Rises Across the Board on Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale

GOODWOOD MIRAGE and VALIDUS were the star turns on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale selling for 380,000 guineas apiece. Trade on the third day proved the strongest of the sale so far with 19 lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. A total of 273 lots were sold for 8,058,600 guineas at an average of 29,519 guineas and a median of 14,000 guineas. The turnover was up 10% on the corresponding session in 2012, whilst the average and median rose 11% and 8% respectively.

The three-year-old GOODWOOD MIRAGE, who was owned by the Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group, was the first of the two lots knocked down for 380,000 guineas. He was bought by Jonjo O'Neill Racing, after assistant trainer Guy Upton made the winning bid, seeing off a string of underbidders including Anthony Stroud, Alastair Donald and Harold Kirk.

"It is fantastic for the members," said Gail Brown, who manages the syndicate. "It is the biggest result for the group. He is a lovely, straightforward colt - he sold himself really.

"Some of the members are here, I am delighted for them. We are so pleased that he has been bought to stay in the UK - that means a lot as the members can follow his career.

"The horse joined William after the retirement of John Dunlop, who won with him as a juvenile. William has done so well with him - to win at Goodwood with him was very special."

"The board took the decision to put him through the ring," said Lucy Faith, PR manager for Goodwood racecourse.

"We are all thrilled that the decision was vindicated. This was the 19th Goodwood Racehorse Club, we are already onto our 21st year!"

That 21st syndicate has been set up and revolves around an AZAMOUR colt bought at Tattersalls October Book 2 for 36,000gns by Richard Frisby Bloodstock. Frisby also bought GOODWOOD MIRAGE as a yearling for 27,000gns here in 2011.

The second lot to sell for 380,000 guineas was the Bedford House Stables consigned VALIDUS who was knocked down to Anthony Stroud after he saw off determined efforts by Saudi Arabian trainer Naif Alatawi and Boomer Bloodstock’s Craig Rounesfell.

"He is a lovely powerful horse," said Stroud. "He made more than we thought, but we've paid reasonable amounts for some of the others and it evens itself out. He is going to Dubai for the Carnival."

Owner-breeder Stuart Stuckley was understandably delighted with the price.

"He will really suit Dubai and the Tapeta surface. He is light on his feet, he has a wonderful step and a mile or 1m2f there will suit," agreed Stuckley. "It is a lovely family, and I have to thanks my trusted bloodstock advisor Rachel Boffey. There are though always regrets when you sell a good one you've bred yourself."

The consignment from Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms is always one of the highlights of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, and this year’s draft proved no exception with the 42 lots offered realising a total of 1,784,500 guineas. The top priced lot in the offering was the DANSILI colt CONTINUUM who was knocked to National Hunt trainer Peter Hedger for 240,000 guineas.

"I am going to wrap him up in cotton wool now," joked Hedger. "He is the most expensive horse I have bought, but I have a small group of new owners who wanted a nice horse.

"We'll cut him, give him a quiet winter and then bring him out for the Turf season next spring. We'll see how we go, but we might look to run over hurdles this time next year.

"I am based in the south and I have always spent much of my time racing at Folkestone - now the track has closed we've had to get a horse good enough to go to Ascot!"

CONTINUUM is a brother to the Group 1 winner PASSAGE OF TIME and was offered with a ‘Timeform’ rating of 102.

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9am on Thursday, October 31.