Caldwell Potter stars in shock Caldwell Construction dispersal at Tattersalls Ireland

Tattersalls Ireland has confirmed that the shock Caldwell Construction dispersal, starring Grade 1 Future Champions' Novice Hurdle winner Caldwell Potter, will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, February 5.

Confirming the date for the sale, Simon Kerins, CEO of Tattersalls Ireland said: "We are delighted and privileged to be selling these horses for Andy and Gemma Brown; it is an extraordinary group of horses headed up by Caldwell Potter. 

"The sale will take place on February 5, the day after the Dublin Racing Festival, with viewing at Tattersalls Ireland in the morning and the sale commences at 3pm. There are 29 horses to be sold with ten of them holding entries at the Cheltenham Festival."

The quality of horses to come under the hammer is unprecedented in a sale of this nature and reflects the level of success that Andrew and Gemma Brown have enjoyed with Gordon Elliott in just three seasons.

In addition to Caldwell Potter, who was a leading fancy for next weekend's Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival prior to the astonishing announcement that the Browns were quitting the sport, there are a number of Graded winners among the draft. 

They include Jazzy Matty who was the first Cheltenham Festival winner in the Caldwell Construction silks when successful in last year's Boodles Handicap Hurdle.

Grade 2 winners Fil Dor and Pied Piper, who were second and third behind Vauban in the 2022 Triumph Hurdle, are also due to come under the hammer, along with Grade 3 winner Sa Fureur and Chemical Energy who was second in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last March.

"It's an amazing opportunity and to see horses like this coming to the market is unprecedented," Kerins agreed.

Fil Dor: another star lot from the Caldwell Construction DispersalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"You have Caldwell Potter, who is a full-brother to a Grade 1 winner in addition to being a Grade 1 winner and a genuine Grade 1 contender at Cheltenham, Jazzy Matty is a Cheltenham Festival winner from last year, Fil Dor who is a Grade 2 winner and placed in a Grade 1; it's an extraordinary group of horses and we are thrilled and delighted to be given the opportunity to sell them."

Staffordshire Knot was third to subsequent Grade 1 winner Readin' Tommy Wrong on debut in November but has gone on to win his bumper and maiden hurdle in his two runs since then. That hurdles success at Down Royal last Tuesday looks set to be the final winner to carry the Caldwell Construction silks as none of the horses will race prior to the sale.

In addition to the horses in training withy Gordon Elliott, those yet to race under rules will all be sold and these include Jasette D'Irlande who was purchased for £150,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale last March, having won a four-year-old maiden at Lingstown on debut for Rob James.

The unraced stock include four-year-old Caldwell Boom, a Buck's Boum grandson of Theatre Girl, and an unnamed Yeats full-brother to Grade 1 Marsh Novices' Chase and Mildmay Novices' Chase winner Chantry House.

In common with all of the Caldwell Construction horses, including Caldwell Potter and his star-crossed brother, the quadruple Grade 1 winner Mighty Potter, he was purchased by bloodstock agent Joey Logan and Kerins said the calibre of horses assembled was a tribute to Logan's eye.

"It is such a quality group of horses and you have to give credit to Joey Logan for buying such an amazing group of horses in what is a reasonably short time, it is a testament to him that he has bought such good horses," Kerins said.

Pied Piper: smart hurdler is another potential highlight of the saleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The announcement on Thursday night that Tattersalls Ireland was to stage the sale sent shockwaves through the sport, but Kerins and his team were unfazed by the scale of the task facing them and the speed with which it had to be achieved.

He commented: "There is a can-do attitude in Ireland to getting things done and of course it was a surprise to get the call but our only thought process was 'let's make it happen'."

The sale is certain to command huge attention, given that something of this nature it is unparalleled in recent bloodstock history. Kerins is excited about the prospect of selling this draft of concentrated class.

"The younger horse with potential always correlates to someone's dream of having a nice horse at Cheltenham but in this catalogue you have a Cheltenham winner, a Grade 1 winner, Cheltenham performers, and multiple Graded winners with Cheltenham entries. The potential that these horses have is enormous."

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