By Emma Berry
NEWMARKET, UK—The Tattersalls July Sale is routinely an international affair and among the destinations for some of the leading lights of Thursday's horses-in-training session are Singapore, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Australia and America.
After the blue-blooded breeding prospects on offer throughout the opening day, Thursday's fare was of a less fancy variety, but demand remained strong from start to finish and a clearance rate of 96% for the pre- and post-racing sections tells its own story of the lure of European bloodstock for farther-flung racing nations.
The second-day figures were almost identical to those posted during the same session 12 months ago. Once again, a total of 171 horses changed hands, accruing an aggregate of 3,483,000gns, a fraction down on last year's returns. The median was down by 4% at 12,000gns and the average slipped by just 1% to 20,368gns.
One horse who will be returning whence he came is the well-credentialed German campaigner Degas (Ger) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), catalogued under a wildcard entry as lot 579A from the stable of Markus Klug for owner-breeder Gestut Rottgen.
The 5-year-old was a winner on his last start in the G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft on June 24 and he holds an entry in Sunday's G2 Meilen Trophy at Cologne, in which he will run in the colours of his new owner Eckhard Sauren.
“Mr. Sauren is a very successful owner in Germany and asked me to try to buy the horse for him,” said Jamie Railton after bidding 100,000gns for the gelding who has also won the G3 Europa Meile and was runner-up in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens Rennen (German 2000 Guineas). Degas is a son of the treble listed winner Diatribe (GB) (Tertullian), herself a daughter of the German champion 3-year-old filly Diacada (Ger) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}).
The only other horse to sell for six figures, late in the session, was the George Scott-trained Olympic Odyssey (GB) (Camelot {GB}), whose first handicap victory on June 18 was followed three days later by a narrow runner-up finish which boosted his rating to 70. Sold as lot 626, the 3-year-old, who raced in the colours of Scott's father-in-law and brother-in-law Bill and Tim Gredley, fetched 100,000gns to a bid from Stephen Hillen and will now switch codes.
The agent said, “He's for a new client, and will be going jumping. He's a gorgeous horse by Camelot who has such a good stint of things of late. He'll have an easy month now, and then go to his new base in England.”
Heading farther afield is 3-year-old De Medici (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), twice a winner this year for owner-breeder Al Asayl Bloodstock and Archie Watson, who will race on for Yulong Investments after being selected by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland for 95,000gns.
“He might head to Singapore or Australia,” said Donohoe of lot 436. “Yulong is building up quite a big string in Singapore now. This horse is a good-looking type, he vetted well and came highly recommended by Archie Watson.”
Qatar's champion trainer Gassim Al Ghazali is one of this sale's staunchest supporters and on Thursday bought another 18 horses to join his team at Al Rayyan for a total of 936,000gns.
Among them was the listed-placed four-time winner Volatile (GB) (Poet's Voice {Gb}) (lot 517), bought from Jamie Osborne and the Melbourne 10 for 85,000gns, and Shadwell's recent Beverley winner Alrahaal (GB) (Raven's Pass) (lot 583), an 82,000gns purchase.
Yorkshire trainer Mick Easterby had a productive day and among his purchases through agent Bobby O'Ryan was the Shadwell campaigner Manzil (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) (lot 463), who was formerly trained by Dermot Weld and won a 10-furlong Down Royal maiden at the end of June.
“He came highly recommended,” said O'Ryan, who signed the ticket at 85,000gns. “We hope that he'll be one for the John Smith's Cup at York next year.”
By Bated Breath and with a rating of 85, Manzil looks a progressive type and was sold by Shadwell.
The Giant's Causeway 3-year-old Hinde Street (lot 474), a son of GI Matron S. winner Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) and brother to stakes scorer Bow Bells, is on his way to Saudi Arabia after being bought by Faisal Bin Mishref al Qahtani for 82,000gns.
Formerly trained by John Gosden for Michael Tabor, he will now be campaigned towards the country's prestigious King's Cup.
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