Invincible Warrior Tops Second Day Of Autumn Hit Sale At 370,000 Guineas

INVINCIBLE WARRIOR, winner of a Listed race at Doncaster on Saturday topped proceedings on the second day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training at 370,000 guineas as trade continued in robust fashion. The second day saw a total of 248 lots sold for 6,734,800 guineas, at an average of 27,156 guineas and a median of 14,000 guineas, figures that represented rises of 8%, 8% and 17% on the comparative session in 2011.

An impressive victory in a Maiden at Kempton in late September by INVINCIBLE WARRIOR would have caught the attention of plenty of potential buyers perusing the Autumn Horses in Training catalogue. That interest would have been piqued after he followed up with an equally impressive win in the Listed Doncaster Stakes on Saturday which earned 2,000 Guineas quotes of 33-1.

Owned and bred by Car Colston Hall Stud, breeders of this year's dual Group 1 winner Reckless Abandon, INVINCIBLE WARRIOR was knocked down to SackvilleDonald’s Alastair Donald for 370,000 guineas after he saw off Californian trainer Jim Cassidy and David Redvers to secure the son of INVINCIBLE SPIRIT.

"He's been bought for Hong Kong and goes into training with John Moore," reported Donald. "We had our eye this horse after he won his maiden impressively, but then obviously his Listed victory changed the picture considerably.

"He'll go into the next quarantine and will ship in December, but he will probably not run until May."

The Richard Hannon-trained JACOB CATS looked a progressive sort when winning a handicap at Newmarket off 92 last month and it was no surprise that there was plenty of interest in the three-year-old son of DUTCH ART. Anthony Stroud, Alastair Donald and Stuart Boman all signaled their interest in the colt, but had to defer to David Redvers who secured the colt for 240,000 guineas on behalf of Sheikh Fahad.

"This horse was Sheikh Fahad's pick of the sale and he particularly liked the horse's last run," said Redvers.

"He will have a break now at the National Stud, and then we will make some plans. He could possibly go to Dubai and race for their good prize-money.

"He looks a progressive type."

Leading owner Andrew Tinkler celebrated his first Group 1 winner in the Irish St Leger recently with ROYAL DIAMOND, a horse he had purchased at the 2009 renewal of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale. Three years on and Tinkler was celebrating success as a seller, being the vendor of RULE BOOK who was knocked down to Stephen Hillen for 230,000 guineas.

"He's been bought for Highclere and will be syndicated, I expect," said Hillen after fighting off Johnny McKeever to secure the son of AUSSIE RULES. "I went slightly over budget, but he has very good collateral form, wants fast ground and was one of my two picks of the sale. I didn't think we'd get him.

"Hopefully, he could make up into a Melbourne Cup type for next year."

Hillen is heading out on Thursday to this year's Melbourne Cup to watch MOUNT ATHOS run in the "race that stops a nation". Hillen bought the son of MONTJEU, winner of the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes in August, for owner Dr Marwan Koukash at this sale in 2010 for 190,000 guineas.

"I put some horses up to Highclere before and for one reason and another didn't get them, but bought INETROBIL for them - she finished second at Ascot and sold yesterday for 62,000gns. It is a great organisation to be involved with.

"I put a lot of work into this sale," said Hillen as he showed reams of notes and lists of horses.

"I start off with a very long list, it's like being a private investigator!"

The consignment from Sir Mark Prescott’s Heath House Stables are always a highlight of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale and this year’s draft was no exception with the 21 lots sold realising a total of 923,200 guineas. The top-priced of those lots was the MOTIVATOR four-year-old MOTIVADO who was knocked down to Charlie Egerton for 200,000 guineas. Egerton, who defeated West Country trainer Colin Tizzard, bought the 103-rated horse on behalf of Australian trainer David Hayes.

"He's a lovely horse," said Egerton of the horse who finished fourth in both the Cesarewitch and the Ebor this summer. "It's been difficult to buy this week. He'll ship shortly, and hopefully he'll make up into a Cup horse, though there are plenty of other races out there for him too."

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues at 9.30am on Wednesday, October 31.