Godolphin Duo Top Tattersalls Ascot November Sale

The Tattersalls Ascot November Sale made a popular return to action on Nov. 4 after a two-year COVID-19-related absence, and it was Godolphin's draft that took center stage on a record-breaking day. 

Jointly topping the session at £50,000 ($68,231) were the Godolphin-consigned winning pair of wildcard entry Throne Hall (Lot 66) and Strozzi (Lot 65), the latter selling to Richard Venn for a Saudi Arabian client. 

The 2-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor  won on his third start for Andrew Balding and Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum and was also placed on two other starts. 

Out of the listed-placed Cadeaux Genereux mare Soprana , Strozzi is a half brother to 2020 BBAG Diana Trial second Sea of Love, and this was not the first time the attractive colt's path and his buyer's had crossed.

Venn explained: "He's for a client I've bought horses for before. Funnily enough, I bought him as a yearling (for €20,000, US$23,704, from the 2020 BBAG September Yearling Sale), so I've had another crack at him!

"He's a very game and consistent horse who is also sound, and I'm sure he'll do very well out there (in the Middle East). He's got plenty going for him."

Throne Hall proved a useful performer for Kevin Ryan and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, winning twice and placing in a brace of class 2 handicaps, and the Kingman  gelding attracted a flurry of bids before being knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock. 

The 4-year-old is out of an unraced Galileo three-parts sister to Dance Routine , the dam of Juddmonte's multiple top-level winner Flintshire  , and Concentric, the dam of the mighty Enable , among five black-type performers or winners on the flat. 

Komachi (Lot 61), another winning son of Kingman, and also from Godolphin's draft, sold to the Australian pair of Darren Arnold and Will Clarken for £42,000 ($57,314). 

Arnold said: "He'll go back to Australia to be trained by a guy called Will Clarken. I'm his vet and am based over here and we look to send these guys back to Adelaide. 

"He's a well-performed horse. He's had some issues but we can straighten them out. I think the Kingman's will suit the style of racing in Australia and he's a nice, compact type of horse.

"He'll have a good rest before he goes back because there's quite a backlog of horses waiting to leave the country."

The gelded 3-year-old is out of an unraced full sister to American stakes winner Bay of Plenty, while the pair are in turn out of a daughter of 1995 Premio Presidente della Repubblica (G1) winner and 1993 Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches (G1) second Flagbird .

Godolphin's six lots all sold for a combined total of £197,500 ($269,515) at an average of £32,917 ($44,919).

Overall, 77 lots sold from 93 offered for a clearance rate of 83% and record turnover of £603,500 ($823,555), up 5% on 2019. The average of £7,838 ($10,696) was 52% higher than two years ago, while the median of £4,600 ($6,277) represented an 84% increase.

The next auction at the venue is the Ascot December Sale, which takes place on Dec. 6, with entries closing on Nov. 15.