A colt by Night Of Thunder topped the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale when selling for 575,000 guineas to Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock.
The colt (pic Tattersalls) was consigned by Brown Island Stables’ Johnny Collins who paid £72,000 for the chestnut as a yearling.
Biggs saw off bids from agent Mark McStay and David Redvers to secure the colt but declined to name his buyer.
“He will stay in Newmarket. It was a little more than we had wanted to spend, but you have to pay for this sort of horse,” he told Tattersalls.
“He is a lovely horse, he did a very nice breeze and his sire is doing so well.”
Collins said he was equally keen on Night Of Thunder as a sire.
”I had one by Night Of Thunder last year and really wanted to get another to join the team,” Collins said.
“He went through very early, looked like an April 28 foal, and was only 15 hh high – he is a 16hh horse now! The time delay this spring has probably helped him, but he has always been a powerful galloper.”
The sale-topping colt has the Oaks and 1,000 Guineas winner Midway Lady as his third dam.
The second highest lot was a 400,000gns American Pharoah colt, purchased as a yearling last year at Keeneland by Star Bloodstock.
Simon Chappell signed the ticket and confirmed the colt will be staying in Newmarket.
”I know the guys at Star Bloodstock and they’ve been telling me this colt is a good horse all year. At 400,000 guineas there was no way I was letting a horse like him slip through the net,” Chappell said.
He’s by the sire of the moment in American Pharoah, he did the third-fastest breeze and has a massive stride, so I used the internet bidding system and bought the horse. He’ll be going into training with Simon Crisford.”
Overall 70 lots sold for 6,649,500 guineas at an average of 94,993 guineas and a median of 61,000 guineas.
Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said the auction house was delighted with the way the sale had been embraced during these COVID-19 times.
“Even in these extraordinary times we have had buyers active from all corners of the world including Australia, Bahrain, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Qatar and Spain and the domestic demand has also exceeded expectations,” Mahony said.
“We are expecting international travel restrictions to be eased in the near future, which will be a great relief, and as we look forward to the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and July Sale it has also been encouraging to see the new internet bidding facility being widely used by buyers at all levels of the market.”