Nomination auction raises six-figure sum for charity

The charity auction of stallion nominations at Park Paddocks on Sunday evening - held in aid of the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) charity - saw £189,305 raised as buyers filled the Tattersalls sales ring.

Presenter Nick Luck compered the evening while Edmond Mahony, chairman of Tattersalls, conducted the auction.

Topping the sale was a Kingman cover that sold for £60,000 to Joe Foley, representing Steve Parkin of Clipper Logistics, a sum £5,000 more than the 2018 fee for the son of Invincible Spirit.

Hugo Merry made a winning bid of €40,000 for the Gleneagles nomination, the same as the 2018 fee for the son of Galileo.

Nick Pocock of Stringston Stud, who bred this year's Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling, bought the Twilight Son nomination for £10,000. The son of Kyllachy was one of five stallions to have nominations donated by Cheveley Park.

The Dutch Art nomination realised £16,000 from Andrew Bedford, the Mayson cover went for £6,500 to Charlie Vigors, Julie Scott made a winning bid of £8,000 for the Lethal Force cover while the Garswood nomination was picked up for £5,000 by Belmont Bloodstock.

"It's been a wonderful evening," said Paul Roy, chairman of RoR. "We are incredibly grateful to the studs who donated stallion nominations and to those who bought them, raising nearly £200,000 for the charity.

"The income raised by the auction will support the ongoing expansion of the charity’s activities which continue to generate demand for former racehorses, enabling them to pursue a wide range of other equestrian activities after racing.

"Our thanks to Edmond Mahony and everyone at Tattersalls. There was to me an added poignancy and relevance that the auction was taking in place in the famous Tattersalls sales ring, where so many dreams are bought.

"The event was raising money for the charity that ensures when, as more often than not happens, the horses and dreams sold in that ring do not go on to a subsequent career at stud, they are provided with the opportunity to enjoy and thrive in an alternative career."

Commerce between breeding superpowers no longer implausible

Click here to read our guide to the European breeding-stock sales, including catalogue previews, broodmare sire stats and more