Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
At A Glance
The three-time winner Arctic Tsar (Kodiac) topped Monday's proceedings when selling for 390,000 guineas (AU$780,000) to bloodstock agents Will Douglas and Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of Hong Kong trainer David Eustace. He is out of a half-sister to the four-time Australian Group 1-winner Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux).
Astute Bloodstock purchased the Ado McGuinness-trained Cambridgeshire winner Pierre Royal (Kingman) for 375,000 guineas (AU$750,000), and he will now head to Australia.
Monday's 7,651,000 guineas (AU$15.3 million) turnover that was up marginally by 1% on the 7,559,000 guineas (AU$15.4 million) traded on the corresponding day last year. The 16,000 guineas (AU$32,000) median was the same while the 30,851 guineas (AU$62,000) average dropped by 4%. The appetite for horses was good with the clearance rate dropping by only 1% to 83%.
Australian buyers Australian Bloodstock and Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young were both active, purchasing Deira Moon (Naval Crown) for 85,000 guineas (AU$170,000) and League Of Justice (Justify) for 80,000 guineas (AU$160,000) respectively.
As opening acts go, Monday's curtain-raiser to the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale wasn't bad at all, the solid trade was topped by the Imperium Sales-drafted three-time winner Arctic Tsar (Kodiac) at 390,000gns to Hong Kong.
While another significant purchase was the Ado McGuinness-trained Cambridgeshire winner Pierre Royal (Kingman) is heading Down Under after selling for 375,000 guineas (AU$750,000) to Astute Bloodstock.
Both horses wouldn't have looked out of place in Tuesday's eagerly-anticipated session. However, they played an important role Monday's 7,651,000 guineas (AU$15.3 million) turnover that was up marginally 1% on the 7,559,000 guineas (AU$15.4 million) traded on the corresponding day last year. The 16,000 guineas (AU$32,000) median was the same while the 30,851 guineas (AU$62,000) average dropped by 4%. The appetite for horses was good with the clearance rate dropping by only 1% to 83%.
Arctic Tsar | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Trained by Clive Cox, Arctic Tsar has hit form at exactly the right time, as far as this sale is concerned. After opening his account off 65, he recorded his third win on the bounce at Kempton earlier this month, bolstering his rating to 89. The Valmont-owned colt will continue his career in Hong Kong now after being sourced by bloodstock agents Will Douglas and Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of trainer David Eustace.
Douglas said, “We bought a nice horse off Clive a couple of years ago called Riding Together and he's done well in Hong Kong for David. Clive has been a good source of horses for us. This horse has won three on the spin and just looks a very nice and straightforward type. Physically, he should suit the racing and training in Hong Kong, which is key.”
Arctic Tsar is yet another high-profile success story for Alex Elliott's Valmont vehicle, after the agent sourced the colt for €90,000 (AU$143,000) from Ballygallon Stud at the Goffs Orby Sale last year.
Will Douglas | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Bittersweet success for McGuinness with massive money-spinner Pierre Royal
He may not have held onto top lot status, but in many ways the story of the day was the massive touch achieved by Irish trainer McGuinness and BBA Ireland bloodstock agent Adam Potts with Pierre Royal.
Sourced at this sale almost exactly 12 months ago for 48,000 guineas (AU$96,000), Pierre Royal has sky-rocketed through the ranks for his new connections. His near £200,000 (AU$380,000) in career earnings is largely supplemented by a last-time-out success in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, where he became the first Irish victor in the race this century.
Pierre Royal (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
For all that his sale represented a massive boon for his owners, the A Twist Of Fate Syndicate, the man that masterminded the success story was left somewhat philosophical over the loss of the best horse in his stable, summarising that he now needed to “find another one”. Easier said than done.
McGuinness said, “A horse like this, you don't like to lose (him). He wasn't a dear horse here last year. Adam picked him out and he has done very well for us. I don't chase Listed or Group races with a horse like Pierre Royal – I always go for the money, so he has won two premier handicaps, second in one and third in another. He's a very easy horse to train. Best of luck to the boys who bought him, I think he will do very well for them. He's lightly-raced and I do think he will go places and win plenty of races in Australia. It will really suit him down there – fast ground, I think he'll love it.”
“He's (Pierre Royal) a very easy horse to train. Best of luck to the boys who bought him, I think he will do very well for them.” - Ado McGuinness
The trainer added, “It's great for the guys who own him. This horse is probably after tuning 600 grand this year. He's won over 200 grand in prize-money and then today's sale as well. It's a lot of money to turn for a fun horse. He would have been a real Royal Ascot horse for next year. I would have been dreaming of a Royal Hunt Cup with him if he was still with me next year. Now to go and find the next one!”
Ado McGuinness | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Pierre Royal was bought by Louis Le Metayer of Astute Bloodstock, with the agent saying the Cambridgeshire success was too impressive to ignore.
“It was a big field, a £200,000 race here at Newmarket, and he's a beautiful horse,” Metayer said. “He's got a good pedigree, he's fast, and he seemed to go on every ground. So I'm very happy to get him. We like to give them a very easy first six months so they can acclimatise as there are many changes – new feed, new weather, new everything.
"We will probably focus on the next southern hemisphere spring, this time next year. He'll probably have a first run over a mile and then we will see where we progress. I selected the horse and am syndicating him through Astute Bloodstock, and there is a lot of interest in him already.”
Louis Le Metayer | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Hotazhell's owners help raise the temperature
American owners Bonnie and Tommy Hamilton, who are riding the crest of a wave with the Jessica Harrington-trained Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot), swooped for the Group 2-placed Scythe (Victor Ludorum) through agent Darren O'Dwyer at 250,000gns (AU$500,000).
“He's got some serious form,” said O'Dwyer. “He's been bought for Bonnie and Tommy Hamilton of Silverton Hill Stables, so he's going to America. It's undecided which trainer he'll go to at the minute, but his profile suggests he'll do well out there.”
Scythe | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
He added, “To try and buy a horse like that in America would cost you way more, probably over half a million, so I thought we got good value. We'll see where we go with him but he's only two, so fingers crossed. He's not an overly big horse but he's all there in proportion and his form speaks volumes.”
Aussies active on Day 1
Australian Bloodstock and JS Bloodstock purchased Lot 301- Deira Moon (Naval Crown ) for 85,000 guineas (AU$170,000). He is a lightly tried 2-year-old gelding who has placed in three of his four career starts.
Deira Moon is out of the winning Nathaniel mare Nurse Nightingale and is related the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed stallion James Garfield and the Australian star Sir Delius (Frankel)
Deira Moon | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Busuttin & Young Racing also picked up a lightly tried gelding, purchasing Lot 77 - League Of Justice (Justify) for 80,000 guineas (AU$160,000).
League Of Justice is a 3-year-old gelding that has placed twice from six starts.
He is very well-bred being out of the A. P Indy mare Apt who has left three stakes winners including the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Carve (First Samurai).
This is also the extended family of the very good sire Blame, well-known in Australia as the broodmare sire of the dual Group 1 winner and stallion Switzerland and the Group 3 winner and this weekend's G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes hope St Gotthard (I Am Invincible).
