Demand runs high as July Sale concludes with 96 per cent clearance rate

This was the Tattersalls July Sale, but not as we know it. The mixed auction is normally staged across three days and divided into morning and evening sessions, with those in attendance often flocking to the July course for racing or Darley's Dalham Hall for the stallion parade in between selling.

But with those events taking place behind closed doors this year, the July Sale was held across just two day-long sessions, and as such year-on-year comparisons bear little scrutiny. A significantly smaller catalogue - with 572 entries compared to 910 some 12 months ago - and a large number of withdrawals further skews the statistics.

Nonetheless, what is easily extrapolated is that demand was high, even if prices weren't at their usual level, as the sale finished with an impressive 96 per cent clearance rate, as 330 of 344 offered lots found a buyer, leaving just 14 going unsold.

In turn, turnover for the two days hit 5,940,900gns, the average was 18,000gns and median reached 10,000gns.

Tattersalls' chairman Edmond Mahony said of the clearance rate: "For a bloodstock sale conducted under normal circumstances to register a clearance rate in excess of 95 per cent is quite an achievement.

"To do so in the current climate and with the prevailing government travel regulations preventing so many regular buyers from attending this week's sales is little short of phenomenal."

Friday's priciest lot was the progressive Pawpaw, who went the way of Paul Webber Racing at 62,000gns. The trainer wasn't in attendance himself so left bidding duties to Jimmy George, Tattersalls marketing director, who quipped: "Paul's been up here all week, he's done all the hard yards and I've just done a bit of waving!"

Pawpaw, a three-year-old son of Showcasing who cost 150,000gns as a yearling, had enhanced his credentials since the July Sale catalogue was released, having won a Lingfield handicap over a mile and a quarter on his most recent start.

George added: "He's a nice scopey horse and he looks like he could be a fun dual-purpose type, I think that's what Paul has in mind for him. He's a horse with good recent form."

Pawpaw was offered by Clive Cox's Beechdown Farm Stables on behalf of the China Horse Club. Bred by Biddestone Stud, he is the first foal out of Papaya, a placed Teofilo half-sister to Italian Group 1 winner Lend A Hand.

Burke's brace

Karl Burke enjoyed a fruitful day in Newmarket, primarily thanks to Dandalla, who followed up her Albany Stakes success in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

A few minutes after the filly landed that Group 2 prize, her stablemate Wonderwork came under the hammer at Park Paddocks, and he is now due to continue his career in Dubai having sold to Alessandro Marconi, agent for Ahmed Bintooq, for 60,000gns after a brief bidding tussle with Matt Coleman.

From the debut crop of Night Of Thunder, the €52,000 yearling won twice for Karl Burke and achieved a peak Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 87 on his most recent outing when runner-up in a 5f handicap at Haydock.

Alessandro Marconi: 'Night Of Thunder is on fire at the moment'Credit: Laura Green

"He'll stay in England for a couple of months and then he'll be going to Dubai for an existing client," said Marconi. "Obviously Night Of Thunder is on fire at the moment and he comes from a very good trainer. It's tough to improve one from Karl Burke but we hope he will maintain his form."

Wonderwork is the first foal out of First Party, a Royal Applause half-sister to the Listed-winning Party Boss and Triumph Hurdle hero Countrywide Flame.

Durcan won't be denied

Ted Durcan came out on top of a protracted duel with Mark Loughnane when a bid of 58,000gns secured More Than A Prince from Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables' draft. The son of Oasis Dream won one of his seven starts for Hannon, with his victory in a Brighton handicap earning him a peak RPR of 79.

The three-year-old was bred by Lady Bamford from the Galileo mare La Petite Reine, an unraced half-sister to UAE 1,000 Guineas winner Siyaadah and the Grade 3-winning Strathnaver. That trio are out of Princess Margaret Stakes and Grade 2 Mrs Revere Stakes scorer River Belle.

Ted Durcan: 'He's a lovely stamp of a horse'Credit: Laura Green

"He's a lovely stamp of a horse and I'm really happy to get him," said Durcan. "He'll remain in England and continue his racing career. The owners will have him gelded I'd imagine. He hasn't got many miles on the clock and we think he'll benefit from a bit of time and being gelded."

Houldsworth keeps busy

Matthew Houldsworth of Howson and Houldsworth Bloodstock was busy across the two sessions, with his six-strong haul including the useful four-year-old Ginger Fox, who fetched a bid of 52,000gns.

"He's been bought to go to Saudi Arabia for an existing client," said Houldsworth. "He's got the right profile to do well over there; he's consistent, hardy and sound. I liked him physically too. He'll suit the programme over there."

The son of Iffraaj, who was offered by David Loughnane Racing, won four of his 27 British starts and has a peak RPR of 89. Reflecting on the action over the two days, Houldsworth said: "It's been good trade.

"I bought a few fillies on Thursday too. Everything nice seems to be making its price, if not a bit more. It almost doesn't matter what else is going on in the wider world, quality bloodstock always seems to hold its market value."

Matthew Houldsworth: 'Everything nice seems to be making its price, if not a bit more'Credit: Laura Green

Houldsworth has enjoyed success at the July Sale before, having purchased Dream In Colour for 75,000gns in 2017 before the daughter of Frankel was resold at the following year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for A$750,000.

The agent will be hoping history can be repeated having gone to 62,000gns for Dream In Colour's Dubawi half-sister Rainbow Falls during Thursday's session.

"She'll be covered up here to southern hemisphere time before being shipped down to Australia," said Houldsworth. "Sadly she can't go to Night Of Thunder as she's by Dubawi but we'll worry about a covering later. It's a good active family and I think Dubawi is going to become a really good broodmare sire."

Houldsworth's prediction about Dubawi's prospects as a broodmare sire seems well founded, particularly in light of Nazeef's Falmouth Stakes success, with the Invincible Spirit filly out of a daughter of the Dalham Hall stallion.

Expectations exceeded

In his end-of-sale statement, Mahony said: "There have been four Covid-19 affected sales which have taken place at Tattersalls in the past three weeks and the clearance rate at every one of them has exceeded 80 per cent.

"Not for a moment are we pretending that it has been plain sailing at all these sales, but they have all exceeded expectations and have all demonstrated an extraordinary resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges and an enduring appetite for British and Irish bloodstock at all levels of the market.

"Over the two days of the Tattersalls July Sale we have sold horses to buyers from nearly 20 different countries, most of whom have had to explore unconventional ways in which to participate at the sale. Our recently introduced live internet bidding platform has added a new dimension and has been consistently used by international buyers, with many others using the telephone bidding service provided by our team on the ground.

"While the catalogue may understandably have lacked a little of the usual quality and quantity, demand for horses in training and in particular well-bred fillies and mares has given some cause for encouragement in uncertain times. We must thank vendors and purchasers alike, all of whom have shown a determination to keep the wheels of the industry turning in the face of considerable adversity."

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