01 Sep August ’24 Round-Up

August brings with it the beginning of the yearling sales, and to kick off a return to France for their V1 August Yearling Sale in the delight town of Deauville on the Normandy coast.

Billy secured two lots throughout the sale, an impressive son of Teofilo out of a Fastnet Rock mare, the colt is own sister to multiple black type winning mare Tres Valentine, he was purchased for €320,000 and will head into training with George Scott. The second, a filly by the great Sottsass from the family of Chriselliam, Very Special and Janicellaine, the filly is out of a winning Lope De Vega mare and she cost connections €180,000 to head into training with French 2000 Guineas winner Mario Barratti.

The sales circus then headed back to the UK for the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale held in Doncaster where Billy purchased two colts. Firstly, a promising looking Kodi Bear out of the Big Bad Bob mare, Bobbi Grace, who has only produced winners so far – the colt was knocked down for £90,000 from master consigners Tally Ho. And secondly was a speedy-looking Harry Angel colt costing £32,000 and will head into training for George Scott.

From Goffs, Billy and 30 odd others headed straight to Humberside airport to fly to Baden-Baden in Germany for the BBAG’s Yearling Sale, always a great sale with the best that Germany has to offer on the bloodstock front going under the hammer and regularly in 30+ degree heat. It turned out to a be fruitless 2 days with Billy filling the spot as under bidder on regular occasions. The highlight of the day was a Camelot colt out of a Group performer Maxios mare, Diamanta, making €850,000 to Godolphin which was a record for the sale.

Runners on the track continued to bring success, Bay City Roller remains unbeaten on his second start at Chelmsford, the colt trained by George Scott, had changed hands from the original ownership of Clive Washbourn to Victorious Racing. The impressive son of New Bay cost €320,000 from Goffs Book 1 yearling last year and will likelt now have a tilt at The Champagne Stakes at Doncaster’s Ledger meeting next month.

Baroque Bouy, another trained by the very in-form yard of Scott, won his second handicap of the summer, the gelding was purchased for 50,000 Guineas from Tattersalls Book 2 for George Scott and Bluestarr Racing. Bluestarr and Keith Breene also enjoyed a rare trip to Ireland where Prydwen ran in the Kingdom Gold Cup handicap at Killarney, lumping 10 stone 2 pounds he was given a model ride by apprentice Wayne Hassett. Prydwen will likely continue his international campaign with a potential start in next month’s German St Ledger and he could even end up heading to Sydney Cup next year should all go to plan.

Sea Emily Run won on her third start at Goodwood, a filly trained by Tom Clover, got up to win confidently. She came from Tattersalls Book 2 and was purchased for connections for 60,000 Guineas. Another horse trained by Tom, Invictus Gold won again, this time at Newmarket and under a penalty, the gelding looks a really promising type. He came from Goffs Book 1 for €65,000 and could be aimed at the Ripon Trophy next.

Mukaber had been knocking on the door for a win and has now managed to do so in a Class 2 Maiden at Newbury, storming home on the front end throughout to win by three-and-a-half-lengths for owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah and trainer Richard Hannon. The two-year-old son of No Nay Never was a purchase from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up for 115,000 Guineas.

Imperial Express, now a three-year-old, has won her second handicap of the summer for client Michael Blencowe and trainer Andrew Balding. The consistent filly is a daughter of Inns Of Court and came from Tattersalls Book 1, for 175,000 Guineas.

One other horse to note was Corriamo, who got off the mark in a mundane nursery at Leicester, but the 12,000 guineas yearling purchase did it very cosily and his winning mark of just 63 could look to have been superbly generous when we look back at the end of the summer as he looks to have a lot in hand with the handicapper.

August saw the return of one of the summer highlights in the Ebor festival at York, the pinnacle of Yorkshire racing and one of the most attended fixtures of the year. The best race of the week is always The Juddmonte International and racing looks to have witnessed something special in the performance of City Of Troy. Looking back now it’s hard to imagine how this horse was beaten in the Guineas and racing is lucky to be witnessing a special horse trained by a special man, Breeders Cup night couldn’t come soon enough as seeing this tough horse taking on the beasts of the American dirt is something that all purists could hardly believe they’d get the chance to see outside of their own imaginations.