'He's very much on the up' - Jubilee Walk with Bahrain targets after 220,000gns sale at Tattersalls

Lucrative races in the Middle East were high on buyers’ minds during the third and final session of the Tattersalls July Sale.

Jubilee Walk has developed into a smart sprinter for James Ferguson, and has carried the China Horse Club colours to three victories from six starts. He shed his maiden on his final start at two and won his first two handicaps at three.

His latest win came in a competitive York contest over five furlongs, an effort that was given a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 106. The colt will continue to sport the red and yellow-starred silks of the China Horse Club after the organisation went to 220,000gns to buy out their partners, Qatar Racing. 

“He’ll stay with James and we’re going to target Bahrain,” said China Horse Club representative Matt Houldsworth. 

“We’ll take him around the Middle East and perhaps we’ll go to Dubai as well. We haven’t had runners in Bahrain before but it’s something we’re keen to do as it’s an emerging part of the world. We thought this horse fitted the profile nicely as he’s very much on the up.” 

Although Jubilee Walk has developed into a talented sprinter, his sire’s profile screams Classic influence as he is by Study Of Man, the Prix du Jockey Club winner by Deep Impact who now calls Lanwades Stud home. 

It would appear Jubilee Walk has inherited his latent speed from his dam Starlit Sands, a daughter of Oasis Dream who finished second in the Queen Mary Stakes and later won the Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg. This lineage makes Jubilee Walk a half-brother to Seychelloise, dam of Kirsten Rausing’s three-time Group 2 scorer Sandrine. 

Jubilee Walk has been to the sales on one other occasion, with China Horse Club and Qatar Racing signing the €185,000 ticket at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2022. He was offered on Thursday by Jamie Railton, whose consignment sold 19 lots across the three days for receipts worth 821,000gns. 

Another for Al Mohamediya

It could be a big weekend for Al Mohamediya Racing, with the owner’s upwardly mobile Jasour set to contest the July Cup tomorrow. Sheikh Sultan Aldeen MS Al-Khalifa added to his string on Thursday morning when bidding 180,000gns for Ballygallon Stud’s Soldier's Empire. 

The three-year-old son of Bated Breath won one of six starts for Ger Lyons and ran to an RPR of 92 in his latest starts in handicaps at the Curragh and Gowran Park. His victory came over a mile at Dundalk on his final start at two. 

Soldier's Empire: went to HH Sheikh Sultan Aldeen MS Al-Khalifa for 180,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

“He’s been bought for Al Mohamediya Racing,” said the owner’s representative Ali Majeed. “He’ll go to Bahrain. He’s a serious horse so perhaps he could go to races like the Crown Prince's Cup and the King’s Cup. 

“He’ll turn four in January and I think those older horses tend to perform better in Bahrain. I think he’ll improve with time so he’ll have a break now, then we’ll send him to Bahrain.” 

Soldier's Empire was making his second appearance at public auction having previously been retained by his breeder at €170,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2022. 

Libya buyers load up

The strength of Libyan buyers has been a theme of this year’s July Sale, and that trend peaked when bloodstock agent Alessandro Marconi went to 175,000gns for recent winner Swindon.

The three-year-old colt doubled his tally for William Haggas when winning a Sandown handicap on the Coral-Eclipse card last Saturday. 

“I’m buying this horse for a Libyan syndicate called Sky Racing,” said a representative identified only as Ali. 

“This syndicate is organising races in Libya and has many horses in Libya and Dubai. Perhaps the next step will be to enter the European races, so with this horse we hope to go to Dubai this season and next year perhaps we’ll run him in Britain or France. We have two trainers in Dubai, Doug Watson and Ahmad bin Harmash.”

Swindon: Sky Racing capture for 175,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

He added: “We have a big race in Libya on October 27, which is being organised by the National Equestrian and Shooting Club of Libya. We would like to promote the horse industry in Libya so the owners of the syndicate are pushing hard to improve the standard there. Hopefully this horse can be a flagbearer.” 

Swindon, a son of Wootton Bassett, has been to the sales on two other occasions. He first cost Anna Calder €45,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale before Armando Duarte went to 85,000gns on behalf of MM Stables at last year’s Craven Breeze-Up Sale. 

“We’ve been trying to buy for three days and kept hitting the bar,” added Marconi. “In the end we’ve been able to score, like the England team last night!” 

The Libyan impact was felt earlier in the evening session when owner Omar Esmil Ghrghar outbid Ian Williams at 130,000gns to secure wildcard entry The Camden Colt.

The three-year-old son of Footstepsinthesand was offered by Baroda Stud having won one of 11 starts for Richard Hannon. He reached a peak RPR of 95 when runner-up on his seasonal reappearance in a Newmarket handicap over a mile. 

The Camden Colt: acquired by Omar Esmil Ghrghar for 130,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

“He's going to Dubai and into training with Bhupat Seemar,” said Ghrghar, who indicated his purchase could race in France before heading to the Middle East. “He really likes this horse.” 

The Camden Colt’s third appearance in the ring was comfortably his most successful. He first fetched €22,000 as a foal when signed for by RJ Limited, before Peter and Ross Doyle went to €50,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.  

Ghrghar signed for four lots for a combined investment of 417,000gns, making him the leading buyer by aggregate spend.

Bahrain ambitions for Boyle’s new recruit

Jim Boyle’s Epsom stable has a welcome newcomer after Ross Doyle bid 100,000gns for Son Of Man. The three-year-old ran seven times for Jane Chapple-Hyam and made a winning debut in a Yarmouth novice stakes over six furlongs at two. 

He showed better form in defeat, including this season. His most noteworthy performance came when third to Orne in the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes last season, an effort that was given an RPR of 96. 

Son Of Man: welcome recruit for Jim Boyle's Epsom yard at 100,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

“I’ve bought him for Jim Boyle,” said Doyle. “He has a client who wanted a horse who might be able to travel a bit during the winter and he fitted that profile in terms of form and rating. 

“He’s a very nice physical too and was well turned out by Jane Chapple-Hyam. He looks great for a horse who’s been quite busy.

““He could go to Bahrain hopefully, and possibly elsewhere. The prize-money on offer is a huge attraction and you’d hope he’ll be able to do a bit of damage out there given his form. Jim’s a very good trainer so he’ll get him home, freshen him up and then take it from there. 

“There have been a huge amount of withdrawals [at the sale] so there weren’t many on the list. I’m a little bit surprised we got him, but I’m delighted we have.”

Also recruiting for Bahrain was trainer Fawzi Nass, who bid 100,000gns through Oliver St Lawrence to secure smart sprinter Salvuccio. The three-year-old son of Dutch Art was catalogued as the winner of two races but registered his third success last time out in mid-June.

That Windsor triumph saw Susan Roy’s former colour bearer reach an RPR of 103. 

“He’ll be heading to Bahrain for the Turf Series,” said Nass. “There’s a good programme for the sprinters. There’s at least five races, if not more, for horses rated 85 to 100. There’s some conditions races as well, so hopefully the Bahrain track will suit him.” 

Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, Salvuccio first sold to Fernham Farm for 22,500gns as a foal before George Boughey signed at 62,000gns at Book 2 in 2022. He is out of the winning and Group 3-placed Mayson mare Rosebride, making him a sibling to Ayr Gold Cup and Royal Ascot handicap winner Significantly.  

Williams picks up where Johnson Houghton left off

While many of the day’s purchases have international aims, Stuart Williams was looking much closer to home having secured the useful sprinter Buccabay for 62,000gns. The four-year-old son of Saxon Warrior won three races for Eve Johnson Houghton, and his most recent success saw him hit a peak RPR of 95. 

Buccabay: headed the way of Stuart Williams at 62,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

“He’ll run in the big sprint handicaps in this country,” said Williams. “The owners wanted a Saturday horse and I thought he fitted the bill. There weren’t many here this week of that description so I’m glad I managed to get him. 

“Eve was very complimentary about him and said he’s very straightforward, and obviously he’s been running well. Most by the stallion would get a bit further but he’s a compact sprinting type physically. I’ll try not to change anything that Eve’s been doing because she’s been doing well with him. Hopefully he’ll remain competitive.” 

Buccabay brought almost double what Johnson Houghton and Highflyer Bloodstock paid for him at the September Yearling Sale in 2021, where he fetched £35,000. Williams has a reputation as a shrew buyer of horses-in-training, but admitted this purchase required less imagination than some. 

“I don’t think there’s any clever angles here, Eve’s been doing fantastically well so I won’t be trying to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “I’ll just try and do what she’s been doing.” 

Final figures

The combination of record-breaking trade last year and a smaller catalogue this time around meant turnover was always liable to suffer, an aggregate sales duly fell by 18 per cent to 13,904,200gns. 

The average price dropped by 13 per cent to 25,750gns, while the median was down 27 per cent at 11,000gns, having been 15,000gns in 2023. 

Exactly 600 lots were offered over the three days, 35 fewer (six per cent) than in 2023. From those, 540 found a buyer for a clearance rate of 90 per cent, which is identical to 12 months ago. 

Mahony acknowledges global support

At the conclusion of the July Sale, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony hailed the international nature of trade, saying: “The combination of top-class racing at Newmarket’s July meeting and the quality bloodstock on offer at the Tattersalls July Sale makes this one of the most enjoyable weeks of the European racing and sales calendar and, as ever, Europe’s premier midsummer sale has attracted an extraordinarily diverse crowd of buyers to Park Paddocks.

Edmond Mahony: "One of the most enjoyable weeks of the European racing and sales calendar" Credit: Laura Green

“A smaller catalogue and one perhaps lacking a little of the depth which produced the record-breaking 2023 July Sale has understandably produced a set of figures which have not quite matched the heights of last year. Nevertheless, there has been sustained demand at all levels of the market which has resulted in an enviable clearance rate yet again in excess of 90 per cent and a record-equalling number of horses selling for 250,000gns or more.

“So often we reflect on the sheer number of overseas buyers drawn to sales of this nature at Tattersalls and yet again the international buyers have played a huge part in the success of the past three days. Participation from throughout the Gulf region has been prolific as ever, Australian and New Zealand buyers continue to demonstrate their appetite for quality European middle-distance performers and we have had buyers from throughout Europe, India, Japan, Libya, Turkey and first-time visitors from Indonesia all making significant contributions alongside their British and Irish Flat and National Hunt counterparts."

Mahony added: “We should also recognise the importance of the consistent support we receive from so many of the world’s leading owner-breeders. Regular high-class consignments from the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell are hugely enticing and consistently attract international owners and breeders confident that they will be able to access some of the finest bloodlines to be found anywhere in the world at Tattersalls.”

Read more from the July Sale:

‘Juddmonte blood is very hard to come by’ - regally bred fillies bring 300,000gns as bidders battle it out at Tattersalls 

'I've always loved pedigrees' - former top jockey Brennan gets a piece of the action at Tattersalls 

‘I think she was good value at that price’ - Shanahan steps in at 280,000gns as Whispering Words tops July Sale opener