'He's very capable of competing in that arena' - Williams fuels Middle East mission with £120,000 sale-topper

Godolphin’s 15-strong draft supplied the bulk of interest at the Tattersalls Ascot June Sale on Tuesday, where the market was headed by a brace of six-figure lots. 

Leading the way was the smart five-year-old Silent Film, a four-time winner for Charlie Appleby who was last seen finishing third in a Meydan handicap back in February.

Matters boiled down to Tattersalls’ Shirley Anderson-Jolag, taking instructions on the phone by the gangway, and trainer Ian Williams, who wasn’t in attendance at Ascot but lodged his bids online. The latter party won out when the price reached £120,000. 

Plans call for Silent Film to head back to the Middle East, with his new trainer keen to take advantage of the generous purses on offer in the region during the winter months. 

“We’re keen to set up a base in the Middle East this winter to enable our clients to enjoy the advantages of racing there and he’s a horse very capable of competing in that arena,” said Williams, commenting via WhatsApp.

The trainer was also active the last time Godolphin brought a draft to the Ascot ring having spent £346,000 on eight lots, including the £105,000 Parlando and the £100,000 Yantarni, during the March Sale. 

Silent Film ran 14 times for Appleby and has already shown winning form on the international stage having claimed 7f handicaps at Meydan and in Bahrain last year. His best effort on Racing Post Ratings (RPR) came when he achieved a mark of 106 for finishing second to Fresh at Ascot. 

The son of New Approach and the Group 3-winning Dibajj joined the Godolphin ranks in 2019, when he was bought from breeder Deerfield Farm at a cost of 190,000gns at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale. His pedigree received an update just four days ahead of his latest sale as his Roaring Lion half-brother Embesto took his record to two from two for Roger Varian and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum. 

Preceding Silent Film into the ring was Pherenikos, a three-year-old son of Shamardal who has been placed three times from as many starts. The youngster, a half-brother to the star-crossed 2,000 Guineas hero Coroebus, went the way of Qatar-based trainer Hamad Ahmad Al Jehani on an online bid of £43,000. 

Durcan and Moore take Ages

The second six-figure transaction took place just a few lots later when agent Ted Durcan, standing with leading jump jockey Jamie Moore, went to £100,000 for the blue-blooded Through The Ages. The three-year-old son of Golden Horn ran twice in the Godolphin blue, finishing second to Great Bedwyn on his debut at Newcastle, an effort given an RPR of 79, before a third-place finish behind Maasai Mara at Kempton. 

Through The Ages: headed the way of Ted Durcan and Jamie MooreCredit: Debbie Burt

“He’ll go to Gary Moore,” said Durcan. “He loves the sire and he’s been lucky with him before. He’s a lovely big stamp of a horse, he vets well and has loads of scope. I’m sure he’ll be able to run on the Flat and over hurdles. 

"He was a bit of a no-brainer for Gary, he’s the perfect horse for him and there’s loads of options. He’s been bought for an existing client of the yard. Let’s hope he’ll give them some fun.” 

Through The Ages boasts a superb pedigree being the seventh foal out of the blue hen Rumh. The daughter of Monsun has bred six winners and five black-type runners, most notably Yibir, who defeated Broome to claim the Breeders' Cup Turf, and Wild Illusion, a three-time Group 1 winner with victories in the Prix Marcel Boussac, Nassau Stakes and Prix de l’Opera. 

The dam is also responsible for the Listed-winning Really Special, the Group 3-placed Ceratonia and the Listed runner-up Wild Crusade. Moore has won seven races with another son of Golden Horn in Mark Of Gold, who was last seen scoring at Goodwood. 

The Godolphin draft generated receipts totalling £385,500, 42 per cent of June Sale turnover from 14 per cent of sold lots. The operation also offered the fourth-top lot as Ahmed Abdullah Mubarak Al Marzooqi went to £35,000 for Last Tradition, an unraced Dubawi half-brother to champion two-year-old and high-performing stallion Teofilo. 

Turbulent times for Kirby

Trainer Phil Kirby was among those who journeyed to Ascot and the trainer made his 500-mile round trip worthwhile as he returned to his Richmond yard having secured the dual-purpose performer Turbulent Power at £32,000. 

Turbulent Power: took Phil Kirby's eyeCredit: Debbie Burt

The five-year-old daughter of Power was bred and trained by Brian Rothwell and showed ability on the Flat and over jumps, albeit without managing to get her head in front in 26 starts. She changed hands with a peak RPR of 60 on the Flat and 90 over hurdles. Kirby has a fair idea of Turbulent Power’s level of form having sent out Robert Johnson to defeat his new recruit at Catterick and Thirsk in recent weeks. 

“She’s been bought for an owner in the yard who wants to have a bit of fun with a dual-purpose horse,” said Kirby. “She finished second to one of ours a couple of times recently and I think our horse is okay, so hopefully she can be competitive off that mark [officially rated 52]. 

"She goes on any ground so hopefully she’ll give the owner some good days out. I have one to sell later so it’s all worked out well coming down here.” 

Kirby switched roles from buyer to seller later in the session when he offered the winning four-year-old Barneys Gift. The son of the late Johnny Barnes fetched £1,800 from Michael Thomas. 

The priciest store among the mixed catalogue was offered by Doug and Pauline Harkin, whose three-year-old son of Elusive Pimpernel is out of the prolific Popaway. The daughter of Nomadic Way won four times under rules and a further 16 times in point-to-points. An excited Louisa Talbot signed for the youngster at £20,000. 

Brisk trade generated record returns across all key market indices, with turnover, average and median figures all personal bests for the Ascot June Sale. Aggregate sales hit £922,700, a 54 per cent year-on-year increase, while the average rose by 27 per cent to £8,870 and the median was up eight points at £5,000. The clearance rate was 90 per cent as 104 lots sold from 115 offered. 

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