Record Opening Day of Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale

It was a strong start to the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks with record turnover for an opening session of 9,168,700 guineas and five lots selling for 300,000 guineas or more. 

Go Daddy Australia Bound at 350,000 Guineas  

The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the Linkslade Stables consigned GO DADDY who was knocked down to Australian agent Will Bourne, bidding on behalf of Ciaron Maher Racing, and Billy Jackson-Stops for 350,000 guineas.    

"He profiles perfectly for Australia, and I was chatting to Ciaron and he loved him and how consistent he was," said Bourne. "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 Manion Cup, which Haggas has done really well in with Favourite Moon and Post Impressionist.    

"We’ll aim to run him off the plane during the Sydney Carnival. We usually buy in our spring and then bring them out, but Harry has prepared horses like Sir Dragonet for us to win a Cox Plate, so Ciaron has full faith in Harry and they work very well together."  

The three-year-old GO DADDY has an official rating of 105 and is the winner of one race, a 1m2f Nottingham handicap off a BHA mark of 83 last October, but has finished in the places six times including two thirds in Group 3 races; the Deutsches St. Leger at Dortmund in September and the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury in August.  

Monumental to Ghrghar for 325,000 Guineas  

MONUMENTAL, one of the day’s expected stars, did not disappoint with the two-year-old wildcard entry from Coolmore selling for 325,000 guineas to Omar Esmil Ghrghar. The lightly raced son of KINGMAN was second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes to BAY CITY ROLLER before finishing third in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket, and was offered with an official rating of 109.    

Ramzi Alghul, at Tattersalls and in charge of the purchasing operations for Ghrghar, said: "He will be trained either in France of Dubai, plans are open at the moment. He was a standout for us today, he is a very nice horse and has been Group 2 placed and trained by Aidan O'Brien. He is a perfect fit for us and if he goes to Dubai he will be trained by Bhupat Seemar."  

The Libyan-based purchaser Ghrghar was the leading buyer at the Tattersalls July Sale earlier this year, buying four lots for a total of 417,000 guineas. 

Garfield Shadow to Blandford for 310,000 Guineas  

The Blandford Bloodstock team were responsible for the next three lots to sell for 300,000 guineas or more led by GARFIELD SHADOW, who was knocked down to Richard Brown for 310,000 guineas. Consigned by Richard Fahey’s Musley Bank Stables, the three-year-old son of JAMES GARFIELD has won four times and was Timeform rated 106 following recent placings in competitive handicaps at Ascot and Leopardstown.    

"He is a talented horse, I bought him for Sheikh Juma at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale and have now bought him for a different client," said Brown. "I have followed him all the way through, he is a very good-looking horse, very sound, a very consistent horse and always runs his race. Wherever he continues his career, I have no doubt he will continue to give his new owners plenty of fun." 

Desperate Hero Headed For Dubai Carnival After Boman Purchase  

Blandford Bloodstock, this time via Stuart Boman, also secured the four-year-old DESPERATE HERO for 300,000 guineas with the Jack Channon trained sprinter headed to Dubai as a Carnival prospect.  

"He is one of those horses who, when I went through the replays and form, is hard not to like. He has great action, a powerful stride, he has roared through the handicap and turned into a Group 1 horse. He always puts in, and I just wanted to get him and loved him from the moment I started researching him and following him.    

"He is going to Dubai for the Carnival. It is a division that sometimes falls a bit flat, Godolphin mainly has horses in the mile and over distance range. There is a good series for sprinters and hopefully he is one for the Al Quoz Sprint and will be there on World Cup night. He is for a client.  

"I thought he might have made a bit more with his rating - he has been fourth in a Group 1 and was not beaten far in the Flying Five before that. He is a horse who keeps showing up, runs his race, is an enthusiastic horse, and he had a clean vetting."  

The CAPTAIN GERRARD four-year-old has run 24 times, won six races and been placed five times. He won a Hamilton handicap over 5f off an official rating of 91 in June and finished third in the Group 3 Coral Charge at Sandown in July, sixth in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh in September and fourth in October's Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp. He was consigned with a Timeform rating of 114.  

Smart Two-Year-Old Rebel Diamond Sells for 300,000 Guineas  

Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown also secured the two-year-old REBEL DIAMOND for 300,000 guineas. The son of COTAI GLORY has won his previous three starts for trainer Natalia Lupini culminating in success in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse in late September, and was offered with an official rating of 101.  

Brown said: "He has been progressive and won his last three starts including a Listed race last time out. We have no plans as yet. He was very well presented, he looked great, plenty of size and scope to continue his career as a three-year-old and he does not look overtrained."  

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9.30am on Tuesday, 29th October.