‘Whoever buys the horse is the maddest person on the day’ - Humam headlines July Sale opener at 190,000gns

A busy week in Newmarket began with a day of businesslike trade at the Tattersalls July Sale. 

The opening stanza of the three-day sale produced a clearance rate of 82 per cent as 192 lots sold from 235 offered. Those transactions generated turnover of 4,427,200gns, which was down 13 per cent against the corresponding session 12 months ago. 

The average price was down 15 per cent at 23,058gns, although the median went in the opposite direction to the tune of ten points, improving from 10,000gns in 2024 to 11,000gns on Tuesday. 

The first lot to break into six-figure territory was never headed in the market, with the improving Humam landed by an online bidder signing as TY Equine at 190,000gns. 

The son of Kodiac was catalogued as having won two races but had added a third victory to his record with a clear-cut success over seven furlongs at York on his latest outing. That effort was allotted a Racing Post Rating of 91.  

The three-year-old, who was offered by Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere operation, is a sibling to three black-type performers, namely the dual Group 3-winning Vadream and the Listed-placed pair Mirage Hero and Midream. This lineage prompted Al Shaqab Racing to part with 260,000gns for Humam at the 2023 edition of Book 1. 

Stuart Williams: 'He’s one we’d hope would carry on improving with age and in-line with what his family have done'Credit: Tattersalls

The youngster is set to continue his career with Newmarket-based trainer Stuart Williams, who said: “He’s for a new owner to the yard who wanted to have a horse to run at the big tracks. We’ll target some of the big meetings and try to replicate what Andrew’s done with him by winning at places like York. 

“He won well last time and looks a solid horse. He’s one we’d hope would carry on improving with age and in-line with what his family have done. I don’t know what he’s done lately, he hasn’t run for three or four weeks, but we’ll get him back to the yard and assess him before settling on a target.” 

Tuesday was the third time Humam has appeared at the sales, having first been pinhooked by Tally-Ho Stud at €230,000 as a Goffs November foal. 

On his latest price tag, Williams added: “Whatever the price is, there’s that many people around the sale and whoever buys the horse is the maddest person on the day because you’re the one who bid the most! That sort of price was in line with what we were expecting to pay though.”

Buyers dive into Godolphin goldmine

The Godolphin consignment has been responsible for so many of the July Sale’s success stories, and this year’s draft duly produced the lion’s share of the action as 30 lots sold for an aggregate of 1,242,500gns and an average of 41,417gns. 

The leading light of the draft was Rose Arbour, an unraced three-year-old out of Crown Walk, winner of the Group 3 Prix Chloe and runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild. The Frankel filly was secured by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock via an online bid of 170,000gns. 

“She’s for an existing client in Ireland,” said Anthony Stroud. “She’s a good-looking mare, is by Frankel, is out of a smart stakes-winning Dubawi mare and is from a lovely family. Frankel is not only a fantastic stallion but is an outstanding broodmare sire too, as is Dubawi – she’s got the genetics to have a very good chance at stud.” 

Sumbe see Charyn appeal in Spring Lantern

Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe operation also dipped into the Godolphin draft, with Spring Lantern added to the ranks following a 150,000gns investment. The four-year-old daughter of Frankel won one of her three starts for Henri-Alex Pantall, with her success coming over six furlongs at Chantilly. She was offered in foal to Pinatubo. 

Bizakov’s broodmare band is based in France alongside Sumbe’s five-strong stallion roster. After signing the six-figure docket, the outfit’s general manager Tony Fry suggested that Spring Lantern could well be on the dance card of the latest addition to the roster. 

Spring Lantern proved one of the highlights of the Godolphin draft at the Tattersalls July SaleCredit: Tattersalls

“She’ll be ideal for Charyn, or any of our other stallions,” said Fry. “She’s a nice mare, she’s a good size and she was quick.”

Fry reported that Charyn, winner of the Group 1 Queen Anne, Prix Jacques le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, has taken well to his new career, with around 175 mares in his debut book. 

He said: “He’s at 92 per cent fertility. He loves it, he’s a tiger.” 

McStay back in familiar territory

Avenue Bloodstock agent Mark McStay made three purchases on the day, with the priciest of the triumvirate being the 110,000gns De Luain, who also came from the Godolphin consignment. 

The unraced two-year-old boasts a big pedigree, not only being a daughter of Lope De Vega, but out of the Listed-placed Monday Show. That makes De Luain a sibling to six winners, most notably Usherette who struck in two Group 2s, namely the Duke of Cambridge and Dahlia Stakes, and also finished third in the Prix d'Ispahan. 

Godolphin's Lope De Vega filly out of Monday Show sold to Avenue Bloodstock's Mark McStay for 110,000gnsCredit: Tattersalls

“She’s from a pedigree I know particularly well from my time working for Sheikh Mohammed,” said McStay. “Usherette was a very good filly; she was rated 118. Lope De Vega has every attribute you’d need to make a fantastic broodmare sire. She was very well presented by Godolphin and Marie [Sullivan, Godolphin’s bloodstock sales manager] and her team. There was some strong opposition so I’m very happy to get her. She’s been bought for an existing client and will end up in Ireland.” 

Avenue Bloodstock’s three purchases brought receipts totalling 208,000gns, making the agency the second-leading buyer on the day. 

Second time lucky for Ghazali

The session’s biggest spender was leading Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali, whose two new recruits cost a combined 215,000gns. The biggest buy of the pair was the 150,000gns Jorge Alvares, a three-year-old son of Cotai Glory who has won one of his 11 career starts. 

The Tally-Ho bred gelding has spent the current campaign with Ger Lyons, for whom he landed a six furlong Dundalk maiden. He was offered on Tuesday by The Castlebridge Consignment having run a close fifth behind Adrestia in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Royal Ascot on his latest outing. 

This was the second time that Jorge Alvares has appeared at Tattersalls in the last 12 months, having been picked up Gaelic Bloodstock for 38,000gns at last year’s Autumn Horses In Training Sale. 

“He’s a smart horse and will suit the sprint races we have in Qatar,” said Ghazali. “My son tried to buy the horse last year and did not – we have had to pay more now!” 

The Tattersalls July Sale continues on Wednesday, with day two, which commences at 9.30, featuring the ever-popular Juddmonte draft. 

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