'He's a very good horse' - Cole star among heavyweight presence at the Horses in Training Sale

An international search for the next high-class performer begins again from Monday, when the five-day Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale kicks off. 

Recent Randwick Group 1 winner Just Fine changed hands 12 months ago, while Zaaki, Salute The Soldier and Al Qareem are others to have been sourced from an auction which has become something of a worldwide selling bonanza. 

With drafts from the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin and Juddmonte, there is quality among the quantity of well over 1,000 lots going through the ring at Park Paddocks. A top price of 850,00gns was achieved last year by I'm A Gambler, who moved to North America, with Tattersalls registering buyers from more than 30 different countries.

Among the stars for Paul and Oliver Cole's stable has been four-year-old Jack Darcy (1131A), who is consigned by Barton Sales. The Gleneagles gelding won the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville this summer and ought to hold plenty of appeal.

Oliver Cole said: "It's a shame he's for sale but that's only because the partnership wants to split up. It's also a shame we're losing him effectively due to the prize-money situation in Britain; in most other countries owners would be keeping him as he'd have won a lot more money.

"He was second in the Prix Dollar last month to [Saturday's Champion Stakes third] Horizon Dore, which was arguably his best run, and Frankie [Dettori] said he would have won if the ground was a bit softer. He's a very good horse and can only get better."

Another wildcard to catch the eye is multiple Group-placed Siyouni colt True Testament (772A). The Lady Bamford homebred, who has been trained by Andre Fabre and will be sold by Jamie Railton, is out of the Listed-winning Galileo mare To Eternity, a sister to three black-type horses, including 2,000 Guineas third Gan Amhras.

Jack Darcy: Grand Prix de Deauville winner is a notable wildcard at Tattersalls

Coolmore's draft stands out on the first day,  with one of particular interest being Salt Lake City (lot 270), a son of Galileo and Flying Childers Stakes winner Heartache, who was a Listed winner on his penultimate start. Coolmore also offer Ballsbridge (265), a lightly raced son of Lord Kanaloa and Galileo's dual top-level winner Happily. 

Tuesday's session includes the operation's Group-placed brother to Luxembourg, Hiawatha (669), along with the Castlebridge Consignment's Hannibal Barca (664), a Group winner last year for Joseph O'Brien.

Three-time Group winner Solid Stone (687) is offered by Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge Stables. Given the yard has sold the aforementioned Just Fine and Zaaki, a four-time Group 1 winner in Australia whose career prize-money haul is now approaching £6 million, their horses here will be noted by buyers from down under. 

Hiawatha: Group-placed brother to Luxembourg features in the Coolmore draft at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training SaleCredit: Patrick McCann

Godolphin's draft include Postileo (938), a son of Galileo on an upward curve with a Class 2 handicap win at Hamilton and then a third in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot; On Point, a son of pacesetting first-season sire Blue Point who won on his debut (1104); and Soowaih (934), a winner since the catalogue was released when striking at Newcastle this month. 

Juddmonte's draft features the consistent Halfway Line (1081), a triple winner by Zoffany and Listed-placed when third in the Prix Matchem last month. The gelding is out of the Group-placed Motivator mare Midweek and from the fine family of Oaks heroine Reams Of Verse, Elmaamul, Midsummer and Midday. 

Another eyecatcher from Juddmonte is Tremblant (1078), a winning son of Shamardal and Joyeuse – a half-sister to Frankel – and a half-brother to 2023 Mill Reef Stakes winner Array and brother to Coronation Stakes third Jubiloso.

Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale factfile 

Where Park Paddocks, Newmarket 

When Five-day sale begins on Monday, from 9.30am each day

Last year's stats From 1,113 offered, 1,006 sold for turnover of 36,164,500gns, an average of 35,949gns and a median of 16,000gns

Notable graduates Just Fine (sold by Freemason Lodge Stables, bought by McKeever Bloodstock and Waterhouse Bott Racing for 300,000gns); Salute The Soldier (sold by Beechdown Farm Stables, bought by Oliver St Lawrence for 380,000gns); Zaaki (sold by Freemason Lodge Stables, bought by Blandford Bloodstock and Annabel Neasham Racing for 150,000gns); Al Qareem (sold by Shadwell, bought by Karl Burke and Nick Bradley Racing for 27,000gns)

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