Strong trade continued on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale headed by the two-year-old LA BELLOTA at 425,000 guineas with eight lots realising 200,000 guineas or more and a clearance rate above 90%.
John Ryan’s La Bellota Bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 425,000 Guineas
The highest priced lot on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the wildcard LA BELLOTA, consigned by his trainer John Ryan and purchased by Blandford Bloodstock for 425,000 guineas with Blandford’s Tom Biggs carrying out bidding duties on behalf of Richard Brown.
The two-year-old had posted a significant catalogue update when blazing to victory in the Listed Doncaster Stakes on his most recent start, following several noteworthy performances in Group company when second in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes and fourth in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes.
"He is the best 'freelance' two-year-old on the market at the moment and is 105 rated," said Ryan. "He has performed better than most out there, to be honest it is bittersweet to lose him. But at the end of the day, we bought him well and have sold him well."
He added: "He is a superstar, a lovely horse to train, and anyone would love to have this horse in their yard - but he will carry the name La Bellota and we can follow him, I think he is a very special horse. I hope he goes on to be what I think he could be."
The son of MEHMAS is out of an own-sister to the Group 2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes winner BESHAAYIR and provided a a great return on his purchase price of 52,000 guineas when bought just six months ago by his trainer at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale from breeder Tally Ho Stud.
Najd Stud Secure Juddmonte Colt Amphius for 380,000 Guineas
The draft from Juddmonte is a perennial highlight of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and provided two of the standout lots during the sale’s third session, led by the promising three-year-old AMPHIUS. The KINGMAN colt was knocked down for 380,000 guineas to Saad bin Mishref on behalf of Najd Stud and bloodstock agent Nico Archdale, having seen off a determined effort by eventual underbidder Sean Graham, the racing manager for Brighton and Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom.
The Najd Stud team had also struck for the preceding lot when securing the Listed winner and Group 1 placed FRANKEL colt TASK FORCE for 260,000 guineas, and representative Saud Al Qahtani commented:
"They are both lovely horses. It was more than we expected to pay, but when you buy quality you have to stretch. They have both been bought with the King’s Cup in mind - they have good form, are nice physicals and from great families."
AMPHIUS broke his maiden impressively at Beverley in late August before a promising second in a competitive handicap at Newbury, earning an official rating of 95. He is an own brother to the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes winner SANGARIUS out of a daughter of BANKS HILL, a three-time Group/Grade 1 winning daughter of Juddmonte’s exceptional blue hen HASILI.
Boasting a similarly impressive pedigree as a son of Juddmonte’s dual 1000 Guineas winner SPECIAL DUTY from the family of great racemare SIGHTSEEK, the three-year-old TASK FORCE finished third in the Group 2 Joel Stakes on his most recent start and placed in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at two. The Juddmonte draft of 18 lots realised a total of 1,500,000 guineas.
Hawk Power Australia Bound at 300,000 Guineas
The Australian appetite for top quality European bloodstock showed no signs of abating with the Godolphin consigned HAWK POWER realising the third highest price of the day at 300,000 guineas when secured by Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock for trainer Annabel Neasham, having seen off the underbidder Ryan McElligott, race planner for Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing.
"This is the one we wanted," revealed Boman of the son of GLENEAGLES. "He is a lovely horse - we have bought a couple of others along the way, but this is the horse I wanted to buy and we have been patient.
"I think he will be better on top of the ground - he has been running on soft ground and ran in a bog when third to Fast Tracker, who was sent off favourite for the French Derby, on his last start in the Listed race at Chantilly. It was bottomless ground that day, and he had had a long year. He is a very well-bred horse from a pedigree that has worked in Australia, and he is out of a Street Cry mare which was attractive too. He shows up every week, he travels well, he has a good turn of foot. He is a very simple horse to like and genuinely was the horse I really wanted."
The three-year-old colt placed third on his most recent start in the Listed Prix le Fabuleux in France for Andre Fabre and is a dual winner over 1m2f. A half-brother to the Group placed BRIGHT MELODY, HAWK POWER is out of the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile winner LYRIC OF LIGHT from a deep international family.
The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9.30am on Thursday, 31st October.
