Date with Ten Sovereigns beckons as I'll Have Another brings 200,000gns

A rather sedate opening session of the Tattersalls February Sale burst into life when I'll Have Another took her turn in the ring, and, after a protracted round of bidding, the Listed winner now looks set to form part of Ten Sovereigns' debut book after Cormac McCormack struck the winning play of 200,000gns.

McCormack, who delivered his bids with nonchalant wafts of his catalogue 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 four-year-old daughter of Dragon Pulse, who was consigned by the National Stud, 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," said McCormack. "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, having been signed for by Kevin Ross at £32,000 at the 2017 Goffs UK Premier Sale.

Ten Sovereigns, the July Cup-winning son of No Nay Never, has joined the Coolmore roster for 2020, and has been introduced at a fee of €25,000.

Power Link set for Saudi Arabia

The second lot to break the six-figure barrier was the 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 100,000gns.

"He's been bought on behalf of Paul Harley and Emblem Stables," said Murphy. "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 four-year-old son of Data Link, a close relation to dual Grade 1 winner and Lane's End Farm resident The Factor, reached a peak Racing Post Rating of 104 for James Tate, a mark he achieved when runner-up in a 0-95 handicap at Kempton on his most recent outing.

Power Link: knocked down at 100,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

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 foal and again as a yearling at Keeneland, before he reappeared at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, where Blandford Bloodstock signalled the winning bid of €180,000.

He also appeared at last year's Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, but again went unsold when the bidding stalled at 95,000gns.

Houldsworth on the hunt

It was during the 2017 February Sale that Matthew Houldsworth of Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock purchased Dream In Colour for 75,000gns 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 A$1.1 million during the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Now Houldsworth will be hoping to repeat the trick, having gone to 62,000gns for Memphis, an unraced Dubawi half-sister to Lyric Of Light from this year's Godolphin offering.

Matthew Houldsworth: 'She's a typical Dubawi'Credit: Laura Green

"She's been bought to go to Australia as a breeding proposition for a new client," said Houldsworth. "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."

Lyric Of Light has bred three winners, headed by the useful Pop Song, and also has a yearling filly by Shamardal on the ground.

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 back in action

The Godolphin draft supplied another of the session's bigger prices when Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock went to 55,000gns for Dubrava, a winning four-year-old daughter of Dansili.

Dubrava, a half-sister to the Grade 3-winning 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 further back in the family.

"She's the one we wanted to get when we sorted through the catalogue," said Boman. "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."

He added: "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."

Tally-Ho emerge victorious for Churchill filly

Around 30 short yearlings were also offered during the session, with the Churchill filly bought by Tally-Ho Stud for 56,000gns proving the priciest of the youngsters.

"She'll come back to the sales," said Tally-Ho's Roger O'Callaghan. "Either in October this year or during next year's breeze-ups."

The April-born filly is a sibling to four black type performers, notably the Group 2-winning Porsenna and the Listed scorer Basileus, and was bred by the Italian operation Azienda Agricola Gennaro Stimola.

Stats that matter

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

In turn, those transactions brought an aggregate of 1,754,300gns - up 90 per cent on 2019's corresponding session; an average of 12,710gns - up 79 per cent; and a median of 5,000gns - up 82 per cent from the 2,750gns recorded 12 months ago.

The Tattersalls February Sale concludes on Friday with a session beginning at 10am.

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