(Edited Tattersalls press release)
A son of Medaglia d'Oro brought 260,000 guineas to top the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven breeze up sale April 15 in England. Bloodstock agent Richard O’Gorman purchased the bay 2-year-old from Gay O’Callaghan’s Yeomanstown Stud.
O’Callaghan bought the colt for $125,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling auction from Mill Ridge Sales, agent. Roy and Gretchen Jackson bred the colt in Kentucky.
The session topper is out of the 12-year-old Thunder Gulch mare C’Est L’ Amour, who scored in the 2000 Nassau County Stakes (gr. II). He is a half-brother to the winner Lightning Pilot (by Dixieland Band).
In all, 62 horses (of 85 offered) were sold, grossing 4,737,000 guineas. The average price was 76,403 guineas, and the median price was 56,000 guineas. All were down from a year ago. Sixty-four horses (of 83 offered) were sold then for a gross of 6,477,000 guineas and an average of 101,203 guineas. The median was 67,500 guineas.
Sir Robert Ogden’s racing manager, Barry Simpson, stood alongside Newmarket-based trainer Jeremy Noseda and went to 230,000 guineas to secure a Giant's Causeway – Zoe Montana colt, consigned by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill Stables.
London-based agent Jamie McCalmont purchased an Invincible Spirit – Tathkara filly for 220,000 guineas. Paddy Twomey’s Hawthorn Villa Stud was her consignor.
