The Tattersalls July Sale continued in robust fashion on the second day with a remarkable clearance rate of 99% and six lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. The sale turnover is already the third highest on record after just two days of the three day sale.
Grenoble is Australia Bound for 130,000 Guineas
The William Haggas trained GRENOBLE was the top priced lot during the evening session of the Tattersalls July Sale when selling to William Johnson Bloodstock, in association with Mark Pilkington Management, for 130,000 guineas against an online bidder.
The three-year-old son of SIYOUNI was offered with a Timeform rating of 103 and the lightly raced gelding is set to continue his racing career in Australia.
Will Johnson commented: "He is a lightly raced horse and comes into Australia with a rating that enables him to work through the grades. He falls straight into Saturday class, with prize-money continuing to improve there are plenty of options from him over a mile to 1m4f."
He added: "Rather than always spending the big dollars on a horse who will land you straight into a Group 1 you can have a lot of fun working through the Saturday races and the Listed and Group stage down the line.
"He is for Darren Thomas of Seymour Bloodstock who, along with his racing manager Mark Pilkington, identified the horse. I have helped them on the ground with inspections and organising the vetting and the finer details. We will have a bit more of a plan as regards the trainer when they wake up with the news they have bought the horse!"
Albasheer to Blandford’s Tom Biggs for 130,000 Guineas
RIHAAM, from the draft of Shadwell Estates, topped proceedings yesterday when selling for a record 540,000 guineas and the demand for the late Sheikh Hamdan’s stock continued unabated on the second day of the Tattersalls July Sale. Heading the morning session was the four-year-old SHAMARDAL colt ALBASHEER who was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Biggs for 130,000 guineas.
"He has been bought for Andy Taylor, who races his horses under Taylor's Bloodstock, and he goes to Archie Watson," said Biggs. "We have been looking for a horse with his profile for a time, a horse with form over 6f to 7f. He has had a few niggling training problems but has vetted fine. He had high-class form as a young horse and hopefully we can get back to that. We are delighted to have bought one from the Shadwell draft as we have tried on a few."
Officially rated 107, ALBASHEER had not run since September but the lightly raced colt finished a very creditable sixth in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes and second in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old.
Rollajam Bahrain Bound at 120,000 Guineas
The Highbeck Stables consigned ROLLAJAM provided a late highlight of the evening session when knocked down for 120,000 guineas to Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock, who saw off the challenge of underbidder Ted Durcan.
The three-year-old BELARDO gelding won in May at Ripon over 1m2f and was second on his most recent start at Redcar for trainer Jedd O'Keeffe. Officially rated 82, ROLLAJAM was bought for 65,000 guineas as a yearling at the Tattersalls December Sale.
Oliver St Lawrence commented:
“He’s a lovely big, strong horse. I spoke to Jedd yesterday, I’ve done some business with him before, and he highly recommended the horse. The horse seems very sound and I’ve actually known him since he was a foal as he was bred by Tim and Gill Bostwick of Biddestone Stud. Hopefully he’ll do well out in Bahrain.”
ROLLAJAM is out of PAPAYA, a TEOFILO half-sister to Champion Italian juvenile LEND A HAND and the dam of two winners from three runners.
Alsabah Strikes at 110,000 Guineas for National Gallery
Kuwait-based owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah struck at 110,000 guineas for the three-year-old colt NATIONAL GALLERY. Offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, the son of CARAVAGGIO won over six and a half furlongs at Limerick in June for trainer Joseph O’Brien.
Bill Dwan of The Castlebridge Consignment said: "He is a very good-looking horse, he is looking very progressive and his win in June looks a good performance. He came highly recommended by Joseph O'Brien and I wish his new connections the best with him."
Bred by Con Marnane, NATIONAL GALLERY is a half-brother to FOREVER IN DREAMS who finished second in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. His GREEN TUNE dam DORA DE GREEN is a half-sister to the Group 1 July Cup winner MARCHAND D’OR.
The Tattersalls July Sale continues at 9.30am on Friday, 8th July.
