850,000 Top Lot at Tattersalls Horses in Training Day 2

The Charlie & Mark Johnston trained I’M A GAMBLER lit up the Tattersalls sales ring late in the evening when knocked down to Red Baron’s Barn & Rancho Temescal’s Tim Cohen for 850,000 guineas, the third highest price ever achieved at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. A total of nine lots sold for 300,000 guineas or more, resulting in double digit increases in turnover, average and median. 

I’m A Gambler Sells for 850,000 Guineas to Red Baron’s Barn  

The star turn on the second day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the Charlie & Mark Johnston trained I’M A GAMBLER. The son of NO NAY NEVER won the Listed Guisborough Stakes at his most recent start and was offered with a Timeform rating of 117. Bids flew in from all around the ring including from Wathnan Racing’s Olly Tait and the Najd Stud team, but it was Tim Cohen and the Red Baron’s Barn team including agents Alastair Donald, Joe Miller and trainer Mark Glatt that prevailed at 850,000 guineas.  

Tim Cohen laughed: "The bidding was certainly very creative!"  

"It is hard to find a solid three-year-old and he is one of the highest rated in the catalogue, physically he is beautiful. Certainly I did not want to go that far, but I didn't come this far not to do something worthwhile!"  

Cohen had earlier been underbidder on the second highest priced lot PERSIAN ROYAL and added: "I definitely liked this horse more and his price reflected that for everybody. There are a few three-year-old stakes left this year in California, but he has had quite a few races so we will finish the year and then he can have a little break."  

He finished: "He is a quality individual, he has already proven that so if we can maintain that and can enhance it that will be even better. He does not have much left to prove to me."  

Co-trainer Charlie Johnson said: "It was quite some theatre because bidders that seemed to drop out of the running suddenly came back for more! It just showed what high demand he was in. He’s a phenomenal physical, a beautiful horse, and he’s had no issues all the way through his career. He’s been an easy horse to train as he’s very sound and very tough and he’s really taken off in the last four or five months. It’s a phenomenal result. Watching trade I thought he was going to make 400,000 guineas, maybe 500,000 on a good day, so the end result is quite fantastic.  

"Normally you wouldn’t sell good horses like that but the reality is, I spoke to John Brown a few weeks ago and his dream campaign for next year would involve winning the Lennox Stakes. The horse has just earned five, six or maybe even seven times the prize money of that race for selling here. It leaves a huge hole in our yard to sell a 110 rated horse but economically it was a logical decision for the owner." 

Wathnan Racing Strike for Persian Royal at 450,000 Guineas  

Qatari based Wathnan Racing continued their spending spree at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale when securing PERSIAN ROYAL for 450,000 guineas, their eighth of nine purchases over the first two days for a total of 1,750,000 guineas. Australian Olly Tait did the bidding, sat alongside Qatari trainer Alban de Mieulle and secured the son of AL KAZEEM despite a determined effort from underbidder Tim Cohen.  

The winner of four of his last five starts and Timeform rated 99, the Harry & Roger Charlton trained PERSIAN ROYAL was consigned by Barton Sales and raced for Oakgrove Stud’s owner-breeder John Deer.   Oakgrove's stud manager David Hilton said: "It is a strong market, the horse has done fantastically well and has been well trained. To go through the ratings as he has done, not many horses do that. He will suit the purchaser. I have to give huge thanks to the team at home, the trainers and Barton Stud for consigning him so well."  

Tait reported of the latest and most expensive purchase so far this week for the new Qatar racing entity Wathnan: "He is a beautiful horse, his form is excellent, he looks progressive and he is super consistent. He will be a nice horse for this season but also for seasons to come.  

"We have come to buy enough horses for the stable to be successful, and of the quality to make the stable successful. You never know how things will go when you get here, you put a value on them and see how you go. Every horse sale you get to you always have to pay more for some horses than you expect, and some you pay a little less." 

Inverness Set for Qatar Derby for Wathnan Racing  

Earlier in the day the Qatari based team of Wathnan Racing had struck to secure the high class three-year-old INVERNESS for 380,000 guineas. The son of HIGHLAND REEL won his most recent start at Haydock for trainer Charlie Hills and is Timeform rated 98, and he was purchased on behalf of Wathnan Racing by Olly Tait, alongside Qatari trainer Alban De Mieulle.  

"He has very consistent, progressive form and he will go on firm ground," said Tait. "He is a horse that could hopefully be competitive in the Qatar Derby, he is that level of horse. He wasn't inexpensive but that is what you have to pay for a horse of that quality. He is very willing and his form stands up very well.  

"There is a big programme of racing in Qatar and Wathnan Racing is very ambitious, looking for horses who can win races at different levels. In time a broader Middle East campaign for the horses could be on the radar."