Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

At A Glance

>> Paul Moroney/Armando Duarte and Ballymore Stables set a new Autumn Horses in Training Sale record with their purchase of English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) for a 925,000 gns (AU$1.787 million), while also purchasing Emissary (GB) (Kingman (GB}) for 350,000 gns (AU$676,200).

>> Australian Bloodstock, which is working closely with Ronald Rauscher took their total for the week to nine horses, with a total spend of 802,000 gns (AU$1.55 million). They teamed with trainers Ciaron Maher, Kris Lees and Mick Price in their three purchases.

>> Waller's two purchases were highlighted by the 370,000 gns (AU$714,840) he paid for Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) .

>> Other Australasian buyers active included Ciaron Maher, Darby Racing, Dynamic Syndications and Go Racing.

>> Day 3 Turnover of 9,779,600 gns (AU$18.89 million) represented a 19 per cent gain on 8,206,000 gns (AU$15.85 million) last year.

>> The daily average rose 15 per cent to 34,803 gns (AU$67,239) from 30,393 gns (AU$58,719) .

>> Clearance was strong even by 2020 standards at 92 per cent.

>> Overall sale aggregate is down to 20,488,800 gns (AU$39.58 million) from 24,037,000 gns (AU$46,44 million) .

>> Overall average of 26,748 gns (AU$51,677) dipped from 30,235 gns (AU$58,414) last year.

>> Sale median has dropped to 12,000 gns (AU$23,184) from 16,000 gns (AU$30,912) .

King sets a new high

When auctioneer John O’Kelly tried to coax one last effort out of underbidder Ted Voute for Lot 1153a, he told him: “There’s only one chance to buy English King.”

Armando Duarte was prepared to see off Voute at 925,000 gns (AU$1.787 million) and send English King from the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale to the Ballymore Stables Australia of Mike Moroney.

This transaction set a spectacular seal not just on Duarte’s purposeful shopping for brothers Mike and Paul Moroney over the preceding couple of days, but on the critical value of the Australian export market this week.

Duarte admitted that this was a real stretch but had anticipated a price between 750,000 gns (AU$1.45 million) and 1,000,000 gns (AU$1.93 million) and played his cards accordingly.

Voute, seated to the right of the rostrum, was on a video call to his client in Saudi Arabia as Duarte lurked outside the ring, bidding through a spotter. At 875,000 gns (AU$1.69 million), Voute appeared to quit, only to bounce back just as the gavel was coming down with a last-ditch sally of 900,000 gns (AU$1.738 million). That caused a chuckle around the ring, but Duarte quickly closed in for the kill.

Duarte and the Moroney brothers had shown the vigour of their interest just minutes before topping the Sale. Having given 200,000 gns (AU$286,400) for Ballydoyle’s Keats (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) the previous day, they invested in another elite draft —Juddmonte — when paying 350,000 gns (AU$676.200) for Emissary (GB) (Kingman {GB}).

A half-brother to Derby winner Workforce (GB) (King’s Best {USA}) and winner of his only start at two for Hugo Palmer, Emissary (Lot 1126) returned to form to win a York handicap last month.

“Physically, he’s a very nice horse,” Duarte said. “He’s 16.2, has not had many runs, is improving all the time, and there’s plenty more to come. It is the same story as yesterday. We probably had to pay a bit more than we expected, but he could be a special horse in Australia next year. This sort of horse does not come onto the market very often. The background family, the first dam and second dam, is very important to the buyers; and this horse passed the vet too, which is very hard.”

Bullfinch joins the migration

This Sale has certainly reiterated how precious is the symbiosis between the British and Australian Turf; between the heritage of one, and the quality of stock duly attracted, and the prosperity of the other.

As John Ferguson stressed, after signing a 370,000 gns (AU$714,840) docket on behalf of Chris Waller for Bullfinch (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), “The minimum prizemoney at an Australian city track at the weekend is $125,000. The minimum! That does make a difference, you know.”

The 3-year-old Bullfinch (offered as Lot 1100 by The Castlebridge Consignment) is a classic example of the value that can be established even in winning barely £25,000 (AU$46,000)—his nugatory reward for winning three of just five starts for Roger Charlton.

The colt was homebred by the Rothschilds, at a stud with a venerable history now undergoing dispersal; he has been brought along expertly on the historic Beckhampton gallops by Roger Charlton; and he has been measured against competition that far surpasses the rewards contested.

“From an Australian point of view, there are a lot of reasons why a horse like this could be a lot of fun,” Ferguson said. “Kodiac has already sired a [G1] Caulfield Cup winner in Best Solution, who we bought a few years ago, and the dam [Group 1 winner Thistle Bird] was a champion older mare. This is a progressive horse, with undoubted ability, that has been quite beautifully trained.”

Ferguson also secured the somewhat more modestly priced Summit Reach (GB) (Dansili {GB}) for Waller for 22,000 gns (AU$42,504). He is the one-time winning half-brother to dual G1 Australian Cup winner Harlem (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}).

Haul of six for Australian Bloodstock

Australian Bloodstock/Ronald Rauscher meanwhile crowned their own brisk investment through the Sale when giving 180,000 gns (AU$347,760) for Fifth Position (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who has achieved a mark of 104 for Roger Varian and was sold as Lot 1107.

Australian Bloodstock, Rauscher and trainer Kris Lees paid 55,000 gns (AU$101,200) for Fifth Position's stablemate Winter Thorn (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), while earlier in the day the pair had teamed with Mick Price to buy another son of Dark Angel (Ire) in Brian Epstein (Ire) for 60,000 gns (AU$115,920).

Also on the order slip for the day was a lone filly, Grande Rumore (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) for 40,000 gns (AU$77,280) from Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables draft as well as two from the draft of Charlie Fellowes' Bedford House Stables.

In consecutive lots, they purchased six-time winner Mayfair Spirit (Ire) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) for 52,000 gns (AU$100,464) after buying the dual winner Mankayan (Ire) (Intello {Ger}), who is headed to trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, for 95,000 gns (AU$183,540).

Maher also teamed with Blandford Bloodstock to buy Floating Artist (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), the stakes-placed brother to Group 3 winner Darlington Hall (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), for 95,000 gns (AU$183,540).

Meanwhile, de Burgh Equine/Darby Racing paid 30,000 gns (AU$57,960) for First In Line (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Dynamic Syndications/Dean Watt Bloodstock/Amy Meade Bloodstock secured Sidereal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) from Andrew Balding's stables for 100,000 gns (AU$193,200).

Urban opportunity finally cashed in

Having been coolly retained for no less than 340,000 gns (AU$656,800) at this Sale last year, when he included sixth in the G1 2000 Guineas among his accomplishments for Richard Hannon, Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) was back as Lot 1052.

Ted Voute’s bid of 320,000 gns (AU$618,240) represented a very satisfactory dividend for owner Michael Pescod, as the colt had been picked out as a yearling for just £23,000 (AU$42,320) by Peter & Ross Doyle at the Tattersalls Ireland Ascot Sale.

Voute was operating for the emerging Saudi venture, Najd Stud, as when buying five lots at the inaugural August Horses-in-Training Sale here.

“He’s a big, robust horse who should stand a lot of training out there,” he said. “He’s tough and consistent and will go on quicker ground. He’ll ship out and we’ll see how he adjusts and acclimatises, but ideally he’ll go the normal route through the Cup races and then see if he can be good enough for the big Saudi international day.”

Voute also gave 340,000 gns (AU$656,800) for Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (Lot 1130). Having won three times for Sir Michael Stoute last year, Derevo has found a plateau in the mid-90s though beaten under 1l in a Doncaster handicap last month. He should find new horizons in the desert.

“We like to buy from the Juddmonte draft and Dansili is a big plus in Saudi Arabia,” Voute said. “This horse has good form and has been well produced.”

Underbidder Ed Dunlop did at least manifest plenty of appetite and perseverance for the locals, throughout the Juddmonte draft, and finally got his reward when landing Derevo’s younger brother Society Lion (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (Lot 1132) for 180,000 gns (AU$347,760).

Fight opening a new front in Dubai

The Middle East also beckons for Fight Zone (USA) (War Front {USA}), two of whose siblings have already proved effective in the U.A.E.

It has been quite an odyssey for the 2-year-old, as he had failed to meet his reserve as a Keeneland September yearling; and was then scratched from Lynn Lodge’s draft at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in July. Instead he surfaced in the care of Ger Lyons, for whom he has steadily improved to win a Naas maiden last month and a Dundalk nursery a few days later.

Everything finally came together when, presented by The Castlebridge Consignment as Lot 1068, he brought 290,000 gns (AU$560,280) from Victoria de Sousa and Chris Dwyer.

“He’ll be going out to Dubai for Sheikh Rashid and will hopefully be one for the Carnival,” de Sousa said. “I’d say he’ll probably go to one of the lads based at Meydan. He’s a lovely, scopey horse, well put together, and vetted very clean. It’s hard to get all that here, along with good form, and Chris really liked him.”

Festival Day back to her roots

The fireworks later in the day were preceded by a rather torpid morning, but proceedings were enlivened by the appearance of Festival Day (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as Lot 912. Despite regressing at three, she did win a maiden by 6l for Mark Johnston last year and would have been a valuable proposition had she never even made the track.

That’s because she is out of a Storm Cat (USA) daughter of the mighty Miesque, who matched her stellar track career in establishing a wonderful dynasty through the likes of Kingmambo (USA) (Mr. Prospector {USA}) and East Of The Moon (USA) (Private Account {USA}).

Any breeder would relish access to those bloodlines, but Festival Day turned out to be returning to the Niarchos fold after a 170,000 gns (AU$328,440) docket was signed by Martin Buick. Himself of a notable Turf family, of course, Buick has had “the huge privilege” of working for the Flaxman bloodstock empire for around five years.

“It’s obviously one of the best pages in the Stud Book,” Buick reasoned. “And the Niarchos family were keen to get back in. The pedigree speaks for itself, it’s just amazing how it keeps repeating.”