ETHICAL Diamond, Golden Ace and the dam of Camille Pissarro are some of the recent headline acts to have been purchased at the Tattersalls July Sale, but plenty more talented, if less high-profile horses have been sourced at the same sale.
Meriden looks likely to join the list of stakes-winning graduates soon, after recording her fourth consecutive success in a €100,000 fillies’ handicap on Irish Derby weekend. Now rated 97, the Juddmonte-bred three-year-old looks an inspired buy for 32,000gns 12 months ago, both due to her attractive pedigree and progressive profile.
Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock selected the then unraced filly with owner Patrick O’Brien and trainer Denis Hogan.
Explaining her appeal, the agent said: “She had a nice pedigree to fall back on, and we thought that there was a racing chance there, so you know there was two angles. Denis was keen to get his hands on her and Patrick was game as a pebble.”
Year after year, there are jewels to be found in the drafts of leading owner/breeders, as McStay outlines.
“Sometimes it’s because they have a lot of fillies from the same family and sometimes if they don’t think that they’re up to getting a bit of a blacktype or haven’t shown enough to indicate they’re going to get a bit of blacktype.
“They have to keep their operations streamlined, and I know myself, from my time in Godolphin and Darley, they have to thin the tree a little bit, and get some income in. Juddmonte, Darley, Shadwell, all those operations, they wish people well when they buy from them.
“That’s why I always find a lot of their horses make a little bit of a premium because people really want to get into those bloodlines, and they know they’re also transparent, providing notes and everything now at the sales. It’s a great place for people to shop and try to upgrade their bloodstock.”
Mixed bag
The catalogue, numbering 803 lots – a significant drop from 942 last year, boasts a characteristic assortment of horses in and out of training, breeding and racing prospects, both tried and unproven, bred for different distances and conditions.
“The July Sale has been a happy hunting ground; it’s a mixed bag, but invariably there’s plenty of value to be had there and people get lucky if they work the sale hard,” McStay reflects.
“It’s a great time to buy a horse, particularly if they’re going to another jurisdiction, like the Middle East or Australia, because their racing seasons haven’t begun so you can actually get them into the system over there, ship them and get them acclimatised.”
On how he predicts trade will be over the three days, the agent noted: “I would say for the right horse it’ll be very strong. The one consistent factor we’ve seen at every sale, and everybody says it, is that the better horses are making more, and that the middle market is probably becoming trickier.”
The 13% drop in horses catalogued should help the market match up to last year, when the median price was a record-equalling 15,000gns and the average price of 30,015gns was the second highest in the sale’s history.
Blandford Bloodstock bought the 2025 top lot, Quai De Bethune, for 775,000gns and while their client Wathnan Racing had a successful Royal Ascot, next week’s plans may be affected by that particular purchase’s disappointing effort on his first start for new connections.
Middle East
As is usually the case at this sale, last year’s renewal was dominated by Middle Eastern buyers. Blandford were leading buyers with a total spend of 1,482,000gns, followed by Gassim Ghazali at 879,000gns, with other notable spends by Al Watan Club (429,000gns), Ramzi Alghul (274,000gns) and HH Shaikh Nooh Mohamed Salman Hamad Alkhalifa (250,000gns).
Mohammed Jassim Ghazali gave 40,000gns for Joseph O’Brien’s twice-placed Aeon’s Aegis and the American-bred gelding went on to win the valuable Qatar Derby in December.
Australian buyers are often active and their recent success stories include multiple stakes winner Whisky on the Hill, who was bought by Armando Duarte, Paul Moroney and Ballymore Stables for 135,000gns.
The Horse Watches are among the most successful domestic buyers at the horse in training sales – they picked up dual listed winner Royal Zabeel here two years ago.
Sindria, bought by Blandford Bloodstock from Dermot Weld’s draft last year for 60,000gns, has proven a shrewd buy as the daughter of Kodiac since won the Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes for Joseph O’Brien.
Blandford’s previous buy Adelaise, who cost 75,000gns, also won a listed race after joining O’Brien and subsequently resold for 300,000gns.
There is no shortage of well-bred fillies in this year’s catalogue, alongside promising younger horses and progressive types. Horses in and out of training make up the majority of the catalogue, complimented by 41 mares in foal and four mares with foals at foot.
Catalogue highlights
Lot 87: Never Fear, a full-sister to a group performer, is in foal to Havana Grey
Lot 198: Wild Angel is a winning three-parts sister to three-time Group/Grade 1 winner Space Blues, in foal to Pinatubo
Lot 223: Ayiana is by Dubawi and out of Group 2 Lancashire Oaks winner and Group 1 performer Endless Time, making her a half-sister to a Group 3 filly
Lot 228: Unraced three-year-old Renaissance Lady is a Pinatubo (Shamardal) half-sister to Group 1 winners Triple Time and Ajman Princess, herself the dam of Inisherin (Shamardal)
Lot 229B: Cotai Glory juvenile Duidin made it two on the trot when drawing five lengths clear at Kempton last month
Lot 229D: Smart sprinter Dapper Valley is rated 91 after recording back-to-back wins
Lot 229E: Ballysax Stakes third Tiberius Thunder is offered with a rating of 98
Lot 229F: Two-year-old filly Pisiffik Ginger made all on her second start at Leopardstown for Jessica Harrington
Lot 473: 102-rated sprinter Marshman has won at listed and Group 3 level
Lot 495: A half-sister to a Group 3 winner, Guardian Of Realm is by Kingman out of multiple stakes winner and Nassau Stakes third Principal Role. Rated 88 after impressing in a Fairyhouse maiden
Lot 496: Arbus is closely related to Group 3 winner Shutter Speed, from the family of Showcasing
Lot 502: Oasis Dream two-year-old Adenium is out of a Pivotal half-sister to the top-class Midday
Lot 504D: Well-bred Ulysses gelding Regal Ulixes was last seen taking third in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes
Lot 504E: Blackbeard colt Chan Noir made a winning debut at Nottingham
Lot 504F: Dual winner Capall Rasa is now rated 93 after finishing fifth in the Britannia Stakes
Lot 526: A Group 3 winner as a juvenile, Cowardofthecounty won his penultimate start before placing in a listed race
Lot 527: A listed winner and twice group-placed last year, Andab has gone on to place in three stakes races this season
Lot 650: Excellent Believe has placed in four stakes from just 10 career starts
Lot 774: Chancellor won a listed race in February before going close in the Group 3 Winter Derby