Australian buyers lead the charge at record opening Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Perfect for Australia

Not surprising considering his recent good run with European-bred horses, Ciaron Maher was happy to bid strongly; securing two nice young horses including the opening session's highest seller, the 3-year-old gelding Go Daddy (Ire) (Smooth Daddy {USA}) who was one of the five lots sold for 300,000gns (AU$621,800) or more.

A member of the William Muir and Chris Grassick stable, the bay is no stranger to the sales ring, first sold for €16,000 (AU$26,300) at the 2021 Goffs Ireland November Foal Sale to SFF Bloodstock Ltd, then for £36,000 (AU$71,000) at the 2022 Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale to Diego Dias.

And then again to William Muir for €50,000 (AU$82,300) at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Flat Breeze-Up Sale. This time around it took 350,000gns (AU$725,400) for him to find new owners with the stable's Head Of Bloodstock Will Bourne on the ground.

“He profiles perfectly for Australia,” he told TDN Europe.

“I was chatting to Ciaron, and he loved him and how consistent he is. The plan is to keep him in work here with Harry (Eustace) then he'll go down on the horses-in-training flight, and we'll target the G3 N.E Manion Cup.”

The stable have pinpointed that race run over 2400 metres on Golden Slipper Day as one suitable for international horses. They have taken out 11 of the last 13 runnings including the Tattersalls graduates Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) this year and Favourite Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in 2021.

“We usually buy in our spring and then bring them out,” Bourne said. “But Harry has prepared horses like Sir Dragonet for us to win a G1 W.S Cox Plate, so Ciaron has full faith in him, they work very well together.

“Our max was 400,000gns and I'd have been thrilled to get him for 250,000gns, so anywhere between is pretty much bang on. He has that perfect profile for Australia, so I don't think he was missed by anyone.”

A winner (a Nottingham nursery handicap over 2000 metres in October last year) and six times placed from 12 starts, Go Daddy was out of the placings at his most recent assignment at Ascot but prior to that run was third in the G3 German St Leger and he has been stakes placed on another two occasions.

The first black-type performer for his sire, a son of Scat Daddy (USA), the 105 rated Go Daddy is out of the Listed winner Libys Dream (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who is the dam of Perilous Pursuit (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}) and Name Of Love (Ire) (Petardia {GB}), both stakes winners. Further back this is the family of Toronado (Ire) who fares so well in Australia.

Maher strikes early

Earlier in the day, the Maher stable were successful bidding on the first six-figure horse of the day, the 140,000gns (AU$190,200) purchase Jareth (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}); a 2-year-old who has raced on just two occasions.

“This horse is a little bit different,” Bourne said, when noting the sort of horses Maher usually buys in the UK. “He will probably get to the races a little bit quicker.”

The stable were impressed by the improvement displayed by the John O'Donoghue-trainee at his second outing; off a well held Sligo fourth in a 1100-metre maiden in early August, Jareth recording a very easy win over a mile at Thurles a few weeks ago.

Going to the lead and putting 6.5l on his rivals, Jareth was purchased for his upside, more so than on his type. “Inspecting him, there was nothing amazing about him,” Bourne said. “He is not a flash looking horse, but I love his turn of foot and the way he won.”

Bourne noted that several of the Maher success stories from the northern hemisphere have not really caught the eye physically, such as the G1 Caulfield Cup hero Duke De Sessa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

“You would not say that he is a big, robust horse but it is what they do on the track, what you see in the replays.

“And Ciaron loved the way this horse accelerated over the last 200 metres. He wanted to buy him, and he did.

“Ciaron loves buying European horses,” Bourne continued, “because he gets results. And this sale always throws up a good stakes horse for us.”

Such as the recent G2 Herbert Power S. winner Herman Hesse (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who was purchased for 75,000gns (AU$155,500) at the 2020 sale, last weekend's G3 JRA Cup winner Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) who was 140,000gns (AU$290,200) two years ago and the stakes-placed, multiple city winner Floating Artist (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who cost 95,000gns (AU$196,900) in 2020.

Busuttin and Young search for another Craig

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable have also enjoyed recent success with an imported galloper, the last star G1 Toorak H. runner-up and Golden Eagle-bound Craig (GB) (Territories {Ire}) displaying plenty of potential.

And they have bought another son of Territories (Ire), 280,000gns (AU$580,300) putting Fearless Freddy (GB) into their stable with JP Bloodstock's Pat Sells on site for the bidding.

The 88 rated 2-year-old from the same Muir and Grassick stable as Go Daddy has won three of his six starts. Easily breaking his maiden over 1400 metres at Leicester in mid-June, the chestnut has been successful at his last two starts; fighting back after being headed in a 1600-metre Class 4 nursery handicap at Kempton in early September before impressing pulling away from his rivals in a Class 2 nursery at York on October 12.

Pat Sells purchased Craig (privately) for the stable and was taken by the similarities between that horse and Fearless Freddie.

“He is a lovely horse who to me is a carbon copy of Craig,” he said.

And he likes the youngster's form with the win at York really catching the eye.

“The clincher for me was that run on soft ground over a mile, the way he came out that final furlong. You just think he is never going to win from there, every time you watch the replay; he showed an amazing turn of foot.

“I went to see him at William's stables just to get a better idea about him and I doubled down really, he is a lovely horse. William describes him as a tiger, I think that's very apt. He's got that mentality you need down in Australia.”

The 280,000gns (AU$580,300) was at the top end of the budget for his new owners, Sells admitting that “it was overs really. I had Trent on the phone, it was a bit painful for him to go to that, but we knew he was red hot.

“He'd had eight vettings, I think Hong Kong was interested, he has a lot of international appeal.”

Sells noted the recent success the Busuttin and Young stable have been enjoying with imported gallopers, not only Craig but also the G3 Naturalism S. and triple Listed winner Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the Group 3-placed, Benalla Cup-winning, multiple city winner Brayden Star (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) who were both purchased from Tattersalls sales.

Raced by his breeders Mondial Racing, the 88 rated Fearless Freddy is out of a half-sister to the G3 Frankel S. winner Gender Agenda (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) from a family which has enjoyed big-race success in Australia via the Group 1 deeds of Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}), No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) and Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).

Freedman Racing, Matthew Smith & Chris Waller also successful

Also active on Day 1 was Badgers Bloodstock, bidding successfully on two lots for Freedman Racing; Thebelmontgangster (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) for 200,000gns (AU$414,500) and Spanish Blaze (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}) for 160,000gns (AU$331,600).

Having his third outing just a couple of weeks ago, Thebelmontgangster easily broke his maiden over a mile at the Curragh. Selling for just 16,000gns (AU$33,100) and 10,000gns (AU$20,700) the first two times he went through the ring, the 2-year-old is out of a half-sister to the Listed Mornington Cup winner Aktau (GB) (Teofilo) from the family of another couple of Australian stakes winners in Born To Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Prettyhappyaboutit (Magnus).

Gallery: Freedman Racing's purchases on Day 1 of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, images courtesy of Tattersalls

Spanish Blaze was a 15,000gns (AU$31,000) yearling; a 3-year-old who has won four of his 14 starts including, at his most recent outing, a 1400-metre Class 2 contest at Newmarket in late September. He doesn't have any closeup Australian relations but is a member of the prolific Stolen Hour (USA) (Mr Busher {USA}) family which fares so well in this part of the world.

Another Australian trainer taking home two horses is Matthew Smith who purchased Autumn Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for 120,000gns (AU$248,700) and Open Secret (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) for 10,000gns (AU$20,700).

Smith has had great success at this sale, in 2017 purchasing for 120,000gns (AU$248,700) the triple Group 1 winner Fierce Impact (Jpn).

A 3-year-old who was in winning form at Thurles two starts ago, Autumn Winter is a son of the triple Group winner Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) whose son Jeff Koons (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) won the Listed Qatar Derby.

Also three, Open Secret has won once (at Redcar in early October) and been placed six times from 13 starts. His dam Pulcinella (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a winning daughter of the triple Group 1 winner Petrushka (Ire) (Unfuwain {USA}).

It is well-reported how well Chris Waller has fared with imports, and we only have to look back to last Saturday for that! He purchased one horse on Day 1 of the sale, Super Mirage (Ire) (Arizona {Ire}) for 62,000gns (AU$128,500).

The Richard Hughes-trained 2-year-old has raced just the once, racing greenly but proving 2l too good in a Bath maiden in mid-September. His dam Loch Mirage (GB) (Elusive City {USA}) is out of the stakes winner Lochridge (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) whose dam is the star sprinter Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}).