Golden Current sells for a Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale Record Price

The Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale got the 2026 sales year off to a fabulous start with the impressive four-year-old winner GOLDEN CURRENT fetching a sale record price of £315,000.

The session also produced its highest-ever average of £87,316, a 24 per cent improvement on 2025’s figure, as well as a three percent increase in turnover to £1,719,000.

The Jonathan Fogarty-trained GOLDEN CURRENT (Lot 16) won on his debut at Dromahane on New Year’s Eve when he was an impressive 12-length winner from CLONDAW BUSTER (Lot 19).

Fogarty said of the exciting five-year-old by Golden Horn: “He did not come to me until July and Dermot Cantillon and David Cox own him with me. The plan was to run him as a five-year-old, but he was doing things so easily that we decided to run him at Dromahane on New Year’s Eve – he was very impressive, and Golden Horn is a very good sire. It is great to get him here, and the Tattersalls team has looked after us so well.”

The gelding was bought by Gordon Elliott, who outbid Tom Lacey, Matt Coleman and Ger Hannon, and he said, “It was a very good performance when this horse won. He has cost a bit more than we had planned, but a nice horse is always going to have a few lads on him. Jonathan knows the time of day and is a good operator.”

The Cobajay Stables-consigned WILLOW TIDE (Lot 2), a stylish three-and-a-half-length winner at last week’s Carrigarostig meeting from BROTHER WALFRID (Lot 6), was purchased by trainer Fergal O’Brien.

 “He is a lovely horse; we saw him on the videos, and my partner Sally [Randell] came and viewed him yesterday,” reported O’Brien of the five-year-old son of Crystal Ocean.

“He vetted well today, and everything about him is lovely – he has size, scope, and came well recommended, Aidan is a good man to buy from. The horse has been bought for a client in the yard.”

Consignor Aidan Fitzgerald, who bought WILLOW TIDE as a store horse for just €10,000, said: “He has done everything so well and has really stood out since he has been here. He is very good, I have recommended him to everyone, and I think he could be a star.”

The January four-year-old debut Exeter bumper winner MORTAL COIL (Lot 11), sold by trainer Tom Weston’s Offerton Farm, made £170,000 and was bought by Ryan Mahon / Dan Skelton Racing.

It was a fine return on the gelding’s €10,000 valuation when purchased as a foal by Weston at the Tattersalls Ireland November NH Sale.

“That is by far our best result in the ring,” said Weston. “I was hoping he would stand out, as he was one of just two four-year-olds in the sale, and his sire Affinisea is also going the right way.”

He added: “He was a smart winner of his bumper at Exeter – he was the first four-year-old of ours to run this year, and you are never quite sure where you are with them.”

Purchaser Ryan Mahon said: “He is a lovely four-year-old. It was very impressive to win so early in the year against older horses with experience; it takes a bit of doing, and he must have a high level of ability to do that. We have had some interest from clients, and we will work out ownership over the next few days.”

Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales Manager Shirley Anderson-Jolag commented: “What a fantastic day to start Tattersalls Cheltenham 2026 – a record-breaking price, a record-breaking average and a Grade 2 winner on the track.

“GOLDEN CURRENT is a beautiful horse, was so impressive when he won and I am so pleased for Jonathan Fogarty to have been so well rewarded.

“And for Tom Weston to have bought MORTAL COIL as a foal, produced, run and won with him on debut, and so early as a four-year-old, is such a brilliant achievement and deserving of such a brilliant price.

“On the track earlier, it was great to watch Ma Shantou run out such an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle.

“He is yet another Tattersalls Cheltenham graduate likely to line up in March with a serious chance in a Grade 1 race at The Festival and is a fine example of the quality of horse that can be sourced in the Cheltenham sale ring.

“We are taking entries now for our Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale, always such an eagerly anticipated sale as the next generation of four-year-old point-to-pointers showcase their talents.”