Ltd, the four-year-old Mukhadram (Shamardal) gelding has two wins and a further six placings from 12 outings, with his latest producing an eye-catching runner-up effort in a class 4 handicap at Epsom on September 8, earning him an official rating of 83.
The fifth foal out of the Diktat (Warning) mare Diktalina, herself out of a Listed-placed winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Oiseau Rare (King’s Best), Napper Tandy is a half-brother to useful winner Lorelina (Passing Glance).
I’m A Gambler rocks market with 850,000gns sale
Last-time-out Listed winner I’m A Gambler (No Nay Never) became the third-most expensive horse ever sold at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale when he made 850,000gns (approx. AU$1.59 million) during Tuesday’s second session.
Sold by Kingsley Park, the winning bid arrived from US connections Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, sat with Alistair Donald, with the underbid coming via Saudi Arabian-based Najd Stud.
“It is hard to find a ‘solid’ three-year-old and he is one of the highest-rated in the catalogue; physically he is beautiful. Certainly, I did not want to go that far, but I didn’t come this far not to do something worthwhile,” Tim Cohen of Red Barons Farm said.
Cohen had earlier been underbidder on Persian Royal (Al Kazeem), who was bought by Najd Stud for 450,000gns (approx. AU$843,680). He added: “I definitely liked this horse [I’m A Gambler] more and his price reflected that for everybody.
“There are a few three-year-old stakes left this year in California, but he has had quite a few races, so we will finish the year and then he can have a little break.
“He is a quality individual, he has already proven that, so if we can maintain that – and if we can enhance that will be even better! He does not have much left to prove to me.”
The son of No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) has won nine races from 24 starts and £225,591 in prize-money earnings, adding that Guisborough Stakes (Listed, 7f) success to his CV at the beginning of October, leaving him with an official rating of 110.
Najd Stud gave bidders another glimpse of their financial firepower as they purchased five-year-old Exceed And Excel (Danehill) gelding Finest Sound for 350,000gns (approx. AU$657,120) yesterday.
An experienced globetrotter, having finished third in the Woodbine Mile (Gr 1, 8f) last month and runner-up in the Jebel Hatta in March, the Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned bay has managed four wins and a further 13 placings from 22 starts, with the BHA currently allotting him a career-high mark of 111.
“He is a very good horse, hopefully he will acclimatise quickly and we have bought him for the Saudi Cup meeting, we don’t know which race yet,” Saud Saad, speaking on behalf of the stud, said.
“It depends on how he will do, different surface, different countries.
“It has been a very good market here, there are a lot of people from all around the world here to try and buy horses, we have been underbidder to three or four different groups from Australia, from America… it shows that Tattersalls sale are the best!”
Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman was the resigned underbidder this time at 335,000gns.
Finest Sound is the first foal out of the unraced Dubawi mare Amplifier, herself a sister to Qatar winner Seema out of an unraced close relative of St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 6.5f) and Coronation Cup (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Scorpion (Montjeu).