Australians buy up on the first day of Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Table: Australian activity on Day 1 of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale

Waller and Mulcaster swoop for Waterville

On paper, Waterville (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) looked the main attraction on Day 1 of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Tattersalls and he did not disappoint when Guy Mulcaster purchased the gelding for 410,000gns (AU$731,800) and he will now head into training with Chris Waller.

A winner on the turf for trainer Aidan O’Brien, the son of Camelot (GB) is out of the Listed-winning Hernando (Fr) mare Holy Moon (Ire), making him a half-brother to the ill-fated, dual Group 1-winner Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), fellow top-flight scorers Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and Final Score (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), Group 2 winner Cherry Collect (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Wordless (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).

“We saw him when we saw him in June when we were at Aidan's and his form has gone on since,” said Mulcaster. “I spoke to Chris this morning and he was keen to get the horse, so fingers crossed he works out for us.

“He is a well-bred horse, he has been looked after, he has not had many runs, he has got a high profile, he looks obvious for us. We have not had many by Camelot ourselves, but he has done well in Australia.”

Described by his trainer Aidan O'Brien at the beginning of the season as a lively each-way contender for the Derby, Waterville (Lot 275) never made it to Epsom but went some way to justifying that high opinion by recording a last-gasp Irish Cesarewitch success at the Curragh last month.

Camelot, the sire of Waterville, has an excellent record in Australia and Mulcaster thinks this latest recruit by him has the right profile to be a success Down Under.

Earlier in the day, Mulcaster struck for Postwick (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), who won one race for trainer Harry Eustace and he realised 130,000gns (AU$232,600) on Monday.

The son of Postponed (Ire) is out of Sated (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and she is a sister to G3 Hotham S. winner Exceed Knowledge (GB).

Bourne strikes for Chairman

A large portion of that Camelot success was enjoyed by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with the ill-fated Sir Dragonet (Ire), another ex-O'Brien-trained colt, whose finest hour came when he stormed to G1 Cox Plate glory in 2020. Sir Dragonet also won the G1 Tancred S. at Rosehill last year and amassed almost $2,391,225 in career earnings.

Russian Camelot (Ire), who was purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls Yearling Sale 2018, is another to have flown the flag for Camelot in Australia having won the G1 Underwood S. at Caulfield for trainer Danny O'Brien.

Maher and Eustace secured another classy European-bred runner in wildcard entry Chairman (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), a 94-rated dual winner for Freddie and Martyn Meade, who was knocked down to Will Bourne, their bloodstock executive for 400,000gns (AU$714,500)

“He's a very athletic horse and didn't carry too much condition,” said Bourne. “What I observed, and Ciaron did as well, is the ones who have worked for him down there are the ones that aren't too heavy. You don't have to work them as much and we obviously have much different facilities in Australia than here. I think he's a horse who will suit Australia and has been racing in really good handicaps over here.”

“Prizemoney is so good in Australia, especially in those distance races. Looking forward to getting him in Ciaron and David's stable. Ciaron's alarm goes off at three in the morning so he's well across the purchase. He's happy.”

Later in the afternoon, Maher went on to buy John Murphy's Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) (Lot 323), who climbed from humble beginnings to win four races and reach a rating of 105 in his pomp, for 130,000gns (AU$232,200).

Charterhouse was an 11,000gns (AU$19,600) foal but made just 3000gns (AU$5300) from Trickledown Stud to Stroud Coleman at Book 3 here in 2019.

Gallery: Lots purchased by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, images courtesy of Tattersalls

He changed hands privately after finishing just a head behind Juddmonte's Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in second on debut at Leopardstown in 2020.

All levels

Tattersalls has been a happy hunting ground for the Australians in recent times, with Group 1 winners Knights Order (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}), Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and recent G3 Geelong Cup winner Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) poster boys of the Autumn sale, and representatives from Australia were buying at every level of the sale during the first session.

Andrew Balding's unexposed Gleneagles (Ire) gelding Cadmus (Ire), a winner when last seen over 2400 metres at Ascot on his third start, made 160,000gns (AU$285,800) to Tom Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock on behalf of trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman.

“Hopefully he has got his best days ahead of him. He is a very unexposed horse. I loved the way he quickened when he won at Ascot last time out and the second is a decent horse. They pulled clear of the field,” said Pritchard-Gordon.

“We will see how he progresses. He has only had three runs, won last time, and is going to like firm ground. He gets a trip and has a massive advantage over Australian horses over that distance.”

Zaaki's trainer Annabel Neasham also got in on the act when Blandford Bloodstock and Bennett Racing signed for Joseph O'Brien's recent Dundalk maiden winner Fawkner Park (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (Lot 65) for 120,000gns (AU$214,300).

“He has had three quick runs in succession, he ran two good races and then won really well at Dundalk and put in a good sectional time,” said Boman. “He has progressed in his racing manners, and really has come a long way in a short period of time.

“I spoke with Joseph (O'Brien) and have a good working relationship with him. He told me that he was a backward horse. Joseph is such a good trainer, I respect his operation and have confidence buying from him.

“We thought he was good buying, he finished close to Rare Middleton and he will make a lot of money shortly, he should make this horse look cheap!”

Boman, a familiar face at the sale, also purchased Space Tracker (Ire) (Havana Gold {Ire}) for Ontrack Thoroughbreds, paying Richard Hughes’ Weathercock House Stables 100,000gns (AU$178,600) for the gelding, who won three races and achieved a of 96.

Darby snap up son of Atlantic Jewel

Fawkner Park pulled over 6l clear of Aidan O'Brien's Fleet Commander (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Lot 274) last Friday, form which is clearly held in decent regard, as that horse made 100,000gns (AU$178,600), when falling in favour of Hubie de Burgh of de Burgh Equine and Darby Racing.

Fleet Commander himself is out of multiple Australian Group 1 winner Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock), who died in 2020, but not before making her mark in the breeding shed, producing Fleet Commander’s brother, dual Hong Kong Group 1 winner Russian Emperor (Ire).

Meanwhile, Darby and de Burgh were active again later on in the afternoon, purchasing one-time winner Manbehindthemoney (GB) (Bobby’s Kitten {USA}) for 35,000gns (AU$62,500)

Australian Bloodstock are famed for the success with horses bred in Europe and they flexed their muscles on Monday when they teamed up with Ronald Rauscher and trainer Kris Lees to purchase Lot 256, Commandment (Ire), a dual-winning 3-year-old filly, for 50,000gns (AU$89,300).

One-time winning colt by Lope De Vega (Ire), Daiquiri (Ire), will also continue his career in Australia and join the stable of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, with the trainers forking out 80,000gns (AU$142,900) for the 3-year-old.

A total of 8,566,100gns (AU$15,301,300) was spent on Monday, which represents an increase of 20 per cent on last year's figure of 7,126,000gns (AU$12,728,900), despite the fact that many buyers described the opening day of trade as the calm before the storm given that many exciting lots are due through the ring on Tuesday.

The median stayed that same as in 2021 at 16,000gns (AU$28,000) while the average was up 21 per cent from 27,095gns (AU$48,400) to 32,820gns (AU$58,600). The clearance rate was 88 per cent, which was also the same in 2021.

Table: Australian activity on Day 1 of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale