Howson and Houldsworth showcase their shrewdness with Ascot acquisition

Tattersalls Ireland staged the July Sale at the Ascot auction ring on Tuesday, and the mixed catalogue brought with it a mixed day of trade.

The clearance rate was by far the strongest market metric, with 119 of the 135 offered lots selling at a clip of 88 per cent, but with mostly modest fare on offer all other key indicators showed year-on-year declines by the time the hammer fell for the final time.

Turnover stood at £501,700, down 18 per cent. The average of £4,216 was down 23 per cent and the median stood at £2,200 - down 27 per cent from 2017's return of £3,000.

A significant number of withdrawals undoubtedly took some of the shine off what had been a 192-lot strong catalogue, although the wildcard additions did their bit to shore up the quality on offer, with the session-topper emerging from those supplementary entries.

View full July Sale results

Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock have strong previous form when it comes to spotting a talented Showcasing filly, having unearthed Quiet Reflection when the top-class sprinter was still a yearling, and the duo now have another on their books after landing top lot Tralong Bay at £37,000.

"She's been bought for an Irish breeder," said Geoffrey Howson after signing the docket. "She'll go back into training in Ireland and, with that pedigree, if she can win a race it'll be job done before she goes on to be a broodmare.

"I thought she was rather nice and obviously we've had success with Showcasing fillies before."

Geoffrey Howson (left) signs the docket for the sale-topping Showcasing fillyCredit: Debbie Burt

The two-year-old daughter of Showcasing, offered as a horse in training by Baroda and Colbinstown Stud, had been bought by David Myerscough for €60,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale, but is still to make her debut despite having been in training in Ireland.

Tralong Bay is out of the Group 3-placed Alexander Youth, an Exceed And Excel half-sister to Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene winner Moss Vale.

One more for Malone

Ascot regular Tom Malone made his presence felt throughout the afternoon, with his most notable acquisition coming in the shape of The Bonny Boy, a son of Craigsteel who fetched a winning bid of £24,000.

The five-year-old was offered by Brendan Long's Kilkenny-based Graiglore Stables on behalf of William Costelloe, and was last seen finishing runner-up in a Ballingarry maiden point last month.

A lot awaits its turn in the Ascot sale ringCredit: Debbie Burt

"He's a grand horse," said Malone. "He stood out like a sore thumb here and being second in an Irish maiden point is always strong enough form.

"He's been bought for Thomas Costello, Tony Costello's son, and hopefully he'll go and win a point-to-point or two for him back in Ireland."

Malone had to see off the attentions of Chris Gordon to land The Bonny Boy, though not before the two had engaged in a spot of gentle sledging during the bidding process.

"I've told Chris that I'd make him pay for that one!" said Malone with tongue firmly in cheek.

Blue-blooded bargain

Having cost Michael Butler just £14,000, the three-year-old Plentiful was never in danger of topping the July Sale, but no other lot on offer at Ascot could rival his pedigree, as the son of Makfi is a three-parts brother to four-time Group 1 winner Postponed.

"He's a lovely big horse," said Butler, who got the better of Tom Malone to land the Bedford House Stables-consigned lot. "As he's just been gelded a couple of weeks ago we'll probably give him a bit of a break and after that his future will probably lie over hurdles.

"He's a very big horse so he'll probably need a bit more time," he continued. "There's quite a bit of interest in him at the moment so he'll either come back to me or go to Eoin Doyle.

"We've only got ten on the go between point-to-pointers and horses under rules so it'd be grand to have a horse like him, especially if he takes to jumping, and if he goes forward you never know.

"Hopefully we'll see him at Cheltenham in March - if he's half as good as the half-brother that'll do."

Despite his high-achieving relations - the gelding is also a half- brother to dual Group 3 winner God Given - Plentiful failed to trouble the judge on three starts for Luca Cumani and his breeder St Albans Bloodstock.

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