Tattersalls October Auction Stakes Set to Be Run for £308,855

Night In Vegas wins the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes

Fifteen runners have been declared for this Saturday’s £200,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket Racecourses’ Rowley Mile. The valuable race is open to graduates of the Somerville Yearling Sale as well as Books 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and this year’s runners will compete for an impressive prize fund of £308,855. The average yearling sale price of the runners is just 29,466 guineas.

The talented lineup is headed by Eve Johnson Houghton’s NIGHT IN VEGAS. No stranger to big prize pots, the son of LUCKY VEGA has amassed nearly £430,000 in prize money for owners Kennet Valley Syndicates. He was purchased for 60,000 guineas by Lillingston Bloodstock from Mountarmstrong Stud at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The talented colt most recently struck in the Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes and was also the winner of the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes in August. Furthermore, he placed in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes and finished fifth in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Sam Hoskins, manager of Kennet Valley Racing, explained:

“It’s been an incredible journey since we bought him. He’s taken us to all the big meetings and won a lot of prize money in the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and Weatherbys 2-Y-O Stakes. Anything he produces on Saturday is a bonus, he really doesn’t owe us a penny.”

Emphasizing the importance of sales races, Hoskins elaborated:

“These sales races give smaller connections like us a shot at winning a big pot. They also allow us to sell the dream. We’re lucky to come into this as the top-rated horse, but even those lower rated runners have a chance of picking up great prize money.”

Lambourn based trainer Tom Ward previously won this race in 2023 with WOODHAY WONDER and he is back with WOODHAY WAYFARER in an attempt to repeat the feat for the same connections. The daughter of SPACE BLUES was purchased for 27,000 guineas by her trainer and Stroud Coleman Bloodstock from Mount Coote Stud at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Ward explained:

“Woodhay Wayfarer has done really well over the course of the season. She did her sharpest piece of work last weekend and I am hoping she can pick up some valuable prize money. Sales races are crucial as they allow owners at a lower level to race for big pots. We have thankfully won this race before and will be doing our best again on Saturday.”

Another leading prospect is CHOREOGRAPHY who lines up for Newmarket trainer Michael Bell. The son of NEW BAY was purchased for 40,000 guineas by Alex Elliott from Ballylinch Stud at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Bell commented:

“Choreography was a yearling we liked at Tattersalls, and we have had this race in mind since he won on debut. These big-pot sales races put on by Tattersalls are very good incentives to buy from that particular sale. We have had success in them over the years, and owner Ed Ware has been lucky for me in sales races before. We’re looking forward to lining up.”

Other leading chances include Rebel Racing’s ZIGAZIG AH, a daughter of RAJASINGHE who was second in the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes and the intriguing A BEAR AFFAIR who was an impressive winner of a conditions race at Salisbury yesterday and is set to back up again tomorrow for trainer Richard Hannon.

Book 3 and Book 4 of this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale will take place from the 15^th – 16^th of October. Catalogues are now available online at www.tattersalls.com, as well as from Tattersalls and Tattersalls representatives.