Seeking the Gold Colt Brings High Bid at Tattersalls Session

(edited press release)

The Tattersalls July Sale continued in bouyant fashion on July 12 with 166 lots sold for 2,613,700 guineas at an average of 15,745 guineas and a median of 9,000 guineas. Demand was strong across the boards with the clearance rate an almost unheard of 95%.

The top lot for the day was the 3-year-old colt El Dececy, consigned from John Dunlop's Castle Stables in Arundel on behalf of Shadwell Estates for 125,000 guineas. Rated 84 by Timeform the winning son of Seeking the Gold is out of the Danzig mare Ashraakat. Amongst those interested in the colt was McKeever St Lawrence's Oliver Gaisford-St. Lawrence, who made much of the running but was unable to match the efforts of owner Willie McKay who was stood alongside jockey John Egan. McKay, a well-known football agent, indicated that the horse would return to his Martin Grange Stables in South Yorkshire where former Singapore trainer Danny Murphy looks set to take over.

The second highest price for the day was 85,000 guineas for the 3-year-old colt Shabahar consigned from John Oxx's Currabeg Stables in Ireland. The son of Hernando out of the Kahyasi mare Shara hails from the family of the infamous Derby winner Shergar and carried a Timeform rating of 91 following his maiden win at Thurles. Sussex based agent Paul Naughton secured the colt on behalf of owner Pat Gallagher and  indicated that the colt was set to go jumping.

Moments earlier Richard Frisby went to 80,000 guineas to secure the 3-year-old Green Desert filly Tobermory. Consigned from Michael Jarvis' Kremlin House Stables, the daughter of the Cherry Hinton Stakes (Eng-III) winning Diesis mare Kerrera is a half-sister to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-I) second Firth of Lorne. Having won her maiden at Nottingham, she is rated 83 by 'Timeform'. Frisby secured the filly after seeing off the efforts of Anthony Stroud Bloodstock's Matt Coleman and David Redvers and indicated that she was purchased on behalf of an English breeder.

The Tattersalls July Sale continues with the final session commencing at 9.30am on Friday, June 13.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES
YR/CAT/OFF/SOLD/AGG/AVG/MED
2007/256/175/166/2,613,700/15,745/9,000
2006/260/203/190/3,354,300/17,654/11,000