Charismatic Kid tops the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale at £300,000

The Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale brought 2025 to a buoyant conclusion in the Cheltenham sale ring with a top price of £300,000 given for last week’s Navan INH Flat race winner CHARISMATIC KID (Lot 28), the son of Affinisea heading up six horses sold for £100,000 and above.

The gelding was bought by Gordon Elliott, one of four purchases by the trainer, and four-year-old’s sale is the best auction ring result for trainer Colm Ryan

“We were hoping for £250,000 to £300,000, and we are delighted,” said Ryan, who has five riding out at his stables in County Limerick. “He is a very natural sort, he has got size, and he is kinda freaky as he has a real old-fashioned pedigree but he has got some pace, too.”

Explaining how he decided to take the bumper route for the gelding, Ryan said: “He was schooled last spring and was going to run in a point-to-point in April, but the ground went so we couldn’t run, it was such a dry spring in Ireland. It was all for the best.”

Elliott, who outbid Tessa Greatrex for the gelding, said: “He looks a nice horse, we were at the races when he won and he won well. Colm has done a great job with him, so fair play to him. The horse won’t jump a hurdle this season, we will see if he is okay for a bumper in the spring.”

The Sean Doyle-consigned ORDER ON TIME (Order Of St George), who finished second on debut at Turtulla in November, was purchased by Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock, the agent seeing off Tom Lacey at £200,000.

“He has been bought for Paul Nicholls,” said Bromley of Lot 16. “I love the horse; he is very athletic. He has size and scope and was strongly recommended by Sean Doyle.

“His point-to-point is worth watching because he and the first horse pulled miles clear, and I know he finished second, but the winner is already in Paul’s yard and the team like him a lot. He lost very little in defeat, and for us he looked like the nicest four-year-old point-to-pointer in the sale. Paul is looking for an owner.”

Sean Doyle of Monbeg Stables was full of enthusiasm for the four-year-old.

“We thought he was the best horse in the sale, and we really believe he has a massive future, we are sure he is as good as any of the Grade 1 horses we have sold,” said Doyle. “He is all [broodmare sire] Authorized, and no one needs to say what a fabulous sire Authorized is. I’ve also been very lucky with his sire Order Of St. George. Order On Time is going to a great home so I’m over the moon.”

He added: “He was a light frame store and he is still a light-framed horse so we had to take a little bit of time with him.”

The Denis Murphy-trained THINKITDONTJINXIT (Lot 20) sprinted clear for an 8l debut success at Ballycrystal last weekend, and the performance clearly caught the eye of Elliott, who saw off bidding opponent Lucinda Russell for the four-year-old son of Vadamos.

“He came recommended by Denis,” said Elliott after spending £185,000 on the Ballyboy Stables-consigned gelding. “He won well, we’ve been lucky with the sire Vadamos – King Of Kingsfield is also by him. This looks a nice individual, so hopefully he’ll be lucky.

“We saw the video, we’ve been lucky with horses from Ballycrystal and we’ve been lucky with Denis. We will get him home and then we will work things out.”

The sale saw 23 horses sold for a turnover of £1,936,000, an average price of £84,174 and a median price of £60,000. The clearance rate was 85 per cent.

Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales Manager Shirley Anderson-Jolag commented: “It is great to see such a variety of consignors enjoying success at this evening’s sale, and I am delighted that Colm Ryan got such a brilliant result with CHARISMATIC KID.

“Three groups of American owners purchased here tonight, and I’d like to thank the GBRI team for their work in bringing them over for racing, sales and to enjoy a “Christmas in the Cotswolds” weekend.

“We are now looking forward to 2026’s four spring sales, kicking off with the January Sale on 24th January on Cheltenham Festival Trials day, moving onto the February Sale on 20th February and then to our headline Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale on 12th March.

“We will also get to see the new generation of four-year-olds hitting the point-to-point courses in the New Year, it is always exciting when new equine talent starts to emerge.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved for their continued support throughout 2025 and wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. We are very much looking forward to enjoying some top class, and winning, racecourse action for our talented Tattersalls Cheltenham graduates over the busy Festive racing season.”