Clearpoint Tops Final Day of Tattersalls February Sale

CLEARPOINT was the top priced horse on the second and final day of the Tattersalls February Sale when selling for 75,000 guineas, with solid trade continuing as horses in training took centre stage. The overall average and median both registered small increases on the previous year with the sale’s top lot TAQAAREED the second highest price at this fixture since 2018.  

Clearpoint to PCF Racing for 75,000 Guineas  

The top lot on the second day of the February Sale was the highly rated sprinter CLEARPOINT, who was consigned by trainer Charlie Fellowes’ Bedford House Stables and offered with an entry in Sunday’s Listed Kachy Stakes. The four-year-old son of ARDAD was knocked down for 75,000 guineas to the bid of Simon Hodgson on behalf of PCF Racing.  

"He has been bought for John Whelan of PCF Racing," said Hodgson. "I don't know if we will run on Sunday, we will need to chat about it. John is a big supporter of his trainers, has lost some good sprint handicappers and has been looking to replace them. This was the only horse we had on the list today, John is in his 80s, he loves going racing and when he gets a bee in his bonnet he normally buys."  

Regarding CLEARPOINT Hodgson outlined: "He has been running well, I would have liked his turf form to have been a little bit stronger but he looks as though he does not want heavy ground. We should have a lot of fun with him. We said that he would make between 60,000 guineas and 80,000 guineas and we were bang on the money."  

The four-year-old son of ARDAD has an official rating of 91 and finished third over five furlongs on his most recent start. He was bought at the 2023 Tattersalls August Sale for 22,000 guineas by Paul Wildes and has subsequently won twice and placed twice for his connections.  

First Encore Bound for Qatar at 62,000 Guineas  

FIRST ENCORE earned a smart catalogue update with a promising win at Lingfield subsequent to the February Sale catalogue publication and proved popular on the second day of the sale, with bloodstock agent JD Moore striking at 62,000 guineas for the son of ACCLAMATION. Consigned by his trainer Ed Walker, the three-year-old has now won his last two starts and received an official rating of 81 for his recent victory over seven furlongs at Lingfield.  

Moore revealed: "He is for trainer Hamad Al Jehani in Qatar, he has the recent Qatar Derby winner Jeff Koons in his stable and he has been very lucky at Tattersalls. This is a very good physical, his form is rock solid, he looks progressive with a lovely profile and he has been very well produced by Ed Walker and his team."  

FIRST ENCORE is the first foal out of the Listed placed KODIAC mare ALL STAR CAST, a granddaughter of the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes winner RAJEEM. RAJEEM is the dam of top class sprinter INVINCIBLE ARMY, a five time Group/Listed winner and placed in five further Group races.  

Bringloe Secures Character Testing for 58,000 Guineas  

The third highest priced lot on the second day of the February Sale was the three-year-old colt CHARACTER TESTING, who was consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Tom Clover Racing and realised 58,000 guineas to the bid of Mike Bringloe.  

Trainer Tom Clover commented: "He is a lovely horse and Mike, who is an existing owner, expressed an interest and so the horse is coming back to us, which is really pleasing. The horse has plenty of size and there is lots of improvement in him. He will probably benefit from being gelded so we might get that done now and then take a view on plans.  

"I think we can look forward to a really exciting campaign with him. He might be a horse who can step up to ten furlongs and might also suit a campaign abroad in time."  

CHARACTER TESTING broke his maiden over a mile at Southwell on his most recent start, having finished second on all four previous starts. The three-year-old is by TIME TEST out of the OASIS DREAM mare CHARACTERIZED, a granddaughter of the 1000 Guineas winner SLEEPYTIME.  

Douglass Strikes for Rayyan Bu Thaila at 55,000 Guineas  

Will Douglass of Charlie Gordon Watson Bloodstock struck early on the second day for the unraced colt RAYYAN BU THAILA at 55,000 guineas. The son of BATED BREATH was consigned by Jamie Railton and the Qatari-bred three-year-old will be returning to familiar shores.  

"He is for an owner in Qatar and as a Qatari-bred he qualifies for the local-bred thoroughbred races, I thought this is a nice horse. He has been with Kevin Philippart De Foy," said Douglass.  

RAYYAN BU THAILA is out of the Listed placed GALILEO mare FACADE, a full-sister to the Group performer HIGH HEELS from the family of European Champions PAS DE REPONSE and GREEN TUNE.  

Chairmans’s Statement  

At the conclusion of the 2024 Tattersalls February Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;  

“The sale topping 200,000 guineas Shadwell broodmare TAQAAREED and the 125,000 guineas Juddmonte colt RETORT were the obvious highlights of the 2024 Tattersalls February Sale. TAQAAREED is the second highest price at this fixture since 2018 and RETORT is the third highest priced colt in training ever sold at the Tattersalls February Sale with both of them demonstrating the sustained domestic and international demand for quality breeding stock and horses in training.  

“As ever the overseas contribution has been notable. Buyers from throughout Europe and the Gulf region have been out in force, the 125,000 guineas colt RETORT is heading to Australia and North African buyers have again been conspicuous. Domestic British and Irish buyers, both Flat and National Hunt, have been the mainstay of the sale, but the smallest February catalogue since 2014 has unsurprisingly produced turnover some way short of last year’s impressive figure and the clearance rate, while eminently respectable, has not matched the customary market - leading levels that we would aspire to at sales of this nature.  Nevertheless, the average and median have both held up well with small increases in both categories, and the National Hunt fraternity have a rare and immediate opportunity to look forward to, with the outstanding Andy and Gemma Brown Dispersal taking place this coming Monday 5th February at Tattersalls Ireland.”