Trade at Ascot returned today with the successful renewal of the Ascot March Sale resulting in considerable gains across all the key indicators. The aggregate concluded with an increase of 1% to £978,300, the median grew by 13% to £5,100 and the average rose 20% to £9,783. The clearance finished on 70%.
There was an abundance of trainers present at Ascot today to available of the quality catalogue offering winning and placed point to pointers, bumper performers, form horses and sought-after dispersals from Michael Buckley and Melbourne 10.
Among these, trainer Evan Williams made his presence felt. Treasure Dillon made a massive impression on his debut when taking the four-year-old Maiden at Durrow. The eye-catching winner provided a first four-year-old winner for the exciting sire San Frontieres and was secured to join William's stables for £70,000 from Pierce Power's Galtystown Stables (Lot 120).
Lots 121, 122 and 123 will all head to Pembrokeshire, Wales and join Rebecca Curtis after the trainer purchased the three lots in a row.
Lot 121, Ruthless Article, offered by Sarah Dawson's Tanvalley Stud, was placed 2nd in a competitive bumper at Downpatrick and was knocked down for £40,000.
Lot 122, Financial Outcome gathered a wealth of experience from his five point to point starts and recorded his second career win at Ballyragget when winning the Winners of One by an impressive ten lengths. Consigned by JP Brennan's Monasootha Stables, the son of Financial Reward was knocked down for £50,000.
Lot 123, Wayfinder, the most expensive of the Curtis lots purchased, was bought for £60,000. Wayfinder made an exciting debut at Bellharbour and improved on this when finishing runner-up at Durrow behind top lot of the day, Treasure Dillon. By leading sire Shantou, the four-year-old was consigned by point to point handler Warren Ewing's Bernice Stables.
Leading consignor of the sale was Jamie Osborne's The Old Malthouse Stables who offered the dispersals from Michael Buckley and Melbourne 10. Among the 16 horses offered, top lot was knocked down to Kate Harrington for £27,000. Got Trumped (Lot 76), a three-year-old unraced colt by Thewayyouare is a half-brother to Capella Sansevero.
Commenting of the sale, Director of Horses in Training Sales at Tattersalls Ireland Richard Pugh said:
"Tattersalls Ireland Ascot March Sale has been very well supported by vendors, both UK and Irish based and has provided us with the opportunity to again showcase Ascot as a viable alternative for all categories of bloodstock. We welcomed a broad bench of trainers and agents to Ascot today and this has resulted in gains in the figures, matching last year's top price of £70,000 with the sale of the four-year-old Maiden Point to Point winner Treasure Dillon and an increase in the number of horses making £20,000 or more (14). Next week will see the first European Breeze-Up being held here at Ascot and we look forward to welcoming clients to the Tattersalls Ireland Sales Arena."
View results of the Tattersalls Ireland Ascot March Sale