Space Talk tops final session of 'thriving' Autumn Horses in Training Sale

While Thursday's session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was far removed from the record-setting heights of the previous day, business remained brisk at its own level to conclude a highly satisfactory week of trading.

Tattersalls finished the week with an average of 25,599gns, a figure bettered only twice before. The obvious highlight was Wednesday's sale of the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes winner Aljazzi to Newsells Park Stud for a record million guineas, but there were other positives along the way, notably the strong clearance rate of 89 per cent.

As ever, trade was buoyed by a signficant international presence, in particular those searching for prospects to compete at either the Dubai Carnival or in the King's Cup.

Both Corrosive, who was bought for 450,000gns by Abdulrahman Fahad Albawardi on Tuesday, and Archetype, a 335,000gns buy by Voute Sales on Monday, were purchased with the King's Cup in Saudi Arabia in mind while Euginio and Lucius Tiberius were among those high-profile horses bought to compete in Dubai.

View full Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale results

Their appetite complemented the usual array of US, Australian and Qatari buyers.

"While the new record price of a million guineas was the obvious highlight of the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, it's the huge number of overseas buyers we have welcomed this week that has been the stand out feature of another successful sale at Tattersalls," said the company's chairman Edmond Mahony.

"We have regular buyers at this sale who attend only one bloodstock auction a year, and it is the diversity of the buyers which sets the Autumn Horses in Training Sale apart from any other event of this type.

"The top of the market has been as strong, if not stronger, than ever and the one million guineas sale-topping filly Aljazzi is a tribute to the quality broodmare band assembled at Blue Diamond Stud by Tony Nerses on behalf of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar.

"It is only the second time we have had three lots sell for 400,000gns or more at this sale and with the buyers of the top 20 lots coming from England, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Australia and the USA, it is clear that the demand for quality European bloodstock continues to thrive.

"British and Irish Flat and National Hunt trainers always make a massive contribution to this fixture alongside the vast number of buyers from the Gulf region. We have also had notable participation from Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Spain."

Recent winner attracts American interest

Thursday's session was led by the 80,000gns sale of Space Talk to Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock.

A consistent filly for Harry Dunlop, Space Talk gained a deserved breakthrough in October when scoring in handicap company at Lingfield. With that victory still fresh in the memory, Boman faced competition from Sam Haggas and Ibrahim Rachid for the filly before emerging successful on behalf of US-based interests.

"She's a consistent filly who goes on firm ground," he said, "and she ran some very good sectionals when she won the other day. She'll suit the programme in America, and has a good pedigree to back her up."

By High Chaparral, Space Talk was bred by Mehmet Kurt out of a winning half-sister to German Derby winner Buzzword.

Houldsworth on top

Buyers on the hunt for broodmare prospects were out in force for the winning Heart Power, a member of the active Hascombe and Valiant family of Rebecca Sharp offered by Ismail Mohammed on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock.

Peter Kelly was among those to show early interest but matters ultimately developed into a duel between Matt Coleman, hiding on the back stairs, and Matt Houldsworth, with the latter coming out on top at 72,000gns.

Matt Houldsworth: 'She was the one I wanted in the sale'Credit: Laura Green

"I'd been to see her privately last week - she was the one I wanted in the sale," Houldsworth said of the daughter of Poet's Voice, who was saddled by Mohammed to win at Meydan in March.

"She's for an undisclosed Irish client, so she'll be retired and mated with a good stallion. She's from an extremely active family - I think there are four fillies producing in the first generation."

A half-sister to seven winners - including this season's Bronte Cup winner Precious Ramotswe - Heart Power is out of Atalanta Stakes winner Miss Pinkerton, in turn a daughter of Coronation Stakes heroine Rebecca Sharp from the further family of Golden Horn.

Qatar beckons for Zamandas

Qatar-based trainer Ibrahim Al-Malki often enjoys buying out of this sale and although absent this week, he was able to make his presence felt on Thursday through Conrad Allen.

Allen went to 55,000gns for three-year-old Zamandas, a progressive all-weather performer for Roger Varian who won last week over a mile at Newcastle.

"We thought he looked progressive," said Allen of the two-time winner. "He won nicely the other day and vetted well."

His price was matched by Cristal Spirit, another with recent form who was bought as a dual-purpose prospect by trainer George Baker. The son of Nathaniel stayed on well to win his last start, a 1m4f Kempton handicap, for William Haggas.

Figures

Although the final aggregate of 26,853,500gns failed to keep pace with last year - albeit by only two per cent, with six per cent fewer lots on offer - the average finished on a par with 2017's figure at 25,599gns.

The median rose by nine per cent to 12,000gns - up from 11,000gns 12 months previously.

Six per cent fewer lots came under the hammer during this edition, with 1,181 horses on offer compared to 1,255 in 2017, and 1,049 of those sold for an improved clearance rate of 89 per cent - up from 85 per cent.

More Autumn Horses in Training Sale reports:

Royal Ascot winner Aljazzi one in a million as sale record tumbles

Progressive Corrosive Dubai-bound after topping day two

Overseas buyers to the fore on opening day at Park Paddocks