'He's by a sire whose stock improve' - Haggas secures 200,000gns Maximum Dividend at Tattersalls August Sale

On a busy day in the European auction calendar Newmarket played host to the Tattersalls August Sale, where the market was led by the appropriately named Maximum Dividend. The twice-raced colt was knocked down to Sam Haggas of Hurworth Bloodstock, acting on behalf of Australian trainer John O’Shea Racing, at 200,000gns. 

The two-year-old son of American Pharoah made two starts for Richard Hannon, firstly running Solario Stakes contender Starlore to within a fast-finishing nose at Sandown before another promising effort when third behind Cogitate at Newbury. 

Bred under the Westerberg banner and raced by Georg von Opel’s operation and the Coolmore partners, Maximum Dividend is out of Sizzling, who won the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes during her time in training at Ballydoyle. 

Sam Haggas: "He’s a nice straightforward horse who I hope will do well in Australia"Credit: Alisha Meeder

“He’s the first foal out of a good staying Galileo mare and he’s by a sire whose stock improve a lot with age,” said Haggas. “American Pharoah himself got better with racing. I hope this horse will do the same and is going to be a horse to improve from two to three and a bit beyond. Hopefully he stays a bit further than the seven furlongs too. 

“He’s run two very good races, the first was particularly eyecatching at Sandown and the form looks good – the winner goes for the Solario tomorrow and the third [Arabian Crown] is now a Listed winner. He’s sound and looks sound of mind, too. He’s a nice straightforward horse who I hope will do well in Australia. He should improve, and if he does he should be competitive for his new connections.” 

Haggas, son of leading Newmarket trainer William, also expanded on his association with the O’Shea stable, saying, “I’ve been working with him and his team. This is the first horse I’ve bought with them, we tried on a few in July so it’s good to get one. Hopefully it’ll be a good start together.” 

The sale of Maximum Dividend capped spending that reached 3,235,700gns across the session, a 39 per cent year-on-year drop despite an almost identical number of lots being offered. The average price slipped by 29 per cent to 17,120gns, while the median fell by 43 per cent from 14,000gns in 2022 to 8,000gns on Friday. The clearance rate was 80 per cent as 189 sold from 237 offered.

O’Meara seeks Noble Truth

The likes of Group/Grade 1 winners Lord Glitters, Mondialiste and Suedois have highlighted David O’Meara’s ability to coax a new lease of life out other operation’s cast-offs, and the North Yorkshire-based trainer has another exciting recruit to look forward to after going to 130,000gns for Godolphin’s Jersey Stakes winner Noble Truth. 

The four-year-old son of Kingman won four races for Charlie Appleby after joining the Godolphin fold at a cost of €1,100,000 at the Arqana Select Sale in 2020. He was a high-class juvenile, as evidenced by a Newmarket maiden win and victory in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes. He also finished runner-up to Angel Bleu in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

Noble Truth: "He’s a very good horse with some high-class form"Credit: Alisha Meeder

He has been seen only four times since that two-year-old campaign but showed he retained a high level of ability having added the Listed King Charles II Stakes to his record, as well as his career-best effort in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was last seen running down the field in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort at Meydan in January. 

If O’Meara can cure whatever has ailed Noble Truth in recent times then there is no limit to where he can be campaigned, but when asked about ambitions for his purchase, who was offered out of training, the trainer said: “There’s no plan, but he’s a very good horse with some high-class form. We will get him home and go from there. I can't say who he’s been bought for yet.” 

Bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois, Noble Truth is the second foal out of Speralita, a Frankel half-sister to the globetrotting, six-time Group/Grade 1 winner Stacelita. This means Speralita is closely related to Frankel’s first top-level winner, Soul Stirring, who is out of Stacelita. 

That transaction helped Godolphin to top the consignors’ table, with 17 transactions yielding receipts totalling 559,500gns. 

Bozzi at the double

Agent Marco Bozzi secured the first two of six six-figure lots, including the 115,000gns French Claim who was offered through The Castlebridge Consignment. The four-year-old son of French Fifteen won three of his nine starts for trainer Paddy Twomey and owner Teme Valley Racing, including his seasonal reappearance at Navan which earned him a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 110. 

He also boats some eyecatching stakes form, most notably when a nine-length third to Westover in last year’s Irish Derby. He was also runner-up to Emily Dickinson in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes when last seen in late April. The colt is set to continue his career in Saudi Arabia for Prince Saud bin Salman. 

French Claim: last year's Irish Derby second is heading to Saudi ArabiaCredit: Alisha Meeder

Bozzi said: “Prince Saud bin Salman loved the horse, he liked the rating and his races. The horse is very nice and he moves very well. In Saudi they don't really have such fast ground and the dirt is quite deep at both Riyadi and Taif, so it might work for him. 

"He’s not run since April, but his trainer said that is because the ground has been too fast for him.” 

The French-bred French Claim was making his third appearance at public auction having previously fetched €9,000 from Pegasus Bloodstock as a yearling before Teme Valley talent scout Richard Ryan bought the youngster for £36,000 at the Newmarket edition of the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale in 2021. 

Earlier in the session Bozzi went to 100,000gns for Pivotal Revive, who was catalogued as having finished runner-up on his first three starts but had opened his account on his fourth outing just eight days before the sale. 

That victory, which came over a mile at Leopardstown, was awarded an RPR of 84. The three-year-old son of Pivotal previously ran in the colours of Zhang Yuesheng while trained by Jessica Harrington. He was offered on Friday by Baroda Stud. 

The fourth foal out of Listed-winning Clodovil mare Tigrilla was making his third appearance at the sales having fetched 15,000gns from Five Star Bloodstock as a foal before BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments went to €45,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale. 

Marco Bozzi: in action for Prince Saud bin Salman's teamCredit: Alisha Meeder

“The horse will go to Saudi for the autumn season,” said Bozzi, who signed alongside the name of the prince’s SBS Global. “He’s by Pivotal, looks progressive, is a nice type and vetted well. 

"He will be trained by the prince's trainer Ahmad Abdulwahed, who trained Emblem Road to Saudi Cup success. The trainer will make a plan for the colt once the horse settles into the new routine.” 

The prince was among those on the ground at Tattersalls on Friday, and Bozzi added: “He was in London on holiday and saw the sale was taking place and wanted to come along. He’s had a good day!”

The other lot to fetch six figures on the day was Peking Opera, winner of the Listed Yeats Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners. The three-year-old son of Galileo was knocked down to Durcan Bloodstock at 100,000gns.

Bleak outlook for St Lawrence

William Haggas’s Somerville Lodge presented the winning three-year-old Bleak, who looks set to continue his career in Bahrain after Oliver St Lawrence secured the son of Highland Reel at 105,000gns. 

Bred by James Wigan’s London Thoroughbred Services, the son of Listed winner On A Cloud opened his account in a ten-furlong Lingfield novice before running to an RPR of 94 in a York handicap on his penultimate start. He was last seen finishing a well-held seventh at Yarmouth five days before the sale. 

Bleak: winning three-year-old takes his turn in the sales ring at Park PaddocksCredit: Alisha Meeder

“He looks a progressive type and came recommended by William Haggas,” said St Lawrence. “He’s for Fawzi Nass and will probably go to Bahrain. He had a bit of a blip on his last start but his profile overall is good.” 

McStay makes his mark

Another buyer to get involved towards the head of the market was Mark McStay, with the Avenue Bloodstock agent landing an eyecatching brace led by the 95,000gns Aldous Huxley from the Godolphin draft. 

The lightly raced son of Dubawi won a Kempton maiden on his debut for John and Thady Gosden but hasn’t been seen since running Lionel to within a neck in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes last year. 

“I’m delighted to get him, a very high class horse on the best of his form – the run against Lionel looks a very good effort," said McStay. 

“He’s had his issues but Godolphin are always very transparent with the history of their horses. He’s bound for Dubai and if he regains his form he could be a very high-class horse when he gets there.” 

Mark McStay: "He’s bound for Dubai and if he regains his form he could be a very high-class horse"Credit: Alisha Meeder

Aldous Huxley is out of the Listed-winning Albasharah, meaning he is a brother to the Meydan Group 2-placed Al Nefud. In turn, Albasharah is a sibling to the Group 1 Fillies' Mile heroine White Moonstone. 

McStay knows the pedigree better than most, having worked within the Godolphin operation prior to branching out under the Avenue Bloodstock banner.

He added: “It’s a pedigree I know well from my time with Godolphin and this is one of the organisation's best families. The thing about Dubawi’s progeny, as we’ve all witnessed, is that they can overcome problems, and he wouldn't be the first Dubawi to come back from injury to do well.” 

Aldous Huxley was sourced on behalf of a client of Salem bin Ghadayer’s, as was McStay’s other purchase, the 80,000gns 96-rated Imperial Ace. 

Busy Bromley back in action

Anthony Bromley’s productive week continued when the Highflyer Bloodstock man signed for the 70,000gns Think First from James Tate’s Jamesfield Stables.

The three-year-old son of Kessaar won a brace of novice events at two and has contested some deep races this season, with his best effort on the figures coming when fifth in a warm Doncaster handicap won by Saint George. That performance earned him an RPR of 100. 

Think First: "He should be a fun horse"Credit: Alisha Meeder

The colt, who carried the colours of Sultan Ali after entering the Rabbah fold at 75,000gns, will race on for owner Richard Flower and trainer Neil Mulholland. 

“Although he’s a distant cousin, this is the first horse I’ve bought for Richard Flower,” said Bromley. “Richard wanted to buy a nice jumper, one to go three-year-old hurdling, and he got in touch with me to find a horse. 

"Think First is a very good-looking horse, a very supple horse, he has possibly been a bit over-faced in a few of his races, but he ran well last time in a handicap off a mark of 95. 

“We will get him gelded and he goes to Neil Mulholland. He should be a fun horse. He’s gone on soft ground in a Listed race in April when fourth. James Tate gave the horse a good write up so fingers crossed.”

Earlier this week Bromley signed for 13 yearlings for an outlay of £834,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale in Doncaster. Seven of those purchases, including a £145,000 son of Mehmas, were made with Phil Cunningham of Rebel Racing. 

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