'When they’re rated what he’s rated, you know you’re going to have to go somewhere in that region' - Debora's Dream tops September Sale trade at 80,000gns

Trade at Tattersalls may not have matched the seven-figure histrionics happening on the other side of the Atlantic, but Tuesday’s September Sale produced a respectable market for the stock on offer nonetheless. 

Clare Dolan was the leading buyer on the day with four purchases totalling 167,000gns. The most expensive of those was Debora's Dream, who was signed for by Alan O’Keeffe, assistant trainer to Jennie Candlish, at 80,000gns. 

The Baroda Stud-consigned son of Sioux Nation won three races for Roger Varian, with his success over a mile at Sandown on his penultimate outing achieving a career-high Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 93. The upwardly mobile three-year-old also won a Nottingham handicap this season, having opened his account with victory in a Wolverhampton maiden at two. 

“He looks like he’s going to be a nice horse next season,” said O’Keeffe. “He’s improving and his profile looks progressive. He’s been bought for a new owner and we’re hoping he’s going to be lucky. 

"His record says he can mix turf and the all-weather, but we just liked that he’s been progressing nicely and we think he can continue to go on. Roger Varian brings them along nicely so we’re looking forward to getting him going ourselves.” 

On the sales-topping sum, O’Keeffe added: “That price was maybe a tad over what we’d expected but, when they’re rated what he’s rated, you know you’re going to have to go somewhere in that region. Fingers crossed he’ll be lucky.” 

Debora's Dream has seen his value increase each time he has visited the sales. He was knocked down to Thomond O'Mara’s Kilronan outfit at £25,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale in 2022 before Richard Ryan and Opulence Thoroughbreds signed at 40,000gns at the following year’s Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale. 

Debora's Dream is due to join the ranks at Candlish’s Staffordshire base, with Ivan Furtado and Grant Tuer also set to receive recruits from Dolan’s four-strong haul, which was completed by the 45,000gns Brave Empire, the 22,000gns Nazron and the 20,000gns Alzahir.

Selling the day’s top lot helped Baroda Stud take the leading vendor title, with 14 sold for receipts totalling 348,500gns. 

The sale saw 166 lots offered, a 30 per cent drop on the 237 presented at the equivalent date last year. In turn, 128 changed hands, 61 less than sold last time, for a clearance rate of 77 per cent. Those transactions generated turnover of 1,887,200gns, down 42 per cent year-on-year, while the average dropped by 14 per cent to 14,745gns. The median went in the opposite direction to the tune of 25 per cent, hitting 10,000gns. 

O’Neills On Fire

Baroda Stud also consigned the progressive God Of Fire, who is set for a career over obstacles having been knocked down to Chris Dixon, acting on behalf of Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, at 70,000gns. The son of Muhaarar won a three-year-old maiden for Stuart Williams in January 2023 but has taken his form to new heights for the switch to Daniel and Claire Kubler ahead of the current campaign. 

God Of Fire drew a winning bid of 70,000gns at Tattersalls on TuesdayCredit: Alisha Meeder

His five races this season included a hat-trick of wins sandwiched between two runner-up efforts. Those successes came at Beverley, Kempton and Windsor, the latter of which was given an RPR of 94. He was last seen finishing a fine second to Life On The Rocks in a Racing League contest at Windsor last month. 

Dixon, a part of the successful The Horse Watchers syndicate as well as a jockeys' agent, race planner for David O’Meara and a Racing TV analyst, explained how the link-up with the O’Neills came about. 

“Jonjo and AJ said to us over the course of the last year that if we saw anything in the sales that we thought might suit their job to drop them a line,” he said. “I’ve always kept that in mind and this just looked like a suitable horse. He’s related to a winning hurdler, and only one of the family has tried jumping, and obviously Muhaarar is the sire of Burdett Road and one or two others who have done well over hurdles. His stock seem to stay well too. 

“He’s just a progressive, very honest horse with a good level of form. I think the O’Neills are mindful of being able to run him on the Flat as well if they want to, so he’s not just a one-trick pony. Given the way he’s been going on the Flat he’s eligible for some decent races, so they can do a bit of both. Hopefully he’ll do well for them.” 

On the 70,000gns price tag, Dixon added: “That’s about where we thought his value was, that’s probably the top end of what we thought he was worth. You know you’re buying a talented horse, although the flip side is that he probably isn’t going to make a chaser, so you don’t have that avenue to go down. But what you do have is a good level of ability and hopefully he can carry on progressing. If he takes to hurdling his raw Flat ability alone suggests he should reach a decent level.” 

Chris Dixon: 'That’s probably the top end of what we thought he was worth'Credit: Alisha Meeder

God Of Fire was making his third appearance at public auction. He first cost 110,000gns when bought by Opulence Thoroughbreds at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale in 2021 before he was picked up by the Kublers for 42,000gns at last year’s Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. God Of Fire was last seen carrying the colours of Mythology Bloodstock. 

Reflecting on the fruitful transaction, Daniel Kubler said: “It was a good piece of business for the owners, who have turned a profit and, first and foremost, had a lot of fun. When you buy a horse you always hope you’ll win a load of races and sell it on for more than you paid. There were bits and pieces in his past form that suggested that he had that sort of ability, and there’s still probably a bit more to come. It’ll be interesting to see what new connections do with him.” 

The trainer added: “You have a window with these horses because when they get to five and six, trading them on is a bit more challenging. With the way prize-money is, you need to be able to trade them at the right moment so owners can keep reinvesting. Even if they’re not making money, as they have in this case, it helps make the hobby more affordable.” 

A brace bring 60,000gns

Two lots offered by The Castlebridge Consignment brought 60,000gns in quick succession midway through the day. The first of those came when Robert Cowell secured Tourist, a son of Zoustar who reached an RPR of 90 courtesy of two wins over six furlongs for Hilal Kobeissi. 

Cowell said: “He’s a very consistent horse. His trainer has done very well with him and he’s verging on a Saturday horse. There’s the option to drop him down in trip. He has a lot of speed and he has been bought for a friend in the yard. We will put the horse away now and we’ll aim for some big races next year.” 

Tourist in the ring at Park Paddocks on TuesdayCredit: Alisha Meeder

Two lots later Peter Harper, agent for Sheikh Abdullah Alsabah, went to 60,000gns for Rocking Tree, a son of Kodiac who won three races for George Boughey and Teme Valley Racing. 

Harper said: “He’s a very strong horse, ideal for Saudi. He vetted clean and well, and he fitted the bill for the order.” 

Burton breaks through

Also heading to Saudi Arabia is Remoji. The three-year-old daughter of Belardo won two of her four starts for Roger Varian, the most recent of which came over a mile at Haydock last month. The filly, who has a peak RPR of 85, was knocked down to Nayef Ibn Ghayam and bloodstock agent Adam Burton. 

“She’s going to go to Saudi Arabia,” said Burton. “Obviously she won on her last start and we think she’ll be the ideal type for racing over there. She goes on any surface and she’s unexposed. I think she’ll really enjoy it over there and hopefully the programme that exists in Saudi Arabia now will really suit her.” 

On the subject of the price, Burton added: “I think we were willing to pay five or ten grand more. The fact the auctioneer went looking for a bid of 75 [thousand] to start things off tells you that was the sort of money they were probably hoping for. I think she could be a snip at that price.” 

Adam Burton: 'I think she could be a snip at that price'Credit: Alisha Meeder

The 20-year-old also shared some background on his progress through the industry, saying: “I’ve been based with a couple of different people. I worked for Adrian Keatley for a while, he taught me a lot and was a very good mentor to me. I now do a lot of form and bloodstock work for Roger Fell and Sean Murray, then I have a few clients out in the Middle East as well. It’s just about building a portfolio at the moment.” 

The agent also went to 35,000gns for Chantilly handicap winner Natchitoches in conjunction with the same client earlier in the session.

Although Burton is very much among the younger agents active in the business, Tuesday’s purchases were not the first time his name has appeared on the docket at Tattersalls. 

He recently signed for two lots alongside the Kuwaiti Alsihan Stable at the July Sale, and explained that connection was how he was introduced to Ibn Ghayam. 

“I met Hamoud Al Saihan, who trains out in Kuwait, at this sale last year,” he said. “He introduced himself to me and then introduced me to his friends and family, and it all built from there – and long may it continue. I’m looking at yearlings as well as form horses, and I actually bought a Kessaar in Doncaster recently and he’s going to Roger too. I’m happy to buy any sort of horse any client wants. If anyone’s listening, I’m open for business.” 

Burton added: “I’ll be back here for the Autumn Horses in Training Sale. That’s my Derby! It’s five days again this year and I’m looking forward to it. There's plenty of horses and plenty of quality, so hopefully I’ll be able to buy a couple more for different people.”

Mina Rashid set for Seven Barrows switch

Wildcard entry Mina Rashid boasted one of the more interesting sales histories on show. The three-year-old son of Almanzor first cost Hogue Thoroughbreds 110,000gns at the December Foal Sale, before his value fell to 50,000gns at the following year’s Book 1.

Mina Rashid: the wildcard entry went for 45,000gnsCredit: Alisha Meeder

Owner Ahmad Al Shaikh signed the docket on that occasion before the colt went into training with Andrew Balding. 

The Kingsclere trainer saddled Mina Rashid to victory in a Chester maiden on his three-year-old reappearance, after which he was offered at the Goffs London Sale, where he was bought back at £350,000. He failed to cut much ice in the Queen’s Vase or the German Derby, and was last seen trailing home a well-held eighth of nine in an Ascot handicap. 

On Tuesday Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley signed for the 85-rated youngster at 45,000gns, a price the agent was confident represented value for money.

“He’s going to be trained by Nicky Henderson for a partnership,” said Bromley. “He’s a good-looking horse who’s been a bit overfaced in his career. He showed nice form when he won at Chester though and has some soft-ground form on debut as well. I thought he was quite good value and I wonder whether he’d been slightly missed by the market.” 

Mahony hails international involvement 

In his end-of-sale statement, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “This is the fifth edition of a sale that was introduced in 2020 as a response to the Covid-related delay to the Flat season and numerically the smallest, and while we may have been short of obvious stars, there has been solid trade throughout the day from both domestic buyers and those from further afield. 

“International buyers always play a significant part at Tattersalls horses in training sales, particularly those from the Gulf, but there has also been a vibrant domestic market including plenty of interest from the National Hunt community. 

“We now look forward to Books 1 to 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, whose graduates have enjoyed spectacular global success in recent months and we look forward to welcoming an international cast of buyers to Park Paddocks during the fortnight that begins with Europe’s premier yearling sale.”

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