14 Sep

Prydwen features in early Welsh poem Preiddeu Annwfn as King Arthur's trusted ship, and connections of the equine namesake have been on quite the voyage themselves, one which takes in Sunday's Deutsches St Leger at Dortmund. The Camelot gelding may be a six-year-old, but he notched a career-high Racing Post Rating of 114 when winning at Killarney last month for Newmarket trainer George Scott and the Blue Starr Racing syndicate, the ninth success of his career and one which took his earnings towards £250,000. In the Killarney Gold Cup last month he lugged 9st 11lb to victory, with Wayne Hassett reducing the burden from 10st 2lb, scoring by two and three-quarter lengths and up. Another nice win this year came on Good Friday at Newcastle on All-Weather Championships finals day, when he ran away with the Marathon by three and a half lengths.  Prydwen was bought by Billy Jackson-Stops and Scott for €30,000...

17 May

The progeny of Tally-Ho Stud’s Mehmas occupied two of the top three prices, with the biggest figure generated by a colt from Eddie Linehan’s Lackendarra Stables. After signing the 160,000gns docket, agent Billy Jackson-Stops said: “He’s for Andrew Balding and Opulence Thoroughbreds. He’s by the right sire, obviously, and out of a mare by the right broodmare sire. “He did a lovely breeze and is a really lovely type. I wanted to buy something that was going to be pretty active this year, so on that front he was everything we wanted. I loved his breeze, loved his attitude and I know the consignor well and he always does a good job.” The colt is out of the Pivotal mare Raincall, who in turn is out of the Australian Group 1 winner Lone Rock. Linehan pinhooked the colt for 55,000gns from the Highclere draft during last year’s...

30 Dec

Continuing the profiles of the favourite horses of TDN Europe's editorial team in 2023, Sean Cronin selects an unheralded sprinter who could hit the big time next year. Royal Ascot's 2023 edition produced its plethora of lip-quivering moments and there was scarcely a dry eye in this quarter when Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) halted a seven-race losing streak by annexing the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. for Tom Clover's Fordham Road yard. Purchased for 35,000gns as an unraced two-year-old out of the Shadwell draft at Tattersalls' 2021 December Sale, she became the Kremlin House incumbent's first Royal scorer and instigated joyous scenes among the multitude of Rogues Gallery syndicate members assembled in the hallowed winner's enclosure. Her best effort, in four subsequent outings, following that career high was a runner-up finish in Leopardstown's G1 Matron S. on Irish Champions weekend, but she made little impression and...

26 Jun

Paying back her supplementary to Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. in spades, The Rogues Gallery's Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hawaafez {GB}, by Nayef) was steered to a surprise 10-1 success for the Tom Clover stable by one of the meeting's recent success stories Danny Tudhope. Dropped to a mile after chasing home Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Middleton Fillies' S. over an extended 10-furlong trip at York last month, last year's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial winner raced off the pace early and was delivered with perfect timing to collar the long-time leader Random Harvest (Ire) (War Front) inside the final 100 yards for a neck verdict, with one of the 100-30 co-favourites Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) a length away in third. "This was the shortest trip she had ever run over and they went quite steady, but she picked them up nicely,...

29 Mar

The result was a bonus for Tattersalls and potential buyers who would not have been in Dubai had the horses arrived at their originally-planned destination. The draft included the three-year-old gelding Isle of Jura, who was sold for £150,000, a record for a Tattersalls Ascot mixed sale and bettered only at the company's former breeze-up auctions held at the venue. Turnover on the day shot up by 135 per cent to a figure of £1,661,100 - a record for a mixed sale run by Tattersalls Ascot - the average gained 140 per cent when reaching £17,485, while the median rose 71 per cent to £6,500. Of 106 lots who walked the ring, 90 per cent found a new home. JACKSON-STOPS SHOWS SPIRIT TO SECURE ISLE OF JURA Heading trade yesterday with a £150,000 valuation was Godolphin's Isle Of Jura (Lot 64), a son of New Approach and the...

29 Mar

A tremendous one-day sale at the first Tattersalls Ascot sale of 2023 produced the highest-price ever given for a horse in training sold at the venue with JS Bloodstock / George Scott Racing going to £150,000 for the Godolphin-consigned once-raced ISLE OF JURA. The draft from Godolphin produced the day’s top 14 prices, and the strong demand for the choice lots came primarily from trainers and owners sourcing horses to race at the big international Festival meetings. Five of the Godolphin consignment sold for £100,000 or more contributing to a session turnover of £1,661,100, a record for a Tattersalls Ascot mixed sale. Of ISLE OF JURA, a three-year-old gelding by New Approach, Jackson-Stops said: "He has been bought for an owner who already has horses with George. “He is a big raw horse with loads of promise. He was green on his first run and he needs some time...