Tattersalls Purchases Dominate On Eve Of October Book 1

Craven Breeze Up Sale Topper VANDEEK winning the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes
Craven Breeze Up Sale Topper VANDEEK winning the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes

Three Group 1 Winners and Two Group 2 Winners on Extraordinary Day

Tattersalls purchases enjoyed a day of extraordinary Group race domination in England and France with VANDEEK, SEA SILK ROAD and TRUESHAN all scoring at the highest level and GHOSTWRITER and POKER FACE both winning prestigious Group 2 contests.

The unbeaten Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up sale topper VANDEEK stamped himself as an outstanding talent with a breathtaking display in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. Now the winner of two Group 1 races and a Group 2 from his four starts to date, the Simon and Ed Crisford trained son of HAVANA GREY was purchased for 625,000 guineas by Anthony Stroud on behalf of Bahraini based KHK Racing from Roderick Kavanagh’s Glending Stables. Originally sold at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale from breeder Kelly Thomas’ Maywood Stud for 52,000 guineas, VANDEEK was subsequently purchased by Roderick Kavanagh for 42,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale before his sale-topping exploits at the Craven Breeze Up.

Tattersalls graduates also dominated the Group 1 action in France with Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase SEA SILK ROAD adding to a memorable day for the Kavanagh family when landing the Group 1 Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp. The William Haggas trained daughter of SEA THE STARS was bought for 190,000 guineas by her owners Sunderland Holdings from Peter and Antoinette Kavanagh’s Kildaragh Stud at Book 1 of the 2020 October Yearling Sale and they consign her own sister as lot 5 on Tuesday 3rd October, the opening day of Book 1 of the eagerly awaited Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

SEA SILK ROAD’s emphatic Group 1 win followed yet another outstanding staying performance from the evergreen seven year old TRUESHAN who won the Group 1 Prix du Cadran for the second time under regular jockey Hollie Doyle. Now the winner of three Group 1 races, four Group 2 races and £1,800,000 in prize money the Alan King trained son of PLANTEUR was purchased by his trainer and Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock for 31,000 guineas at the 2018 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale from Thomond O’Mara’s Knockanglass Stables.

The Group 1 winning trio were supported by an exciting Group 2 winning duo in the shape of unbeaten two year old GHOSTWRITER and the fast improving four year old POKER FACE. The Clive Cox trained GHOSTWRITER landed the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes in convincing fashion to give his enthusiastic owner Jeff Smith plenty to look forward to as the son of INVINCIBLE SPIRIT earned himself quotes of 16-1 for the Derby with his third win from as many starts. Purchased for 100,000 guineas by Littleton Stud manager David Bowe on behalf of Jeff Smith, GHOSTWRITER was consigned to the Tattersalls December Foal Sale by Norelands Stud. 

Completing the extraordinary quintet of Tattersalls Group 1 and 2 winners was the four-year-old gelding POKER FACE who was another triumph for trainers Simon and Ed Crisford when comfortably winning the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein. Owned by Edward Ware, the son of FASTNET ROCK was purchased from Marlhill House Stud for 95,000 guineas at Book 1 of the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by Richard Frisby and his own sister coming from Marlhill House Stud is catalogued as lot 724 in Book 2 of the forthcoming October Yearling Sale.