JON Snow, rated 146 over hurdles and trained by Willie Mullins, is one of the top attractions at ThoroughBid’s Autumn Sale, which gets underway at 9am this Friday (November 18th).

The seven-year-old Susannah Ricci-owned son of Le Havre is a winner over a mile and a half on the flat in France, a multiple hurdles winner in Ireland, including beating subsequent Grade 1 winner Belfast Banter at the 2020 Galway Festival, and recently won a beginners chase at Killarney.

Ricci’s racing manager Joe Chambers said: “The way that the world does business is changing, and horseracing should not be any different to that. There will always be the traditional ways of doing things, but new ventures and avenues that have proven that they can work should be adopted and embraced. ThoroughBid is a good example of that, and we’re keen to see how we go with Jon Snow on Friday.

“He’s always been a good work horse, he’s always been clear in wind, and he’s a horse that beat a subsequent Grade 1 winner, Skyace, by over 30 lengths, as well as Belfast Banter by eight lengths at the Galway Festival. He’s got some good form in the book and, at the age of seven, still has a lot of ability.

“He’s already qualified for races on the big Saturday meetings, and I could see him doing a job for someone over fences, hurdles, and indeed the flat, where I’d like to think that his mark of 76 has plenty of juice left in it. He might not be able to compete in the Grade 1s, but I do think he can be very competitive in handicaps and conditions races, either novice chasing, or taking advantage of his flat mark. He’s probably still unexposed in terms of tackling longer trips over fences too.”

Champagne Town, purchased for £180,000 after winning a point-to-point at Kirkistown, goes under ThoroughBid’s online hammer having finished third in a competitive Limerick maiden hurdle last time out, while the sale has also attracted a batch of entries from owner Thomas Green.

One of those consigned by Green is Ellie's Warrior, a highly promising three-year-old filly by Walk In The Park whose half-brother (ex Noras Fancy) made £300,000 at last year’s November Sale at Cheltenham.

The Soldier Of Fortune colt four-year-old out of Supreme Millie could prove to be no less special, with half-brother Boston Joe having won two handicap chases for Rebecca Curtis over the summer. Her dam was also half-sister to two winners over obstacles.

The three-year-old filly by Malinas out of Present Flower is another of interest from Green’s consignment. This filly’s dam was herself a bumper winner and has produced a winner over hurdles for Gavin Cromwell, Magheralin Mick, who sold as a foal in 2017 for £27,000.

On the decision to restructure his bloodstock, owner Thomas Green said: “I need to concentrate on some other ventures, including one in horse racing, and this really doesn't leave me with any time left to enjoy owning these incredible horses.

“There are some really exciting and lovely fillies to be sold. In particular, the Soldier Of Fortune is a big, imposing filly who I'm really excited to see on the track. She, I'm sure, will turn out to be a very good racehorse.

"The Walk In The Park filly has a great page and one that looks to get better soon with her half-brother winning a point-to-point and being bought for £300,000 to go to Gordon Elliott. She looks like an incredibly exciting prospect and is by the right stallion.

"The Malinas filly has something about her that makes you take notice, and she has a lovely pedigree to accompany that. All three of those fillies are very exciting and I'm sure will make very good racehorses before successful careers as broodmares.

“Online sales provide great flexibility and it's good to see someone taking on the duopoly that we currently have. There are huge benefits, not only from an owner and buyers view, but more importantly, the horses’ welfare. The horses don't have to do hundreds of shows, they don't have to travel. Vendors minimise costs and buyers can still get all of the information they need, plus they can always go and see the horse if they want. It's a no-brainer, really.”

The Autumn Sale also presents another chance to purchase a qualifier for ThoroughBid’s £5,000 Point2Rules Bonus in the shape of Hearts Corner, third last month in his first point-to-point start and a half-brother to multiple chase and hurdles winner Lake Field.

On the flat, Arniemac, a Fascinating Rock gelding, enters the sale off the back of a promising fourth on debut over six furlongs at Naas. The John James Feane-trained three-year-old is a half-brother to high-class Australian middle-distance horse Future Score, himself a listed winner, multiple group-placed and fourth in the Group 1 Sydney Cup this year, while David Menusier’s 74-rated Atlantis Blue is also going through the online ring. The three-year-old Cityscape filly is a runner-up of three of her five starts this season and finished second over a mile in a Newbury maiden at two.

Friday’s Autumn Sale also hosts a good crop of broodmares, including Doranna, a half-sister to Grade 1 novice hurdle winner Shinrock Paddy. She is sold in-foal to multiple Grade1-winning hurdler and useful NH sire Frammassone.

James Richardson, CEO of ThoroughBid, said: “Following on from a highly successful September Sale, but coming at the end of a very busy autumn sales season, we’re delighted to have attracted another exciting catalogue of thoroughbreds.

“Having sold the likes of Belfast Banter, Itchy Feet and Maskada, it’s great to have another proven high-class individual like Jon Snow in the sale. He’s still only seven and I’d imagine he’ll attract plenty of attention when the bidding begins at 9am on Friday.

“Following on from the dispersal of Beswick Brothers Bloodstock back in September, it’s also great to have Thomas Green utilising our platform as the place to restructure his racing interests. Green has a host of exciting horses going under the online hammer, including young NH stock by the likes of Walk In The Park and Soldier Of Fortune.”

Bidding runs from 9am-12pm this Friday, November 18th.

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