Neasham breaks Australian record with 675,000gns Fancy Man purchase
With this year’s Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) just five days away, preparations for the 2023 renewal have begun already as Sydney-based trainer Annabel Neasham hit bidders for six when scooping the highest-priced lot at Wednesday’s third session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, going to 675,000gns (approx. AU$1.26 million) for Fancy Man (Pride Of Dubai).
The highest-priced Australian purchase at the Autumn Horses In Training Sale, four-year-old colt Fancy Man has four wins and a further eight placings from just 16 outings, with the BHA allotting him an official rating of 108 following a last-start neck second in the Legacy Cup Stakes (Gr 3, 1m 3f) at Newbury.
Bought by Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock, who was on the phone to Neasham throughout the bidding process, Fancy Man will now head Down Under where he will be campaigned as a Cup horse.
“We wanted a Melbourne Cup horse so we thought we’d come and buy the best horse here, and I genuinely think he is,” Boman said.
“He has been running at a very high level for a long time, he has been beautifully trained by Richard Hannon and I have followed him through the year. He vetted very cleanly.
“Annabel is extraordinarily brave and willing to go to that sort of figure – we always knew he’d be an expensive horse, although you never really know what they are going to make. But you either get on with it and buy them and make it happen, or you don’t.
“He is a highly rated horse, and you are really buying the number. He is a 119-rated horse, the highest-rated horse here, he runs to 110 every week, he is a good horse.
“The form is there to see – he was a Group-winning two-year-old, he has been high class all the way through and he is one of those horses who can perform over a mile and four furlongs, yet we think he will get two miles in Australia.”
Of Fancy Man’s ownership plans, Boman said: “Annabel had 200 people sign up expressing an interest to get involved with whatever horse we bought; I am sure she will be able to sell him!”
The third foal out of the unraced Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Fancy, herself a half-sister to Listed-placed winner Seussical (Galileo) out of Group 3 winner Danehill Music (Danehill Dancer), Fancy Man is a half-brother to Group 3-placed winner The Grey Wizard (Caravaggio) and useful winner Hero Hero (No Nay Never).
Boman and Neasham have previously enjoyed great success at the Autumn Horses In Training Sale, most notably with 2020 purchase Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux), who was bought for 150,000gns and is now a three-time Group 1 winner in Australia.
Big week for Bennett Racing
Having struck in the opening session, buying Fawkner Park (Zoffany) for 120,000gns, Bennett Racing continued their spending spree at this year’s Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale, taking home a further two lots in conjunction with Annabel Neasham and Stuart Boman to round their total up to three.
The newly formed partnership went to 75,000gns (approx. AU$141,100) to purchase the Andrew Balding-trained Harrow (El Kabeir) from Highclere Thoroughbred Racing as Nathan Bennett continues to distance his European imports from Melbourne.
A three-year-old gelding by El Kabeir (Scat Daddy), Harrow has managed three wins and six placings from 12 starts and was last sighed finishing fifth, beaten two lengths, in a class two handicap over a mile at Haydock on September 24.
“Nathan [Bennett] started buying some European horses with us about 12 months ago,” acting buyer Stuart Boman said.
“We bought a horse called Sibaaq at this sale last year and that has worked out quite well. He runs in The Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day and will likely be one of the favourites for that.
“We’re not really set on any particular profile but Nathan is just aiming to bolster up his stock.”
Originally a 65,000gns buy at the 2019 Tattersalls December Foals Sale, Harrow was then resold to Highclere’s John and Jake Warren for 85,000gns at Book 2 of the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
He is the second foal out of the winning Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) mare School Run, herself a half-sister to Listed winner Noor Sahara (Lope De Vega) out of a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Land Of Dreams (Cadeaux Genereux), the dam of five-time elite-level winner and Bearstone Stud stallion Dream Ahead (Diktat).
Reflecting on the week’s acquisitions, which also included the 100,000gns (approx. AU$188,730) purchase of wildcard lot Space Tracker (Havana Gold), a 95-rated three-time winner, for Ontrack Thoroughbreds, Boman said: “The horses we have bought at this year’s sale are lightly raced and well-bred. They should fit into our system and with the prize-money over in Australia, hopefully they can win a lot of money.
“I’ve had a little bit of luck with Zoffany (sire of Fawkner Park) in Australia and anything that has Danehill in the pedigree often works.
“I think he was well bought for the price, he was catalogued as being unraced but has had three runs in the last two weeks, including a win at Dundalk last time out, so a few people may have just missed that.
“Vintage Choice is a similar sort of horse [to Fawkner Park].
“I think he must’ve shown a fair bit to William Haggas (trainer) as he made his debut in a convivial maiden (finished third, beaten six and a quarter lengths, behind Melbourne Cup hopeful Hoo Ya Mal) and William wouldn’t normally do that unless the horse was showing plenty at home.
“A very nice horse to look at and very well bred, bred to get further in fact. I bought him on one bid and was very surprised we got him for the price we did.
“I also bought one for Ontrack Thoroughbreds on the first day and he’s a nice horse too.”
McKeever, Waterhouse and Bott double up
Following their purchase of Just Fine (Sea The Stars), owned and bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, in Tuesday’s second session, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott teamed up with McKeever Bloodstock to acquire lightly raced two-time winner Special Envoy (Frankel) for 250,000gns (approx. AU$470,240).
Out of the Juddmonte Farms draft, the three-year-old son of Frankel (Galileo) also has a further two placings on his CV and first went under the hammer for a whopping one million guineas at last year’s Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Susie McKeever was in charge of bidding, which began at 100,000gns.
“I couldn’t see the point of the bidding starting lower,” she said. “He will head down tomorrow with yesterday’s purchase [Just Fine]. We liked his profile and he is a lovely horse.”
The seventh foal out of the Listed-winning Marju (Last Tycoon) mare Marlinka, herself out of a winning half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Soviet Song (Marju), Special Envoy is a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Marsha (Acclamation), Group 3 winner Judicial (Iffraaj) and winner Marseille (Excelebration).
Waller adds further three buys to finish with six
Champion trainer Chris Waller may have his sights set on a huge week of racing in Australia, but he ended this year’s Autumn Horses In Training Sale with a total of six purchases, adding three to his haul in quick succession on Wednesday evening.
Acquiring the trio from Juddmonte Farm’s draft, Waller and bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster first went to 80,000gns (approx. AU$150,520) to snare thrice-raced colt Counter (Lope De Vega) out of the Ralph Beckett stable.
Rated 78 by the BHA, the juvenile son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) has finished third in two outings, including on his latest appearance over a mile and two furlongs in a Chelmsford novice.
Counter is the fourth foal out of the Grade 2-winning Dansili (Danehill) mare Riposte, herself closely related to Group 3 winner Last Train (Rail Link) and Listed winner Kind (Danehill), the dam of Frankel, and a half-sister to Group 1 winner Powerscourt (Sadler’s Wells). He is a half-brother to winner Accessible (Tapit).
Just 15 lots later, the Hall of Fame trainer then secured back-to-back purchases with Lots 1098 and 1099.
Trained by Chantilly-based handler Francis Graffard, who prepared 11-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (Zed) for three of her four northern hemisphere starts, Demarcay (Postponed) (Lot 1098) was hammered down to 180,000gns (approx. AU$338,680) by Mulcaster.
A son of Dalham Hall Stud stallion Postponed (Dubawi), the three-year-old colt has managed one win from a quartet of outings in France and has only finished outside of the first three once, where he came home seventh of eight runners on his latest start in the Prix du Lys (Gr 3, 2400m).
Demarcay is the first foal out of the Frankel mare Europium, herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Commemorative (Zamindar) out of Revered (Oasis Dream), a winning sister to Group 3 winner Visit and half-sister to Group 1 winner Promising Lead (Danehill).
Mulcaster added a sixth purchase to round out Waller’s collection, taking the very next lot as he went to 140,000gns (approx. AU$263,410) to secure Lot 1099, Kingman (Invincible Spirit) colt Pervade.
Another trained by Graffard out of the Juddmonte Farms draft, the three-year-old bay has a win and a trio of placings to his name from nine outings, earning him an official rating of 91.
Bred in the purple, Pervade is the first foal out of the Grade 3-winning Champs Elysees (Danehill) mare Suffused, herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Logician (Frankel) and Listed winner Collide (Frankel) out of a winning half-sister to Group 1 winner Cityscape (Selkirk) and Group 2 winner Bated Breath (Dansili).
Mulcaster wrapped up his spending for the week with the 240,000gns (approx. AU$451,570) purchase of Lot 1159, Listed-placed juvenile colt For Victory (Mehmas) out of the Nicolas Perret yard.
In the frame on both starts to date, including that third-placed effort in the Criterium de Lyon (Listed, 1600m) last time out, For Victory is the eighth foal out of the Celtic Swing (Damister) mare Kualke and is a half-brother to five winners including Gabrial The Master (Strategic Prince) and Viper Witch (Ivan Denisovich).
Aussies wrap up interest with spending spree
Australian interest in this year’s sale concluded with a host of purchases by multiple outfits at the tail-end of Wednesday’s penultimate session.
Cranbourne-based training partnership Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr kicked off the spree, teaming up with David Mourad’s Import Racing and bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington to acquire Lot 1060 for 100,000gns (approx. AU$188,730).
Four-year-old gelding Valley Forge (Dansili) has raced 12 times for three wins and a further three placings for owner-breeder George Strawbridge and trainer Andrew Balding.
Officially rated 91 by the BHA, the son of Dansili (Danehill) is the sixth foal out of the Group 3-winning Slickly (Linamix) mare Lixirova and is a half-brother to winners Speak (Sea The Moon), Mudallel (Invincible Spirit) and Lenya (Dark Angel).
Just three lots later, Craig Rounsefell’s Boomer Bloodstock entered the fray for the first time this week, going to 75,000gns (approx. AU$141,100) to purchase the 86-rated Wodeton (Wootton Bassett), who will be sent to Santa Anita-based trainer Phil D’Amato.
Catalogued as Lot 1063 for consignors Park House Stables, the three-year-old gelding has won once and placed a further five times from 11 starts for trainer Andrew Balding.
Another active for the first time at this year’s sale was prolific syndicate OTI Racing as they went to 70,000gns (approx. AU$131,760) to buy the Juddmonte-consigned Chimed (Frankel).
Bought in conjunction with bloodstock agent Ted Durcan, the three-year-old chestnut gelding is yet to win in six starts but has placed in four of those outings, including last time out when finishing runner-up to subsequent winner Simply Sondheim (Pivotal) off a mark of 79 in a class 4 mile and a quarter handicap at Newcastle.
The fifth foal out of the Group 1-winning Zamindar (Gone West) mare Timepiece, herself a half-sister to fellow Group 1 winner Passage Of Time (Dansili) and Group 2 winner Father Time (Dansili), Chimed is a half-brother to winners Thaler (Dubawi) and Tacitly (Dubawi).
A final Australian purchase arrived just four lots later when Malua Racing joined the bidding frenzy, acquiring Lot 1094 to the tune of 130,000gns (approx. AU$244,600) in conjunction with Hurworth Bloodstock and Johnny McKeever.
Consigned by Juddmonte Farms, Badge (Galileo) has managed one placing from three starts for 24-time French champion trainer Andre Fabre and was last sighted finishing fifth, beaten five and three-quarter lengths, in a 17-runner maiden over a mile and two furlongs at Compiegne.
The three-year-old colt is superbly bred, being the fourth foal out of the Listed-winning Oasis Dream (Green Desert) mare Joyeuse, herself a half-sister to the outstanding unbeaten ten-time Group 1 winner Frankel. He is a brother to Listed-placed winner Maximal and half-brother to winners Jubiloso (Shamardal) and Jovial (Dubawi).
The 36,160,500gns that exchanged hands over the last four days blew out of the water any previous record at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, with the aggregate figure up 14.9 per cent on last year’s sale, which in itself was up 44 per cent on the 2020 sale.
The average of 35,981gns was up from the 31,377gns recorded a year ago.
At the conclusion of the Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony lauded the sale’s results.
“It has been another extraordinary Tattersalls sale in a month which has seen the record books completely rewritten time after time. The unprecedented demand at all four books of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale has been followed by unrelenting demand from start to finish at this week’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale,” he said.
“Turnover has surpassed last year’s record level by a considerable margin, the average has reached an unprecedented height, the median has equalled last year’s record and the clearance rate has again been in excess of 90 per cent, all of which points to a sale of genuine strength and depth at all levels of the market.
“The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale is a truly remarkable sale, unmatched anywhere else in the world and the sheer number and diversity of buyers here at Park Paddocks this week is a tribute not only to the quality of the stock on offer, but also to the high esteem in which British and Irish racing is held throughout the world.
“Swathes of overseas buyers from more than 30 different countries have as ever made a massive contribution and the domestic buyers, both Flat and National Hunt, have also been out in force.
“Particular mention must go to the huge contingent of buyers from throughout the Gulf region, spurred on by their burgeoning racing carnivals which have become such an important feature of the international racing calendar in recent years. Their contribution has been immense, and they have met determined competition, especially at the top of the market, from strong teams of buyers most notably from Australia and the USA.”