The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale came to a conclusion on
Thursday, with the two-year-old gelding REZWAAN (Alhaarth) topping the fourth
and final session.
The final day saw a total of 200 lots sell for 1,100,600 guineas at an
average of 5,503 guineas and a median of 3,500 guineas, with the clearance,
which has been a feature of the four days, an excellent 83 percent. Those
numbers represent declines of 24.7 percent, 25.9 percent and 7.9 percent,
respectively, over last year’s corresponding session that realized 1,462,200
guineas for 197 horses sold at an average of 7,422 guineas and a median of 3,800
guineas.
The four days of trade for the sale saw 903 lots bring 17,457,800 guineas,
down 11.3 percent from 2008 when 935 horses sold for 19,690,300 guineas. The
average of 19,333 guineas fell 8.2 percent from last year’s 21,059 guineas
average. The 9,000 guineas median rose 12.5 percent on the 2008 median of 8,000
guineas.
The top lot on the final day was Rezwaan, who was purchased by Geoffrey
Howson for 55,000 guineas. The two-year-old recently won a nursery at Nottingham
for trainer Ed Dunlop. Consigned as Lot No. 1265 on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan’s
Shadwell Estates, the bay was knocked down to Howson after he saw off Dunlop’s
former assistant William Knight, on behalf of U.K.-based owners Gallagher
Equine.
“He’s been bought for Gallagher Equine and is going back to Pat Gallagher’s
farm in Kent, and then he’ll decide on a trainer,” Howson said. “He’s a lovely
looking horse who vetted well and should make a nice three-year-old.”
Rezwaan is out of listed winner Nasij (Elusive Quality), who ran third in the
2002 editions of the Princess Margaret S. (Eng-G3) and May Hill S. (Eng-G3).
Others of note in the family include Grade 3 victress Hallowed Dream (Ire) (Alhaarth)
as well as Peruvian champion and sire Faaz (Fappiano).
“Our 2009 yearling sales outperformed expectations and this week’s sale has
continued in a similar vein,” Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said at the
conclusion of the sale. “The Autumn Horses in Training Sale is a unique fixture
and yet again it has attracted a uniquely diverse crowd of buyers all of whom
have contributed to a sale which has produced a significant increase in the
median as well as a higher clearance rate than last year.
“The sale was perhaps a touch short of obvious stars and, considering the
strength of the market, the handful of high profile withdrawals was a little
disappointing, but overall this has been another week which has provided
encouragement for the industry.
“Quality horses have sold particularly well with buyers from all corners of
the world providing stern competition for the domestic buyers from both the Flat
and National Hunt fraternities. As ever, our Middle Eastern buyers have had a
massive impact on the sale and it has been equally gratifying to have seen the
success of past graduates from the sale attracting an unprecedented number of
Australian buyers.
“The key to the enduring success of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale is its
ability to attract buyers in numbers at all levels of the market and our
promotional visits to emerging markets throughout Europe and further afield,
many of them in conjunction with British Bloodstock Marketing, continue to bring
new faces to the sale.”