Tattersalls Craven Sale Posts Record Turnover

The market erupted during the dying embers of the Tattersalls Craven Sale April 19 as not one but two lots brought a headline sum of 625,000gns (US$881,584, 1gn=$1.4105). Anthony Stroud was among those working a late shift at Park Paddocks and his perseverance was rewarded as the pair, who came into the ring one after another, both went his way. 

Stroud was joined by David Loder to secure the second of the brace, with the Blue Point  colt out of Balanchine Stakes (G3) scorer Most Beautiful  set to race in the Godolphin blue. Dubai-based trainer Satish Seemar was consigned to the role of underbidder. 

The colt was offered by Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm, who sold three-time group 1 hero Native Trail  to the same connections at this sale two years ago. 

"He was bought for Godolphin and will be trained by Charlie Appleby," said Stroud. "We thought he did a good time and Norman Williamson is a fantastic consignor and we've done well with Native Trail. He fitted the profile, although it's obviously a lot of money. He's the only one we've bid on for Godolphin this week and we're lucky to have him. The choke was out though as he cost more than I'd thought. What we've seen from Blue Point so far is encouraging." 

Darley's Kildangan Stud resident Blue Point has enjoyed a highly productive spell with three early winners on the track and this colt helping the son of Shamardal to supply four of the top 10 lots at the Craven Sale. 

Oak Tree Farm topped the consignors' chart by average and aggregate as the three-strong draft sold for a combined 1,185,000gns.

Reflecting on the sale of the Blue Point colt, Williamson said: "All spring I've had people telling me these Blue Points can fly and all the rest of it. I kept my powder dry because I knew I had one that really can fly! He wasn't sold in the ring here as a yearling so I bought him privately afterwards and I've had only joy with him, he's been fantastic." 

Stroud also went to 625,000gns for the preceding lot, the Havana Grey  colt from Glending Stables, on behalf of a different undisclosed client. Richard Brown filled the role of frustrated underbidder. 

The colt, who reportedly clocked the fastest two-furlong time during the pre-sale breeze, capped a productive day for another young stallion on the up in Whitsbury Manor's Havana Grey, whose daughter Mammas Girl  maintained her unbeaten record with an impressive victory in the Nell Gwyn Stakes (G3). 

"He did a very good time, he's by a very promising stallion and this looks a very nice horse," said Stroud, who was unable to reveal where the colt would be trained. "He looked like a 2-year-old type. Havana Grey has done fantastic and obviously he had the filly winning today." 

The six-figure transaction helped Glending Stables land an almighty touch as the youngster, a sibling to four winners and from the family of Anabaa, was sourced by Rodgie Kavanagh and Cormac O'Flynn for just 42,000gns during the December Yearling Sale. 

Those transactions helped an expanded Craven Sale offering generate a record level of turnover at 15,357,500gns ($20,057,677), a 29% year-on-year increase (lots offered up by 24%). The average price rose by 5% to 121,885gns ($159,188) while the median slipped by 11% to 80,000gns ($104,484). A stronger second session helped to shore up the clearance rate to some degree as 126 lots sold across the two days at a clip of 76%. 

Radcliffe Strikes for 'Beautiful' Night of Thunder Filly 

When 2-year-olds boasted pedigree, physique and a promising breeze then vendors invariably got well paid. All three of those boxes were ticked by the Night of Thunder  half sister to Rumble Inthejungle  who duly sold to Kerri Radcliffe for 600,000gns. 

Radcliffe had to see off a determined challenge from the Najd Stud team to land the Grove Stud-consigned youngster, but once she had the youngster became the second-most expensive filly in Craven Sale history. That particular title belongs to the listed-placed Divine Spirit  who was bought by Godolphin for 850,000gns in 2019. 

"She's a beautiful filly physically, she's got the pedigree, so she's got residual value, and she comes from a great consignor," said Radcliffe. "She did a lovely breeze. It wasn't one of the quickest times, that's not what I buy. I like to buy something that finishes well. When she hit the rising ground she took off and that's what you want to see. I saw her in February and loved her and she's done very well physically since then. We'll see how good she is but hopefully she'll be very good and hopefully she'll be an Ascot filly. If she's not it's not a problem, though." 

Radcliffe said plans for her purchase remained fluid but added that she was aiming to source more 2-year-olds on behalf of her undisclosed client in the not-too-distant future. She said: "She's for a new client who's based in London. We've bought quite a few in America so far and we'll be buying quite a few in America next week." 

The filly, whose four winning siblings also include the group 2-placed Great Prospector , was pinhooked by Grove Stud's Brendan Holland for €90,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale, where she was offered by breeder Patrick Gleeson. 

Although Najd Stud missed out on the Night of Thunder filly they enjoyed better fortune earlier in the day when Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz's outfit secured a Blame   colt from Gaybrook Lodge Stud at 220,000gns. The colt, out of an unraced War Front   sister to the American grade 3 scorer Bombard , was pinhooked by JB Bloodstock for $80,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

No Nay Leads the Way as Brown and Donald Clash

As well as one of the joint top lots, Oak Tree Farm also presented the early highlight on Day 2 as the No Nay Never  brother to listed scorer Servalan  brought 340,000gns shortly before 6.30pm. 

Richard Brown, hidden away down the back stairs, and Alastair Donald, on the phone by the far partition, went head to head over the striking colt. But, just when the former party appeared to have won out with a bid of 320,000gns, Richard Hughes appeared in the crowded gangway and raised the stakes to 330,000gns. 

Hughes' run proved short lived, however, and when Brown fired back at 340,000gns the gavel came down in favor of the Blandford Bloodstock man. 

Breaking down the colt's appeal, Brown said: "Everyone talks about times at the breeze-ups but he wasn't a particularly fast horse but he did it in a very good style. 

"He wasn't slow but he was born on May 16 so he's nearly a month off his second birthday. I'm viewing him as a seven-furlong or miler. He's a big horse and still a baby so he shouldn't really be able to do what he did. We'll give him a good bit of time and hopefully we'll see him in the summer or autumn. He's been bought for an existing client but I don't know who'll train him yet. He'll certainly stay in Europe though, it'll either be someone in Britain or France."