Tattersalls Cheltenham 2020 sales season opened with a pleasing set of results at the renewal of the January Sale.
Cheltenham has not staged an auction in January since 2015 and selling returned to Prestbury Park on Saturday, with the boutique Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale being hosted from the owners' and trainers' marquee after racing.
The sale saw 13 of the 15 lots offered exchanging hands; the aggregated concluded on £802,000, the average on £61,692 and the median on £55,000.
The star of the evening was Clondaw Secret (Lot 16), a debut winner of his four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Boulta in December.
The Court Cave gelding impressed when taking his maiden by two-lengths and this was duly noted by his audience when he was knocked down for a sum of £135,000 to Cullentra House Stables trainer Gordon Elliott and close friend and bloodstock agent Mouse O’Ryan, making the gelding the most expensive point-to-pointer of the night.
Earlier in the sale Elliott and O’Ryan had also combined to splash out on a another six-figure purchase when signing the docket for the Wilson Dennison-owned Folcano (Lot 11) for £110,000, making them responsible for the second-highest priced pointer of the evening.
Folcano, who is a half-brother to Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle winner Farclas, had come to grief twice at the penultimate fence during his autumn season, and got off the mark at the third time of asking when winning his five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden at Tinahely by one-and-a-half lengths in the hands of Stephen O’Connor.
Ardhill was one of ten horses to sell for £50,000 or more, with other lots to feature including Aidan Fitzgerald’s winning pointer Nada To Prada (Lot 7) selling to agent Tom Malone and Michael Scudamore for £65,000 and Colin Motherway’s Ballycrystal winner The Bees Knees (Lot 18) knocked down to Fergal O’Brien Racing for £55,000.
Elsewhere, Kieran O’Donnell’s Ballycrystal six-year-old winner Lesser was bought by Richard Phillips Racing for £50,000. Whilst Turlough O’Connor’s Dromahane victor Lady Shirocco went for £30,000.
At the conclusion of the sale, Matt Prior, Head of Ascot and Cheltenham Sales commented;
"The return of the Cheltenham January Sale in its new select format has produced a pleasing set of figures, whilst once again demonstrating the versatility of Cheltenham Racecourse in hosting sales of this nature.
"Tattersalls sponsored Owners and Trainers pavilion has proven an ideal environment for our clients, and the feedback we have received from both our owners and vendors has been pleasing with momentum to build on for next year.
"We would like to thank Cheltenham Racecourse once again for their cooperation in hosting us today, as we look forward to the season building from here to the February, Festival, April and May Sales."
"Tattersalls sponsored Owners and Trainers pavilion has proven an ideal environment for our clients, and the feedback we have received from both our owners and vendors has been pleasing with momentum to build on for next year.
"We would like to thank Cheltenham Racecourse once again for their cooperation in hosting us today, as we look forward to the season building from here to the February, Festival, April and May Sales."
