Third time lucky for 350,000gns Inverleigh at final July Sale session

Trade proved strong from start to finish at this year's Tattersalls July Sale, as Friday's concluding session saw a 95 per cent clearance rate and was topped by the Listed-winning Inverleigh, who went the way of Jono Mills, acting on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock, at 350,000gns.

The three-year-old was offered by co-owner Michael Downey, having been trained by Ger Lyons to see off The Irish Rover in the Committed Stakes at Navan on his seasonal reappearance. The son of Excelebration was last seen finishing runner-up behind Flight Risk in the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes.

Mills, who saw off a determined underbidder in trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash, said his purchase would now continue his racing career in Dubai.

View full Tattersalls July Sale results and stats

It was a case of third time lucky for Downey, who owned Inverleigh in partnership with Kildaragh Stud's Peter and Antoinette Kavanagh, as his progressive youngster had missed two previous engagements with the auctioneer.

"It's been a long love affair!" said Peter Kavanagh before Downey took up the tale.

"I bought him at Goffs as a foal with Peter," explained Downey. "For various reasons he didn't make the yearling sales so we decided to breeze him. Roderic, Peter's son, thought a lot of him but unfortunately he didn't breeze very well so we took the decision to retain him.

"After that we gave him to Ger Lyons and he's done a very good job with him. He's a very good horse, he's only had six runs and he's only been out of the first three on one occasion."

Jono Mills: buyer of session-topper InverleighCredit: Laura Green

Having brought a Group-race update to the Park Paddocks ring, Downey said he had always been confident of a productive sale with Inverleigh.

"I thought he'd sell well, he was second in a Group 3 on his last run and his form is strong; he's only run outside of stakes company once. I thought I'd leave some mileage in the tank and give someone else a chance with him at this stage of the year," said Downey, who added that there were no regrets about parting with such a progressive performer.

"As we're traders we're always happy to trade. A lot of credit has to go to Roderic as he always told us he was a good horse."

TATTERSALLS JULY SALE DAY THREE STATS

Lots offered 169
Sold 160 (95 per cent)
Aggregate 4,071,700gns (up 28 per cent year-on-year)
Average 25,448gns (up 46 per cent)
Median 13,000gns (up 30 per cent)

Show goes on with St Lawrence

The final wildcard offering at the July Sale was the upwardly mobile New Show. Mags O'Toole and Oliver St Lawrence locked horns over the well-related son of New Approach, and a bid of 130,000gns delivered from beneath the bidders' area to the left of the rostrum saw the latter win out.

"He's for Fawzi Nass and will go to Bahrain," said St Lawrence. "He's a lovely looking horse and looks straightforward. We've got five for Bahrain this week and they'll ship straight away."

This is the second successive year New Show has appeared at the July Sale, though he failed to sell at 140,000gns when offered by Kevin Ryan 12 months ago.

The four-year-old, the second foal of 2010 Falmouth Stakes heroine Music Show, then reappeared for Michael Bell, for whom he won twice, including on his most recent start in a Catterick handicap over 1m4f.

Harley counts on Calabash

Another six-figure lot heading to foreign shores was Count Calabash, who was knocked down to Paul Harley at 100,000gns.

A six-time winner, Count Calabash developed into a smart middle-distance performer for Eve Johnson Houghton, and achieved a career-high rating of 109 for a six-length success in a class two handicap at Kempton in February.

The son of Big Bad Bob will now join Abdul Rahman Fahd Al Bawardi's Emblem Stables.

"He's for Emblem Stables," said Harley. "He's a five-year-old, which was something to consider, but he's so highly rated on the all-weather that he has a chance of becoming a top-class horse in Saudi Arabia. We paid a little more than expected but he came very highly recommended by Eve."

Figures on fire

The three-day July Sale served up strong trade right from the off, and a set of across-the-board gains in key market metrics perfectly illustrated the sheer level of demand, much of which came from overseas parties.

Unquestionably the most impressive market indicator was the clearance rate, which closed at 93 per cent after 535 of 578 lots offered over the three days found a buyer.

In turn, those transactions pushed the aggregate up to 12,748,800gns - an increase of six per cent compared to 2018's results - with the average of 23,830gns up 11 per cent year-on-year and the median of 12,000gns up 20 per cent on the 10,000gns recorded last year.

At the close of trade, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: "This has been another strong renewal of the Tattersalls July Sale. Two lots selling for more than 400,000gns for the first time at this fixture, a record July price for a filly in training and improved figures in all the key indicators of turnover, average, median and clearance rate are about as many positives as one could wish for.

"As is so often the case at Tattersalls, the most obvious features have been the depth to the trade and the uniquely international cast of buyers all of whom have contributed to the extraordinary clearance rate of 93 per cent.

"Domestic British and Irish buyers have been prominent and every sector of the market has been further boosted by international demand, which has included the sale topping 450,000gns three-year-old colt New King, who was purchased by leading Australian-based bloodstock agent James Harron, the prolific buying of our loyal buyers from the Gulf region and a particularly strong contingent of buyers from Greece.

Edmond Mahony: 'The most obvious features have been the depth to the trade and the uniquely international cast of buyers'Credit: Laura Green

"There have been buyers at Park Paddocks this week from more than 30 different countries and it is a source of pride that many of them would view Tattersalls as their primary, if not only source of thoroughbreds year after year.

"We are constantly travelling the world looking to explore new markets or expand existing ones and sales like this year's July Sale suggest that the Tattersalls brand is as strong as ever and that the July Sale remains firmly established as Europe's premier midsummer sale."

More Tattersalls July Sale reports:

James Harron is the new king of the ring after landing 450,000gns top lot

Strong international trade continues on day two of July Sale

Mick Flanagan buys July Sale session-topper At Last for 420,000gns