Rags-to-riches hero Summer Sands goes to Joseph O'Brien for 625,000gns

Summer Sands' rags-to-riches tale took another dramatic twist during day two of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale on Tuesday, as the high-class two-year-old sold to Joseph O'Brien for 625,000gns.

Remarkably, given his subsequent achievements, the son of Coach House was pinhooked by Robson Aguiar for just £2,000 at the Ascot yearling sale only 13 months ago. The colt returned to that venue's breeze-up sale in April and, after a bullet two furlong workout, went the way of Matt Coleman and the Cool Silk Partnership at £85,000.

Richard Fahey furthered the transformation, with the master of Musley Bank having prepared Summer Sands to win Beverley's Brian Yeardley Two Year Old Trophy and the Listed Redcar Two Year Old Trophy. Sandwiched between those victories was a huge run in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, in which Summer Sands was beaten just two lengths into third by the undefeated Earthlight.

Summer Sands under Robson Aguiar at the Ascot breeze-up saleCredit: Debbie Burt

With O'Brien en route to Santa Anita to apply the finishing touches to his Breeders' Cup squad, Bill Dwan was entrusted with bidding duties and had to see off a determined Alastair Donald to secure the talented juvenile.

"He's been bought by Joseph, who asked me to bid for him as he's gone to America," said Dwan. "Hopefully he progresses as he's an exciting prospect. He's got very solid form and I think he'll improve from two to three. He came very highly recommended by Richard [Fahey], who's done a great job with him."

With Group 1-placed two-year-olds scarcely seen at public auction, a sizeable crowd assembled inside the Park Paddocks ring to see how Summer Sands fared. Among the crowd was Chris Swann, son of the Cool Silk Partnership's Peter Swann.

"It's kind of bettersweet," he said. "I think he'll be a brilliant horse next year and I know he'll be missed at Fahey's, but we tend to buy two-year-olds and then look to reinvest. We'll be keen buyers at next year's breeze-up sales, especially at Ascot, which has been so lucky for us."

Bred by the Koharu Partnership, Summer Sands is the second foal out of the Ishiguru mare Koharu, whose third foal, a colt by Fountain Of Youth, failed to sell at just 2,500gns at last year's foal sales.

The mare, who is from the family of Hellvelyn, produced a colt by Pearl Secret earlier this year.

Summer Sands becomes the most expensive colt to change hands at the Autumn Horses in Training Sale and the third priciest lot in the auction's history.

The sale record belongs to Aljazzi, who sold to Newsells Park Stud for 1,000,000gns 12 months ago. In turn she wrested the crown from Elizabeth Browning, who went the way of Alex Elliott at 700,000gns in 2017.

AUTUMN HORSES IN TRAINING STATS: DAY TWO

Offered285 lots
Sold260 (91 per cent)
Aggregate8,134,300gns (down one per cent year-on-year)
Average31,285gns (down ten per cent)
Median18,000gns (up three per cent)

Dwan doubles up

Dwan had been busy on O'Brien's behalf earlier in the session too, having landed a winning bid of 275,000gns for the lightly raced Dance Jupiter on behalf of Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, owner of Iridessa, Qualify and, crucially, Patrick Sarsfield.

Dance Jupiter defeated Patrick Sarsfield in a Cork maiden on the most recent of his two outings for John Kiely, earning a Racing Post Rating of 83 in the process. It was that piece of form that convinced the Group 1-winning owner that the three-year-old was worth adding to her boutique string.

"I was working for the owner of Patrick Sarsfield, so we have a good line on the form," said Dwan. "This horse beat Patrick Sarsfield, who then won very impressively at the Curragh. We're hoping that line of form proves strong."

Dance Jupiter, out of an unraced Mtoto half-sister to Group 2 winner Mulaqat, hails from the sole northern hemisphere-bred crop of Kingsbarns, whose stint at Coolmore yielded just five foals.

Despite fertility issues, the Racing Post Trophy-winning son of Galileo shipped to Drakenstein Stud in South Africa, but sadly died last year after a bout of colic.

Dwan's purchase was another with a varied sales history, having made three previous appearances at public auction. Dance Jupiter was not sold at just €9,500 as a foal before he fetched a mere €15,500 from Shanaville Stables as a yearling. He then appeared at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, where he was bought back by his vendor at £30,000.

Patrick Sarsfield has also been through the Tattersalls ring this year, having been bought by O'Brien for 230,000gns during the July Sale.

Strong trade

There was plenty of six-figure trading away from the show-stopping lots, with a trio of exciting prospects bringing 200,000gns apiece. Trainer Peter Hedger got among the action when going to that sum to secure the progressive sprinter Total Commitment on behalf of PCF Racing.

The three-year-old son of Exceed And Excel won four times from seven starts for Roger Charlton, having been purchased by Badgers Bloodstock for 90,000gns at Book 1 two years ago.

Total Commitment recorded his fourth victory just seven days before he came under the hammer, and Hedger said he hoped there was more to come from the relative of Zelzal and Breeders' Cup contender Space Traveller.

"We'll get him back and try and win some races with him," said the Hampshire-based trainer. "The owner likes to buy from Roger Charlton as we bought Silent Echo from him two years ago. After this horse won the other night at Kempton Jason [Watson] said he still had seven pounds in hand, so I should be able to get at least one more win out of him!"

Hedger will be hoping his punchy purchase brings plenty of future success, not least as he revealed other expensive acquisitions have not been altogether fruitful.

"The last horse we bought for this sort of money only won one race in six years, that was bloody Continuum!" he said with a wry smile.

Saudi Arabian ambitions

The first lot to bring 200,000gns was the promising juvenile Incinerator, who will now depart for Saudi Arabia after owner Abdulaziz Al-Mousa bought the youngster with an appearance at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in mind.

Bred and raced by Ibrahim Araci, the son of Oasis Dream had a busy two-year-old campaign with Hugo Palmer, for whom he won two of his nine starts. The colt was last seen finishing a staying-on second in a useful Kempton handicap.

"I liked his looks and his pedigree – he goes on fast ground and the all-weather and should be okay on the dirt," said the purchaser. "There's a race over a mile for three-year-olds at the Saudi Cup meeting and I hope he will run there."

Presented by the Castlebridge Consignment, Incinerator is out of the Raven's Pass mare Bella Nostalgia, whose pedigree traces back to the mighty Falbrav.

The final lost to fetch 200,000gns came late in the session when Kevin Philippart and Blossom Breeding combined to secure the Archipenko three-year-old Franklyn. Having won four of his eight starts in Ireland for Aidan Anthony Howard, the progressive handicapper will now continue his career in Hong Kong.

"He's going to Hong Kong," said buyer George Ma. "I have some clients looking for a tried horse so we will get him over there and work a plan out from there. He's by Archipenko who has done so well in Hong Kong."

One more for Morley

Prince Of Harts is among those staying closer to home after owner Tom Morley added the progressive son of Dalakhani to his string with a bid of 170,000gns. The upwardly mobile three-year-old won three of his 11 starts for Rod Millman and the Perfect Match 2 syndicate, including his most recent outing at Windsor earlier in the month.

"He's a nice horse who's improving," said Morley. "His family improve with age too so hopefully he'll continue to go the right way. I know he was well thought of by the Millmans. He'll go to Stuart Williams now, we'll get him home and see how he is but I'd imagine he'll be put away for next year now."

Bred by Harts Farm Stud, Prince Of Harts is a half-brother to three black-type performers, namely the Listed-placed pair Deauville Flyer and Duke Of Bronte and the teak-tough Taws, whose racing CV features five Flat wins, a second-placed effort in the Queen Alexandra Stakes as well as a runner-up effort in a Listed novice hurdle.

Williams indicated that Prince Of Harts could be aimed at races like the Ebor handicap in future.

Morley has been busy restocking for next year's campaign in recent weeks, having bought seven lots at the Autumn Horses in Training Sale for a total outlay of 358,000gns as well as seven yearlings at Keeneland's September Sale.

Donald doubles down on Dias

As had been the case during day one, Australian interests continued to hoover up middle-distance prospects to aim at the valuable southern hemisphere programme, including when Alastair Donald and Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock went to 150,000gns to secure Bartholomeu Dias from Charlie Hills' Faringdon Place Stables draft for Ciaron Maher.

The four-year-old son of Mount Nelson won three of 18 starts for Hills, having been purchased by Donald as a yearling at Book 2 in 2016 for 60,000gns.

He changes hands with a peak Racing Post Rating of 103.

"He's a horse I know pretty well as I actually bought him as a yearling," said Donald.

"I think his racing style will really suit Australia; he's pretty versatile from a mile and a quarter to two miles. He likes fast ground and is a big strong horse too so there should be more to come. He'll go to Ciaron Maher, who we bought Mister Belvedere for last year."

The Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues on Wednesday at 9.30am.

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