Mick Flanagan buys July Sale top lot At Last for 420,000gns

Supply and demand may have been an issue for the ice cream man at Tattersalls on Wednesday, as the 'sold out' signs went up barely halfway through a sweltering opening session of the July Sale.

There was no such problem in the ring, however, as buyers braved sauna-like conditions to send the clearance rate soaring to 89 per cent.

There was 11 six-figure lots to boot, and the list of prices was topped by At Last, the Galileo half-sister to Zoustar, who went the way of agent Mick Flanagan for 420,000gns.

Given the global appeal of her pedigree, it was no surprise to see a host of parties from around the bloodstock world follow the well-related filly into the ring.

View full Tattersalls July Sale results and stats

However, bidding soon boiled down to a head-to-head between the Badgers Bloodstock pair of Grant and Tom Pritchard-Gordon, stationed in the bidders' area to the left of the rostrum, and Flanagan, stood by the entrance to the packed ring.

Once the 400,000gns mark had been passed the Pritchard-Gordons slowed up, but Flanagan appeared full of running throughout and at 420,000gns auctioneer Simon Kerins brought the gavel down in the Irishman's favour.

Flanagan explained that the filly had been bought with a breeding career in mind, and went on to wax lyrical about the significance of Galileo's presence in her pedigree.

"She's very athletic and is obviously a half-sister to a very promising young sire in Australia," he said. "But, more importantly, she's by Galileo, and it doesn't matter if he's the sire or the damsire, at the moment he's punching in Group winners in both hemispheres.

"He's the damsire of Invincibella, a Group 1 winner in Australia a couple of weeks ago, and that's probably where this filly will go. Though we haven't decided whether she'll be bred to in the northern or the southern hemisphere first."

Mick Flanagan: 'My biggest mistake in the last couple of years is that I haven't bought enough fillies by Galileo'Credit: Laura Green

At Last was bred by Orpendale, Chelston and Wynatt and ran four times for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, though she achieved just minor form, and was last seen finishing fifth of 12 in a Roscommon maiden.

"The hardest part about the whole thing was securing her, now we've got her deciding on a stallion won't be too hard," added Flanagan.

"If I'm being brutally honest, my biggest mistake in the last couple of years is that I haven't bought enough fillies by Galileo. If you're in the breeding game you can't ignore him."

The transaction made At Last the most expensive filly ever sold at the July Sale, and places her second only to Business As Usual, for whom the Kern/Lillingston Association gave 460,000gns in 2010.

TATTERSALLS JULY SALE DAY ONE STATS

Lots offered 230
Sold 205 (89 per cent)
Aggregate 5,458,800gns (up one per cent)
Average 26,628gns (up two per cent)
Median 11,000gns (up 22 per cent)

Ghazali back for more

July Sale regular and leading Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali struck for the session's second-top lot, the 325,000gns Admiral Rous. The progressive son of Henrythenavigator brought an important update to auction, having finished a close third behind Azano in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac at Chantilly last month.

Previously trained and consigned by Eoghan O'Neill, the three-year-old has previous experience of racing in Qatar, having finished a staying-on fourth behind Global Spectrum in the Al Biddah Mile.

"I hope he will run in the Irish Cup over a mile," said Ghazali. "He's been to Qatar before and I think he can do much better there."

Gassim Ghazali: buyer of three of the top ten lots on day oneCredit: Laura Green

Admiral Rous has done connections proud since he was picked up for €47,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, having won three races in France and netted over £84,000 in prize-money.

Ghazali snapped up three of the top ten lots on day one, having also landed On The Line, offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, for 130,000gns, and Neon Sea, consigned by Jamie Railton, for 110,000gns.

Patrick joins Joseph

The session's third-top lot will continue his racing career with Joseph O'Brien, who struck a winning bid of 230,000gns for the lightly raced Patrick Sarsfield.

The son of Australia ran twice for Edward Lynam, and boasts some notably strong form having finished third to Derby runner-up Madhmoon on debut and second to Sydney Opera House on his most recent start in September last year.

The colt was then switched to Michael O'Callaghan, for whom he never ran, and was last registered with Weatherbys as being in training with Hugo Palmer. He was offered at Tattersalls by The Castlebridge Consignment.

Joseph O'Brien: has another classy team of horses for the national hunt seasonCredit: Laura Green

"His form has worked out very well, though obviously it's from a little while ago," said O'Brien. "I think he's a nice horse and Australia is doing very well, so hopefully he'll make into a nice middle-distance horse for next year."

Bred by the China Horse Club and signed for by David Myerscough at €140,000 at Arqana in 2017, Patrick Sarsfield is out of a Lawman half-sister to the German Group 3 winner Goathemala.

New addition for Newtown Anner

Shadwell offloaded 23 lots during Wednesday's session for an aggregate of 647,300gns and at an average of 28,143gns. The well-related Wamathaat accounted for the bulk of those sums when BBA Ireland's Eamonn Reilly saw off Ed Sackville with a bid of 220,000gns.

The three-year-old daughter of Speightstown failed to make the track for Shadwell, having cost $550,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in 2017.

But what she lacks in form she more than makes up for in pedigree, as she is a half-sister to this year's Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Gift Box and the Grade 2-winning Stonetastic.

The page received a further black type addition in late June when another sibling, Special Forces, ran second in a Woodbine Grade 3.

"She's been bought for Maurice Regan of Newtown Anner Stud and she'll probably go to America," said Reilly.

"I came here on Monday and thought she was the best horse in the whole sale. I loved the mare and loved her pedigree, there's a great update in there too, but there aren't any plans regarding a stallion just yet."

Coleman goes Silent

The Godolphin-consigned lots always prove a major draw at the July Sale, and Matt Coleman secured the draft's most sought-after offering when bidding 155,000gns for the unraced Pivotal filly Silent Morning.

The three-year-old is not only by a hugely influential broodmare sire, but is also a half-sister to the Group 3 and Windsor Castle Stakes winner Sound And Silence, while her second dam is the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Gossamer.

"Obviously Pivotal needs no introduction as a broodmare sire, and she's a strong, good-looking mare who's a half-sister to a Windsor Castle Stakes winner," said Coleman. "She'll be bred from commercially and hopefully we'll see her stock back here at Book 1."

The Godolphin draft, which has supplied the dams of Ten Sovereigns and Fairyland at past renewals of the July Sale, sold 19 lots for a total of 629,000gns and an average of 33,105gns.

Stroud steps in

Meon Valley Stud have enjoyed a fine year on the track, winning the Oaks with Anapurna and seeing Telecaster score in the Dante Stakes, and Anthony Stroud will be hoping some of that operation's good fortune rubs off having purchased Merseybeat from their draft for 105,000gns.

The unraced daughter of New Approach and Hippy Hippy Shake, and therefore a half-sister to the promising Twist 'N' Shake, was offered in foal to Ribchester.

"She's a nice mare and comes from a very good farm," said Stroud. "Twist 'N' Shake looks pretty good so hopefully she'll add to the pedigree.

"There could also be an update further down the page when Sheikh Mohammed runs Al Suhail, the Dubawi colt out of Shirocco Star, in a maiden on Friday, he's meant to be a nice horse.

"He's been bought for a client of mine who's based in England and buys a few mares commercially each year."

Houldsworth plays the early bird

An early flashpoint came when Safe House, consigned by Kingwood Stud, took her turn in the ring. A protracted duel between Yeomanstown Stud's Robert O'Callaghan, who did his bidding from the gangway, and Matthew Houldsworth, stationed ringside next to the exit, ensued. The latter emerged on top with a bid of 82,000gns.

The ten-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel, a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Rebellion and out of the Challenge Stakes scorer Last Resort, was offered in foal to flying first-season sire Night Of Thunder.

"She's been bought for Flintstone Stud, which is owned by David Weston and his wife El Tanner," said Houldsworth.

"They've already got Flat mares but they're looking to increase their profile slightly. She's a very good-looking mare and I love Exceed And Excel as a broodmare sire. Night Of Thunder is on fire at the moment too, so I think you could get that price back in one hit if she throws a nice foal.

Matthew Houldsworth: 'I'm a massive fan of Expert Eye'Credit: Laura Green

"Roger Charlton has the Iffraaj two-year-old, who I actually just got sent a photo of as I was walking into the ring, and her New Approach yearling goes to Book 2. She's getting good-looking stock and her other foals have all made a few quid.

"They were keen on getting a mare that's relatively proven, which is something I would encourage as you can see what you're buying and what's come before. I was hugely encouraged that Yeomanstown were underbidders too!"

A few lots later Houldsworth also landed Daring Life, a well-related daughter of Cape Cross carrying to Expert Eye offered by Ringfort Stud, for 60,000gns.

"She's been bought for an existing client," said Houldsworth. "I'm a massive fan of Expert Eye. She's on an early service and is believed to be carrying a colt - she's an absolutely stunning mare. She's another you might be able to get out of in one hit if she has a good-looking foal."