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2003 AUTUMN HORSES IN TRAINING SALE
DAY 3 PRESS STATEMENT

NEW RECORDS SET AT TATTERSALLS AUTUMN HORSES IN TRAINING SALE

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale reached new heights on the third day as 212 horses were sold for 4,630,000 guineas, taking the three day total to 12,708,300 guineas, surpassing last year's record aggregate of 12,046,500 guineas with another full day and 324 catalogued lots still to come. The average on the third day of 21,840 guineas represented a rise of 24% on last year's corresponding session whilst the median rose 11% to 12,250 guineas.

DAY 3 COMPARISON

Year
Catalogued
Offered
Sold
Aggregate
Average
Median
2003
326
343
212
4,630,000
21,840
12,250
2002
366
279
241
4,243,100
17,606
11,000

The consignment from Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms is invariably a highlight of the Horses in Training Sale and this year's draft proved no exception as the 40 lots offered were sold for 1,477,000 guineas, filling three of the top four lots sold during the day. The highlight of the group proved to be the three year old colt ASTRONOMIC who was purchased by County Durham based National Hunt trainer Howard Johnson for 190,000 guineas. Following initial interest from agent Tim Corby it was local bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever, seated with Californian trainer Wally Dollase and Johnson who went head to head for the recent Maison-Lafitte winner. The former Andre Fabre trained colt is a half-brother to Group 2 winner MEDIA NOX, dam of this season's dual Group 1 winning filly NEBRASKA TORNADO. By ZAFONIC out of the NIJINSKY mare SKY LOVE, ASTRONOMIC is set to continue his career over hurdles.


LOT 819: ASTRONOMIC

Purchased by Mr J.H. Johnson for 190,000 guineas

The second highest price for the day was for another Juddmonte consigned colt as the three year old SALCOMBE was sold for 170,000 guineas to the bid of Johnny McKeever. Kern/Lillingston Association's Alastair Donald and Newmarket based trainer Gerard Butler had made most of the running before the McKeever St. Lawrence frontman entered proceeding's, eventually making the winning bid on behalf of the prevoiusly thwarted Dollase, with whom he was seated. SALCOMBE, a son of ELMAAMUL out of the GONE WEST mare WEST DEVON, was a high class winning two year old with his best performance being a close up fourth in last year's Group 2 Champagne Stakes, and indicated his current wellbeing finishing fourth in a competitive handicap at Newbury only days ago.


LOT 802: SALCOMBE

Purchased by McKeever St. Lawrence for 170,000 guineas


Earlier proceeding's had proved fustrating for Dollase who had also been underbidder on SO WILL I, the winning two year old INCHINOR colt consigned from Marcus Tregonning's Kingwood House Stables. The colt, out of the PETONG mare FUR WILL FLY lost his maiden status when winning at Newbury last Friday on his second start. Angus Gold, racing manager for Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estates made the winning bid and indicated that the colt would stay with Tregonning at his Lambourn base.

© TATTERSALLS 2003