There was a furious trade at Tattersalls Tuesday at the second session of the
Autumn Horses in Training Sale with the highlight being a draft from Sir Mark
Prescott’s Newmarket stable.
Three-year-old ROYAL DIAMOND (King’s Best) had won his last four starts,
including a Wolverhampton handicap by 10 lengths October 10. Alastair Donald of
Kern Lillingston tried for the gelding, offered as Hip No. 734, as did National
Hunt agent Aiden Murphy and Anthony Stroud, who has been shopping for the Dubai
Carnival, but the final exchanges were fought out between two trainers based in
the north of England. It was Michael Dods, based near Darlington in County
Durham, who got the upper hand at 400,000 guineas, with the more frequent big
spender Howard Johnson coming off second best.
Dods was buying for Andrew Tinkler, who just got into the business two years
ago. Tinkler is a part-owner of the Eddie Stobart haulage company.
“We went to Sir Mark’s yard and I fell in love with him,” said Tinkler, who
is advised by former jockey Dale Gibson. “I don’t think he’s fully matured yet.
I’ve got about a dozen horses with Michael including Barney McGrew (Mark of
Esteem [Ire]), who will go to Dubai, and I only got my first horse in 2007
through my partner Alison.”
Royal Diamond is set to be targeted at the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle
in June, a valuable staying handicap.
“He’s a proper horse and has done everything right and will be put away now
until next season,” Dods added. “We thought he was good enough to pay a proper
price for, and Andrew had said to go to 350,000 guineas, but we had to go a bit
further.”
Australian buyers have been stronger than ever at this year’s sale ahead of
next week’s 150th Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), and agent Geoffrey Faber paid 230,000
guineas for MARTIAL LAW (Galileo [Ire]), selling as Hip 613, for an undisclosed
client based in Victoria.
“He’ll hopefully become a nice staying horse,” said Faber, a one-time
Racing Post journalist who spent seven years in Dubai as a steward before
moving to Australia. “We were keen to get a three-year-old colt, and hope he can
improve. There are not many like him at this sale.”
Agent Grant Pritchard-Gordon was also shopping for Australia, and he paid
210,000 guineas for FANJURA (Marju), who will join Lee Freedman and race for the
Ball and Chain syndicate. The four-year-old went through the ring as Hip 492.
“He’ll head out in January and then have a couple of outings in the autumn
and, hopefully, could be running at the Spring Carnival this time next year,”
Pritchard-Gordon said.
The sale continues Wednesday. Complete results are available at
tattersalls.com.