Strong Trade Continues at Tattersalls July Sale - Cup Prospect for Australia

Media Release - Friday July 14

Strong trade at the Tattersalls July Sale continued apace on the third day with Royal Ascot placed filly BALALAIKA heading proceedings at 330,000 guineas and six lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. The sale turnover is already the second highest on record at over 15,000,000 guineas with the fourth and final day still to come, and a clearance rate of 94% underlined the depth of trade.

Royal Ascot Third Balalaika Tops Session at 330,000 Guineas  

BALALAIKA caught the attention of plenty of observers when finishing an eye-catching third in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the filly made headlines again when topping the third day of the Tattersalls July Sale, selling for 330,000 guineas to BBA Ireland’s Eamonn Reilly.    

Bids for the 90-rated daughter of NO NAY NEVER flew from around the sale ring with French-based trainer Gavin Hernon and agents Matt Coleman and Mark McStay among the frontrunners, but the action developed into a battle between Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and Reilly, standing in his usual spot on the back wall. The two traded blows from the 250,000 guineas mark on and it was the Irish agent who emerged triumphant at 330,000 guineas for the exciting three-year-old.  

"She is for an existing client," said Reilly. "There are no plans but she will stay in training, and although no trainer has been decided she will probably stay in the UK. Her last run was very promising, and she has been bought as a long-term broodmare prospect for the client. She is a good topped filly, has a good walk and behaved very well up here. There is plenty happening with the pedigree."  

Advertisement

Consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Lady Ogden, BALALAIKA was bred by the late Sir Robert Ogden and trained by Rebecca Menzies in her six career starts to date. Her dam WAR AND PEACE is a regally bred daughter of FRANKEL and the Group 1 Matron Stakes winner EMULOUS and is a half-sister to BLUESTOCKING, who also provided a notable pedigree update at Royal Ascot when third in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes on just her third start. 

Whisky On The Hill Australia Bound at 135,000 Guineas  

The second highest priced lot on the third day of the Tattersalls July Sale was the progressive WHISKY ON THE HILL, who was knocked down to Armando Duarte for 135,000 guineas on behalf of Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables.  

The three-year-old son of RIBCHESTER was offered by the Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of Ado McGuinness’ Skylark House Stables and won his third start in succession last time out at Roscommon, achieving a Timeform rating of 89+. He comes from the illustrious family of the great COLORSPIN, dam of Champions OPERA HOUSE, KAYF TARA and the Group 1 winner and producer ZEE ZEE TOP.  

"This is the only horse we looked at, we liked him and he fitted our profile," revealed Duarte. "He will head straight to Australia on the next shipment. He is very similar to a Juddmonte horse we bought a few years ago called Emissary. Let's hope he is lucky for them."  

EMISSARY was purchased by the same team at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and won the Group 3 Geelong Cup last October before finishing a gallant second in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

 

Bahrain’s Sheikh Sultan Secures Vega Sicilia for 125,000 Guineas    

Leading Bahraini owner Al Mohamediya Racing enjoyed a spectacular result earlier in the day with the win of JASOUR in the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes, one of three Group races sponsored by Bahrain on the opening day of Newmarket’s July meeting. Al Mohamediya Racing’s principle HH Sheikh Sultan Al Khalifa has been one of the leading buyers at this year’s Tattersalls July Sale securing several mares under the Al Jazira Stud Farm banner as well as several horses in training including VEGA SICILIA at 125,000 guineas.  

His representative Ali Majeed saw off the attentions of persistent underbidder Will Douglass to secure the gelding and was delighted with both the purchase and the result, commenting:  

"It has been a special day for us! We wish all days were like this day! We won the Group race and have bought six horses and now this horse, and he looks a good horse. He won well last time, the jockey was very impressed. He will go to Bahrain for the Classic race, he is a 1m4f horse."  

The four-year-old son of LOPE DE VEGA was consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Harry & Roger Charlton’s Beckhampton House Stables. Offered with a Timeform rating of 99, the progressive gelding won a competitive handicap at Goodwood on his most recent start and is an own-brother to the high class filly ABSTINENCE. 

The Tattersalls July Sale concludes with the final session on Friday, 14th July at 9.30am.

Advertisment
More Reading...
More Aussie Purchases at Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale Day 3
Strong trade continued on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale headed by the two-year-old LA BELLOTA at 425,000 guineas with eight lots realising 200,000 guineas or more and a clearance rate above 90%.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Flightline and Cogburn Shares Highlight Inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale
Stallion shares in Horse of the Year and exciting young sire Flightline and also Widden Stud's new shuttle prospect Cogburn changed hands at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Before They Were Stars
Spring racing in Australia is in full swing and while many people are studying video with a view to backing winners, others are spending just as much time assessing breeze up footage with a view to finding the next champions to emerge from the NZB Ready to Run Sale, so what does a champion look like?
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.