I'll Have Another Tops First Session at Tattersalls

A rather sedate opening session of the Tattersalls February Sale Jan. 30 burst to life when I'll Have Another took her turn in the ring. After a protracted round of bidding, the stakes winner now looks set to form part of Ten Sovereigns' debut book after Cormac McCormack struck the winning play of 200,000 guineas (US$273,400).

McCormack, who delivered his bids with nonchalant wafts of his catalog in the middle of the gangway, clashed with Eamonn Reilly as the BBA Ireland man stood in his usual spot against the back wall, while Luke Barry of Manister House Stud, who bred the filly, was also involved.

The daughter of Dragon Pulse, consigned by the National Stud as Lot 120, won four races for Paul and Clare Rooney and trainer Mark Johnston, including a listed event at Cologne. 

"She's got a great pedigree and is a lovely, scopey mare—a queen," McCormack said. "She's been bought for an old, undisclosed client and is hopefully going to go to Ten Sovereigns."

The filly is the best of three winners out of Jessie Jane, herself a winning daughter of Dylan Thomas and a half sister to the dam of La Collina and Fox Chairman. I'll Have Another was making her second appearance at public auction, after Kevin Ross signed for her at a bid of £32,000 ($41,386)at the 2017 Goffs UK Premier Sale.

Ten Sovereigns, the Darley July Cup (G1)-winning son of No Nay Never, has joined the Coolmore roster for 2020 at a fee of €25,000 (about $27,500).

Power Link Set for Saudi Arabia

The second lot to break the six-figure barrier was four-time winner Power Link, who is set to continue his racing career in Saudi Arabia after Paul Murphy, acting on behalf of Paul Harley and Emblem Stables, went to 100,000 guineas ($136,700).

"He's been bought on behalf of Paul Harley and Emblem Stables," Murphy said. "Paul is actually out in Saudi Arabia at the moment. That's why he couldn't be here today. The horse is highly rated, and Paul thinks he's going to be perfect for Saudi Arabia, too."

The 4-year-old son of Data Link, a half brother to dual grade 1 winner and Lane's End resident The Factor , reached a peak Racing Post Rating of 104 for James Tate, a mark he achieved when second in a 0-95 handicap at Kempton on his most recent outing.

Power Link has something of a storied sales history, with Thursday marking his fifth appearance at public auction. He went unsold at $70,000 when offered as a weanling at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and again as a yearling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, before he reappeared at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, where Blandford Bloodstock signaled the winning bid of €180,000 ($214,956).

He also appeared at last year's Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale but again went unsold when the bidding stalled at 95,000 guineas ($127,838).

Houldsworth on the Hunt

It was during the 2017 February Sale that Matthew Houldsworth of Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock purchased Dream In Colour for 75,000 guineas ($99,682) from the Godolphin draft. His clients reaped rich dividends when the daughter of Frankel went on to produce an Exceed And Excel colt who sold to Coolmore for AU$1.1 million ($755,585) during the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Now, Houldsworth will be hoping to repeat the trick, having gone to 62,000 guineas ($84,755) for Memphis, an unraced Dubawi half sister to Shadwell Fillies' Mile (G1) winner Lyric of Light from this year's Godolphin offering.

"She's been bought to go to Australia as a breeding proposition for a new client," Houldsworth said. "She's a typical Dubawi and a half sister to a group 1 winner who is now breeding well. It goes back to a good family, too."

Memphis's third dam is the Meon Valley Stud foundation mare Reprocolor, an ancestress of group 1 winners such as Colorspin, Kayf Tara, and Zee Zee Top.

Blandford Bloodstock Buys Dansili Daughter

The Godolphin draft supplied another of the session's bigger prices when Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock went to 55,000 guineas ($75,186) for Dubrava, a winning 4-year-old daughter of Dansili.

Dubrava, a half sister to grade 3 winner Real Smart, is out of a daughter of Haydock Sprint Cup heroine Tante Rose, while the likes of Dubawi Heights and Make Believe also appear farther back in the family.

"She's the one we wanted to get when we sorted through the catalog," Boman said. "She's a beautiful filly, too, so I was delighted when I saw her. It doesn't always work out that the one you like on pedigree you like physically, too. It's a very active family, and my client has had luck with this family before. There's no stallion in mind yet, but we love to have Dansili fillies. He's a great broodmare sire. She'll stay in Britain."

Stats That Matter

By the close of trade, 166 lots had been offered, and 138 found a buyer for a clearance rate of 83%.

In turn, those transactions brought an aggregate of 1,754,300 guineas ($2,398,128), up 90% on 2019's corresponding session; an average of 12,710 guineas ($17,378), up 79%; and a median of 5,000 guineas ($6,835), up 82% from the 2,750 guineas recorded 12 months ago.

The Tattersalls February Sale concludes Friday.