Tattersalls February Sale looking to begin Park Paddocks sale season with a bang

The two-day Tattersalls February Sale kickstarts the sales season at Park Paddocks and provides buyers - particularly those from overseas - with an early opportunity to tap into some lightly raced and unexposed horses in training.

Among those on offer is the Robert Cowell-trained three-year-old Bluff (Lot 401A), a wildcard entry who looks just the sort to attract plenty of interest.

The twice-raced son of The Gurkha was a fine third over six furlongs at Chelmsford last year on his debut, while he followed that up with a gritty win at the same track in mid-January, this time over five furlongs.

Explaining the reasons behind selling the colt, Cowell said: "I own part of him with another chap and the idea was to get him to a level where we could sell him on.

"He's done nothing wrong at all and I think he'll be better over a bit further as he finished his race off very well first time up over six. He got the job done in workmanlike fashion on his second start, but I think six or seven furlongs will be his gig in time."

With Bluff's profile and the relatively poor levels of prize-money in Britain, it is easy to see why taking him to the sale in Newmarket was an attractive option, though the local trainer will be sad to see him leave his yard if that is the upshot.

He added: "He's a good, strong specimen so hopefully someone will do well with him, though it would be nice to keep hold of him. I'm disappointed he'll probably go abroad as the form is red-hot from his first race, there has been winner after winner from it."

Cowell's Bottisham Heath Stud may not have the numbers of years gone by, although there are still a handful of resident broodmares and Cowell said : "We have only a few mares, my father used to have many more back in the day. This horse was bred by the part-owner and so his sale is to dissolve a syndicate."

The sale also plays host to broodmares as well as fillies out of training, with another wildcard in Group 2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis winner Sky Full Of Stars (190D) a potential highlight for Wood Hall Sales.

Tattersalls: February Sale kicks off on ThursdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Another wildcard entry consigned by Wood Hall Sales is the Listed-winning and Grade 1-placed Frenzified (190C), who is out of a half-sister to Australian Oaks winner Colette.

Both Sky Full Of Stars and Frenzified are offered in foal to triple Group 1 winner and first-season sire Advertise.

The draft from Godolphin will likely prove popular once again, with their 16-strong team including Dubian To (147), a daughter of Sea The Stars and top-level winner Mrs Lindsay who has produced the Listed-placed Dubious Affair.

It also includes Impala (148), an Oasis Dream half-sister to Group 1 winner Zambezi Sun, and smartly bred fillies such as Mystery Play (156), by Golden Horn and a half-sister to dual Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Usherette.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said upon release of the entries: "There's no shortage of top-class breeding stock and horses in training in this year’s catalogue, including a quality consignment from Godolphin and from many of Britain and Ireland’s leading trainers and stud farms.

"Along with the two-year-olds and yearlings on offer, this year’s February Sale looks certain to appeal to the usual diverse mix of domestic and international buyers who have made the Tattersalls February Sale Europe’s undisputed leading midwinter sale."

Alongside the auction on the opening day of the sale on Thursday is the TBA's Flat Stallion Parade, featuring A'Ali, Bangkok, Caturra, Century Dream, Lope Y Fernandez, Stradivarius and Ubettabelieveit.

The first day of selling begins at 11am, while Friday's session starts at 10am. The catalogue can be viewed here.