Laafy Tops Final Day of Tattersalls July Sale
The Tattersalls July Sale came to a close with continued vibrant trade which saw a further two lots sell for 100,000 guineas or more and a remarkable clearance rate of 98%. The turnover of 12,301,300 guineas is the fourth highest in the sales history whilst the median was a record equalling 12,000 guineas.
Laafy to Mark Campion for 105,000 Guineas
LAAFY, a five-year-old gelding by NOBLE MISSION from the Freemason Lodge Stables draft of Sir Michael Stoute, was the top price on the final day of the Tattersalls July Sale, realising 105,000 guineas to the bid of trainer Mark Campion.
Campion, who was stood with his son Arthur, selected the five-year-old as a jumping prospect.
"He is a very nice horse. Arthur spotted him and said 'Dad you need to come and look at this horse'. He is going jumping and is a very nicely rated horse, he has plenty of ability. We will get him home, the team can take a look at him and we'll make a decision about what to do next, see how he settles in. He is a lovely big horse and we have a small team to own him," said Campion Snr.
LAAFY was offered with a Timeform rating of 113. Through his career he has won four races on all sorts of ground and over distances ranging from 1m2f to 1m6f. He has prize-money earnings of £77,666.
Tuer Secures King Triton for 100,000 Guineas
The promising KING TRITON, who had a Timeform rating of 88p, attracted spirited competition with the winning bid of 100,000 guineas struck by trainer Grant Tuer.
The well-bred gelding is by INVINCIBLE SPIRIT out of NADA, an unraced half-sister to DUBAWI. The three-year-old was consigned by Roger Varian’s Carlburg Stables and has now run three times, winning in good style on his most recent start in a mile maiden at Thirsk.
"He has been bought for owner Edward Ware," revealed Tuer. "I had a horse for him earlier this season, we won a couple and sold him on and this is to replace him. I liked the form of King Triton's maiden win, it has worked out well. Hopefully we can progress into some nice mile and 1m2f races this summer. We will probably try and go to the Ebor meeting, there’s a mile handicap for three-year-olds."
Williams Strikes for Cap Francais
The Ed Walker trained CAP FRANCAIS provided another highlight of the final session when knocked down to Richard Ryan and Ian Williams for 88,000 guineas. CAP FRANCAIS is not the first son of FRANKEL the trainer has sourced in the Tattersalls sales ring and he commented:
"We have been very fortunate with a Frankel who came from a Tattersalls horses in training sale, The Grand Visir. We love the stallion as does everybody!
"He is a horse who has had a good break after coming back from Dubai and looks set to be competitive in a lot of the winter festivals abroad. He could possibly go jumping next spring. He is rated 100 and he is capable of running to that level, he should be fun. We now just need to find the right client for the horse," smiled Williams, having bought the five-year-old gelding ‘on spec’.
Runner up in the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom, CAP FRANCAIS won last June off a mark of 95 and subsequently placed twice in competitive handicaps at Ascot over a mile before running three times in Meydan, finishing fourth last time out. He was offered with a Timeform rating of 107.
Chairman's Statement
At the conclusion of the 2021 Tattersalls July Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“The Tattersalls July Sale has long been recognised as Europe’s premier midsummer sale and this week's impressive set of figures have yet again confirmed its status. Perhaps more importantly than figures alone, it has also been a sale with a real sense of business returning to something resembling normality. We cannot make meaningful comparisons with last year’s abbreviated and COVID - ravaged July Sale, but this year’s sale has produced a level of trade that compares very favourably with both the 2019 and 2018 renewals and crucially has yet again achieved a remarkable clearance rate in excess of 90%.
“Even in a sale of genuinely vibrant trade from start to finish the penultimate session stood out with an extraordinary 100% clearance rate driven by strong domestic demand mixed with the sort of international participation which has been so encouraging considering the widespread travel restrictions which are still in place. Significant consignments from some of the world’s leading owner/breeders including Godolphin, Juddmonte Farms and Shadwell Estates have been as popular as ever and buyers from all over the world have continued to make full use of the Tattersalls live internet bidding platform as well as telephone bidding through our team on the ground. All the signs now suggest that we can look forward to returning almost to normal for the forthcoming Tattersalls August Sale and for the market - leading Tattersalls yearling sales which begin at Park Paddocks with the new Somerville Yearling Sale on September 7th."