Sovereign Wealth Tops Opening Day of Tattersalls February Sale at 100,000 Guineas

The Tattersalls February Sale got off to a solid start with the smart three-year-old colt SOVEREIGN WEALTH heading proceedings at 100,000 guineas, one of nine lots to realise in excess of 50,000 guineas.

Sovereign Wealth to Durcan & Blue Blood Racing at 100,000 Guineas

The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls February Sale was the three-year-old colt SOVEREIGN WEALTH, offered by the Castlebridge Consignment and knocked down for 100,000 guineas to bloodstock agent Ted Durcan.

“He is for Blue Blood Racing, the previous owners of Six Speed,” revealed Durcan. “They did extremely well with Six Speed and sold him on, and they were very anxious to reinvest and this horse will be going out to Bhupat Seemar and will race for them.

“The lads had him earmarked, I had him earmarked, he vetted out extremely well, very well bred, very nice and a solid horse. A young horse and now he has been gelded there might be an upside to him. We thought we’d have to go that – he is a young horse and on the upgrade.”

SIX SPEED, a 220,000 guineas Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale purchase by Bhupat Seemar, won the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas on his most recent start.

SOVEREIGN WEALTH was offered with a Timeform rating of 80 after an eight and a half length victory at Wolverhampton and a third placed finish at Lingfield on his two most recent starts in January. The son of FRANKEL is out of CANTON QUEEN, a SHAMARDAL half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner BIG EVS.

Elliott Strikes for Godolphin’s Naval Command at 80,000 Guineas

The second highest priced lot of the session was Godolphin’s unexposed four-year-old NAVAL COMMAND who realised 80,000 guineas to Alex Elliott and Ralph Beckett. The Godolphin draft is a perennial highlight of the February Sale and proved as popular as ever, with 16 lots sold for an aggregate of 355,000 guineas.

“The partners were keen to get a horse to go to war with,” revealed Alex Elliott.

“This horse hasn’t run for a while, but the Godolphin notes said that not a lot had gone wrong, he just had some time off since he ran on some fast ground. He has got a mark, we think we could stretch him out in distance, go for softer ground, and he will suit Ralph’s programme very well. He is a bit of a blank canvas, still a maiden and has potential. If we get a bit more uplift, he could be worth a bit more come October.”

Elliott concluded: “A nice staying horse, he has been bought for a group of partners, but a little on spec as well as there will be some shares available.”

The son of LOPE DE VEGA has run three times, finishing second on his most recent start at Newmarket over a mile. He is a half-brother to the dual St Leger winner ELDAR ELDAROV, one of the stars of the earlier Tattersalls British EBF Stallion Parade. Their dam ALL AT SEA is a Listed winning daughter of Kirsten Rausing’s Champion racemare and outstanding broodmare ALBANOVA.

Porter Set for the Norwegian Derby

PORTER had posted a smart update since catalogue publication when breaking his maiden impressively and the three-year-old proved unsurprisingly popular in the sales ring, with bloodstock agent Walter Buick and Norwegian trainer Are Hyldmo emerging triumphant with a final bid of 75,000 guineas. The twice-raced colt was offered by the Castlebridge Consignment with an official rating of 81.

Buick revealed: “He is going to Norway and will be supplemented for the Norwegian Derby. They have changed the rules, previously horses had to be supplemented before the end of their two-year-old year, but now we have until the end of February so it works out really well for this sale.

“He came recommended from his previous trainer Joseph O’Brien. He will definitely stay the trip, he is the right shape and not overly big, and as some of the tracks are tight we don’t want them too big. He is very well balanced and very sound.

“He is to be trained by Are Hyldmo, who is with me, and he has won the Derby five times already. We have been trying for the last few years to buy another one and it has not quite worked out, hopefully this horse will do the job. He is one for Are’s main owner.”

The son of TOO DARN HOT is out of MEADOW SPRITE, a winning half-sister to 1000 Guineas runner up CLOAK OF SPIRITS from the family of Champion racemare ZOMARADAH, dam of the brilliant DUBAWI.

Tally-Ho Secure Elshaadin for 75,000 Guineas

The Houghton Bloodstock consigned mare ELSHAADIN was just the third lot into the sales ring but realised the joint third highest price of the session at 75,000 guineas when selling to Tally-Ho Stud.

Houghton’s Malcolm Bryson commented: “We are delighted with that. The mare has been with us, and we sold her for Rabbah Bloodstock. She is a lovely mare with a great temperament. She has produced two black-type runners and has a nice filly weanling at home who will be for sale this year.

“She foaled late and only had one cover and did not take, hence why she is empty. She has been bought by a top stallion farm, and there was a very strong underbidder.”

ELSHAADIN is the dam of three winners from five runners, including the Listed winner MOQTARREB and the two-time Group placed KHALOOSY. Her second dam is MAGNIFICENT STYLE, the dam of Champions NATHANIEL, PLAYFUL ACT and GREAT HEAVENS and the Group winners PERCUSSIONIST, ECHOES IN ETERNITY and CHANGING SKIES.

The Tattersalls February Sale continues at 10am on Friday, 6th February.