Strong trade at the Tattersalls July Sale continued apace on the third day with Royal Ascot placed filly BALALAIKA heading proceedings at 330,000 guineas and six lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. The sale turnover is already the second highest on record at over 15,000,000 guineas with the fourth and final day still to come, and a clearance rate of 94% underlined the depth of trade.
Royal Ascot Third Balalaika Tops Session at 330,000 Guineas
BALALAIKA caught the attention of plenty of observers when finishing an eye-catching third in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot and the filly made headlines again when topping the third day of the Tattersalls July Sale, selling for 330,000 guineas to BBA Ireland’s Eamonn Reilly.
Bids for the 90-rated daughter of NO NAY NEVER flew from around the sale ring with French-based trainer Gavin Hernon and agents Matt Coleman and Mark McStay among the frontrunners, but the action developed into a battle between Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and Reilly, standing in his usual spot on the back wall. The two traded blows from the 250,000 guineas mark on and it was the Irish agent who emerged triumphant at 330,000 guineas for the exciting three-year-old.
"She is for an existing client," said Reilly. "There are no plans but she will stay in training, and although no trainer has been decided she will probably stay in the UK. Her last run was very promising, and she has been bought as a long-term broodmare prospect for the client. She is a good topped filly, has a good walk and behaved very well up here. There is plenty happening with the pedigree."
Consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Lady Ogden, BALALAIKA was bred by the late Sir Robert Ogden and trained by Rebecca Menzies in her six career starts to date. Her dam WAR AND PEACE is a regally bred daughter of FRANKEL and the Group 1 Matron Stakes winner EMULOUS and is a half-sister to BLUESTOCKING, who also provided a notable pedigree update at Royal Ascot when third in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes on just her third start.
Whisky On The Hill Australia Bound at 135,000 Guineas
The second highest priced lot on the third day of the Tattersalls July Sale was the progressive WHISKY ON THE HILL, who was knocked down to Armando Duarte for 135,000 guineas on behalf of Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables.
The three-year-old son of RIBCHESTER was offered by the Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of Ado McGuinness’ Skylark House Stables and won his third start in succession last time out at Roscommon, achieving a Timeform rating of 89+. He comes from the illustrious family of the great COLORSPIN, dam of Champions OPERA HOUSE, KAYF TARA and the Group 1 winner and producer ZEE ZEE TOP.
"This is the only horse we looked at, we liked him and he fitted our profile," revealed Duarte. "He will head straight to Australia on the next shipment. He is very similar to a Juddmonte horse we bought a few years ago called Emissary. Let's hope he is lucky for them."
EMISSARY was purchased by the same team at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and won the Group 3 Geelong Cup last October before finishing a gallant second in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.
Bahrain’s Sheikh Sultan Secures Vega Sicilia for 125,000 Guineas
Leading Bahraini owner Al Mohamediya Racing enjoyed a spectacular result earlier in the day with the win of JASOUR in the Group 2 Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes, one of three Group races sponsored by Bahrain on the opening day of Newmarket’s July meeting. Al Mohamediya Racing’s principle HH Sheikh Sultan Al Khalifa has been one of the leading buyers at this year’s Tattersalls July Sale securing several mares under the Al Jazira Stud Farm banner as well as several horses in training including VEGA SICILIA at 125,000 guineas.
His representative Ali Majeed saw off the attentions of persistent underbidder Will Douglass to secure the gelding and was delighted with both the purchase and the result, commenting:
"It has been a special day for us! We wish all days were like this day! We won the Group race and have bought six horses and now this horse, and he looks a good horse. He won well last time, the jockey was very impressed. He will go to Bahrain for the Classic race, he is a 1m4f horse."
The four-year-old son of LOPE DE VEGA was consigned by Barton Sales on behalf of Harry & Roger Charlton’s Beckhampton House Stables. Offered with a Timeform rating of 99, the progressive gelding won a competitive handicap at Goodwood on his most recent start and is an own-brother to the high class filly ABSTINENCE.
The Tattersalls July Sale concludes with the final session on Friday, 14th July at 9.30am.
