Jon Snow set for Cheltenham bid after topping ThoroughBid Sale at £50,000

The useful Jon Snow topped the ThoroughBid Autumn Sale on Friday when selling to George Baker for £50,000, with the three-time winning hurdler set to run in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

A French-bred son of Le Havre, Jon Snow struck over a mile and a half on the Flat in France and had added a chase success to his wins over hurdles by the time he won at Killarney on his penultimate start in August.

Baker said: “I’m delighted to pick up a horse who can take us to all the big jumping festivals through the spring and beyond.

“When we started training, we were very much 50/50 in terms of runners under both codes. We have evolved into training more Flat horses, but several of our owners are looking to increase their National Hunt interests, so we are looking forward to that."

On future plans for the seven-year-old, Baker said: “I think we might even be able to go straight to Cheltenham with him. Willie [Mullins] tells me he stays really well, and I think he could possibly be one for the cross country, and then who knows, maybe Aintree too.

"Then there’s the possibility of going to Tennessee for the Iroquois Steeplechase as well. It’s a place we enjoy going to every year and I’d love to have a runner in it."

Baker went home double-handed after picking up Atlantis Blue for £26,000.

A daughter of Cityscape, the three-year-old filly placed in five of her seven starts for former trainer David Menuisier. She was offered by Willie Carson's Minster Stud and could be set for a dual-purpose career in the years ahead.

Baker added: “We also purchased Atlantis Blue after Willie Carson recommended her to us. We think she’s very unlucky to still be a maiden and the Great British Bonus scheme means we could redeem most of our outlay if we can get her to shed that tag.

"She’s been a runner-up in four of her races and Neil Callan, who rode her at Newmarket, felt there was more to come. She looks a nice filly to press on with, potentially from a dual-purpose point of view further down the line as well."

Jerry McGrath went to £16,000 to secure Ellie’s Warrior, a Walk In The Park half-sister to debut point-to-point winner Present Soldier, while Donnchadh Doyle struck the winning £16,500 bid for a four-year-old Soldier Of Fortune half-sister to chase winner Boston Joe.

David Armstrong was also involved when purchasing impressive recent Damma House point winner Shadows In The Sky for £17,000.

The online sale finished with a 65 per cent clearance rate and turnover of £202,300.

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