'This thing will be smashing Coolmore up the Ascot straight!' - Clive Washbourn lets rip with 200,000gns Tattersalls top lot

“Two hundred! Show us your money!” bellowed Clive Washbourn as he stood up in the seats to the right of the rostrum and faced down his rival bidders during the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale on Monday.

That 30,000gns increase not only raised the price - and the decibels - inside the Park Paddocks auditorium, it also broke his opposition's spirit as Richard Hannon, who had bid 170,000gns, and Anthony Stroud, responsible for a play of 150,000gns, had no further response. 

That left the ebullient owner free to deploy his signature celebration of “Get in there!” when the hammer fell, which in turn was met by a hearty cheer and a round of applause from those watching on from the packed gangway below. 

The lot in Washbourn’s crosshairs was the Pinatubo colt out of Narak bred by Gigginstown House and offered by Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud. Washbourn was, unsurprisingly, effusive in his praise for the colt as he outlined some punchy ambitions for his purchase. 

“He is the greatest colt in the sale,” said Washbourn. “I love Tatts. This sale is amazing value for money because quite often you get Book 1 rejects. The most important thing is understanding why they’ve been rejected. These Pinatubos look like middleweight fighters - this thing will be smashing Coolmore up the Ascot straight! Boof boof!” 

The colt is the first foal out of Narak, a winning daughter of Dubawi and Chachamaidee, who was awarded the Group 1 Matron Stakes in the stewards’ room. Narak joined the Gigginstown broodmare band at a cost of 430,000gns when the Pinatubo colt was in utero. He had been due to appear at Book 1 last month but was rerouted here having been withdrawn.

“I thought I might not be able to get him because Laura, my lovely girlfriend, was supposed to keep me under control and I lost the plot and bought a Mohaather out of the ether [for 50,000gns] earlier on,” Washbourn continued. “I’m a small, insignificant owner that’s had seven or eight Group winners but I have a brilliant pedigree man, my own rules and a brilliant trainer, who looks at the actual physicals.

The Pinatubo colt bought in spectacular style by Clive WashbournCredit: Alisha Meeder

 "For us, this colt is a four-star rating. He’s as near to Thundering Blue as we’ve ever had. I sent David [Menuisier] up here and he called me to say, ‘God this colt is beautiful’, so that was it. If anyone is going to train this colt to be a Group 1 winner it’s David. I love him - he’s grumpy and probably not user friendly but he’s a real horseman.” 

He added: “This colt was our number one target. I think I probably overpaid as I got a little rush of blood! I could’ve probably got him for less and, to be honest with you, I’ve probably been a complete idiot, but I wanted this horse. When he cruises up and does Coolmore in the Coventry, we won’t worry about the 30 [thousand guineas]! The sales are quite quiet and you might have gathered that I’m quite loud, but I love the theatre of it all.”

There is little wonder that Washbourn’s enthusiasm is up at the moment as he has enjoyed a fine end to the season with his homebred Caius Chorister landing the Group 3 Prix Belle de Nuit and Devil’s Point running second to Ancient Wisdom in the Group 1 Kameko Futurity Trophy Stakes. He also put forward Chelmsford novice winner Louis Quatorze as a horse to follow for next season, adding: “We think he might be better than Sunway and Devil’s Point. We love New Bay.” 

That 200,000gns acquisition capped a day that saw 4,778,200gns change hands, a six per cent increase compared to 2022. The average of 37,330gns was also up by eight per cent, although the median went in the opposite direction by nine points at 20,000gns, having been 22,000gns 12 months ago. The clearance rate was 79 per cent as 128 sold from 162 offered.

Washbourn may have started a new sales ring trend as Tony Elliott, founder of Rogue Gallery Racing, let out his own “Get in there my son!” when he secured Chasemore Farm's Dubawi colt out of Nyaleti for 130,000gns alongside Billy Jackson Stops later in the session.

Big buy for Big Evs team

The team behind Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero Big Evs added another exciting prospect to their growing squad when Conor Quirke, bloodstock agent to RP Racing, went to 175,000gns for the Mohaather colt out of the Listed-placed No Nay Never mare JM Jackson. 

The colt, who was bred by Ringfort Stud and The Ladies, was another who had been scheduled to appear at a blue-chip auction in the autumn having been withdrawn from the Goffs Orby Sale. 

“He stands out here,” said Quirke. “I know it wasn’t the intention to be here, but it’s worked out and hopefully it’ll work out for everybody involved. He’s a very nice horse out of a fast two-year-old. There’s a lot of No Nay Never about him and I think he’ll be sharp. The stock by the stallion look to be the business too. He’s for RP Racing and he’ll go to Mick Appleby.” 

Conor Quirke was back searching for another Big EvsCredit: Alisha Meeder

The colt became the most expensive member of Mohaather’s debut crop, which was conceived at Shadwell’s Nunnery Stud at a fee of £20,000. The Sussex Stakes-winning son of Showcasing will stand 2024 at a fee of £12,500 at Shadwell’s new stallion base at Beech House Stud. 

Quirke added: “Hopefully Big Evs isn’t the horse of a lifetime as we’re trying to find the next one. To dance every dance and to get up off the canvas from the Nunthorpe and deliver two of his best performances leaves us very excited about next year. Fair play to the owners, they’re getting stuck in and restocking for next year. I’m very grateful for the opportunity so hopefully these horses deliver on the track.” 

Tropbeau sibling stars

Richard Hannon made a determined play to land the Showcasing colt who led the market during the afternoon stanza, going as far as giving his bloodstock agent Ross Doyle a dig in the ribs to encourage another bid during the business end of proceedings.

However, the Hannon-Doyle axis had to give best when Anthony Stroud, standing behind the partition on the opposite side of the gangway, pushed the price to 170,000gns. 

 Offered by Folland-Bowen Bloodstock, which is based at Lord Alastair Margadale’s Fonthill Stud, the colt is out of the talented producer Frangipanni. This breeding makes the colt a brother to Tropbeau, winner of the Group 2 Prix du Calvados and runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest for Andre Fabre and Lady Bamford. 

The six-figure youngster is set to follow a similar path to his sibling, as Stroud said: “He’s going into training with Andre Fabre for an old, undisclosed client of mine. Andre trained Tropbeau so he knows the family. He likes Showcasing too and I think this colt will be another early sort. He was bred by Fonthill Stud, which is a very good nursery, and he’s a very athletic horse. I really liked him, although I think that was my last bid.” 

Folland-Bowen Bloodstock and Fonthill Stud's Showcasing colt out of Frangipanni commands attention during the Tattersalls December Yearling SaleCredit: Alisha Meeder

Stroud was also responsible for signing for Frangipanni at the 2014 July Sale, where the two-time winning daughter of Dansili was bought from Lady Rothschild at 78,000gns.

The exploits of Tropbeau have given a boost to the mare’s subsequent progeny, with her Postponed colt bringing 280,000gns from Stroud Coleman Bloodstock in 2019 while her Dubawi colt was signed for by John Dance’s Manor House Farm at 1,000,000gns at Book 1 last year. Named Twisting Physics, the seven-figure youngster remains unraced. 

Reflecting on Monday’s transaction, Lord Margadale said: “We’re over the moon. If he’d been a filly he wouldn’t have been here but the only filly she’s ever had is Tropbeau. This colt has always been a lovely horse from the word go. It was great that the mare produced another fantastic foal by Showcasing. 

"She’s had a year out from breeding but she’s actually going to another Whitsbury Manor stallion next year because she’s going to Havana Grey. Pace is obviously her thing. This colt is a little bit smaller than Tropbeau was but he’s slightly sharper looking.” 

The breeder added: “People told me he was one of the two nicest horses in the sale, but I wouldn’t know because obviously he would be the apple of my eye. I was hoping for around the 150,000gns mark.” 

Lord Margadale was joined by his brother Hughie Morrison, who helped complete a productive afternoon for the family when the homebred Secret Squirrel ran out an impressive winner on hurdling debut at Kempton. Lord Margadale added: “He looks like a really exciting novice hurdler. 

"Sadly I’m not involved in that horse but one day it would be nice if I can afford to keep a colt like this as I long for Hughie to be able to train one for me.”

Mystery buyer makes a mark

Three of the day’s big ticket lots were knocked down to a buyer signing as Agrolexica International Trading for a combined spend of 370,000gns. The representative on the ground, Ananios Antoniadis, declined to comment on the purchases other than to say the aim was to race the horses in Europe, although he did not specify where or with which trainer. 

First a Justify filly out of The Girl Herself consigned by Barton Stud brought 110,000gns. The six-figure youngster is the first foal out of the American Pharoah half-sister to Circular Quay, who beat none other than Scat Daddy to land the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in 2006. 

The filly was making her second appearance on the public market in recent months having been led out of the Keeneland September Sale unsold at $55,000. The Girl Herself, who carried the Michael Tabor silks on her only start while under the care of Todd Pletcher, also came under the hammer recently having sold to Walmac Farm for $225,000 during the Keeneland November Sale. 

A short while later Agrolexica International Trading signed at 125,000gns when The Castlebridge Consignment presented the Frankel colt out of Beauty Is Truth. The dam, the winner of the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene during her time on the track, has achieved so much at paddocks that the first generation of this colt’s pedigree took up almost the entire catalogue page. 

Ananios Antoniadis was tight-lipped about the destination of the yearlings he signed forCredit: Alisha Meeder

The dam has bred six successful sons and daughters, most notably Hydrangea, winner of the Matron Stakes and the Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes, Anglo-Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Hermosa, and Australian Group 1 winner The United States who struck in the Ranvet Stakes and now stands at Moutonshoek Stud in South Africa. The Coolmore-bred yearling is closely related to that trio of top-level winners, who are all by Frankel’s sire, Galileo. 

Agrolexica International Trading, who also underbid the 125,000gns Galileo colt out of Manderley, completed the day’s activities by going to 135,000gns for the Sea The Stars filly out of Nectar De Rose from Mount Coote Stud. 

Bred by the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings, the filly is a sibling to two winners and out of a Shamardal sister to the Listed scorer Blossomtime. Nectar De Rose is also a half-sister to Danceteria who landed Group 1 laurels in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen. Lady Vettori features as the filly’s third dam, meaning Lope De Vega and Lady Frankel appear back on the page. 

The website for a Rotterdam-based company named Agrolexica International Trading references links to Ukraine and says the outfit is a “vanguard in the realm of agricultural commodity trading”.

Sea The Stars takes centre stage

Sea The Stars accounted for three of the session’s top ten prices, with Agrolexica International Trading’s purchase preceded into the ring by a colt out of the Listed-winning Pirouette from WH Bloodstock.

James Tate signed the 150,000gns docket on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock. The trainer said: “He’s a lovely, big horse and his dam was a good race mare. Sea The Stars needs no introduction, he’s a lovely physical and I’m delighted to get him.” 

As well as breeding the top lot, Gigginstown House Stud also produced the 120,000gns Sea The Stars colt out of Contemptuous who fetched 120,000gns from Norman Court Stud.

Lynn Lodge Stud's Sea The Stars colt out of Contemptuous takes his turn around the sales ring at TattersallsCredit: Alisha Meeder

The dam, a 360,000gns purchase, boasts a big pedigree as she is a sibling to Lillie Langtry, who not only won two Group 1s herself but went on to breed three top-flight scorers at paddocks, namely Minding, Tuesday and Empress Josephine, all of whom are by Galileo. 

“The plan is to race him,” said Simon Taplin of Norman Court. “I usually buy fillies to get the stud together but I’ve always wanted a Sea The Stars colt and he took my eye yesterday. I think my trainers are going to fight over him now! We’ve bought a few fillies this year but I fancied a colt so we’ll try something a bit different. We’ll have 23 horses in training next year.” 

Norman Court is home to 40 boarders, 12 of Taplin’s own mares and two stallions in Sixties Icon and Rumble Inthejungle. Asked whether there was any ambition of the Sea The Stars colt one day occupying a stallion box, Taplin offered a realistic response, saying: “That would be a dream, but we’ll just run him and see what we can do.”

The Norman Court racing string is split between Jack Channon, Andrew Balding, Clive Cox, Eve Johnson Houghton, Roger Teal and Michael Madgwick, although Taplin said he was yet to notify the recipient of the Sea The Stars colt.

The action continues on Tuesday with day one of the December Foal Sale beginning at 10am.

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