Tattersalls Cheltenham Graduates Dominate Weekend's Racing
Following the success of the Cheltenham November Sale, Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales graduates were also to the fore on a bumper weekend of National Hunt Racing on both sides of the Irish Sea.
On Friday at the home of jump racing HERMES ALLEN made virtually all of the running to record a bloodless success in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novice Hurdle for trainer Paul Nicholls. He was purchased for £350,000 by Aiden Murphy from Caroline McCaldin at last year’s Cheltenham December sale.
The admirable DOES HE KNOW defied top weight in the Grade 3 Handicap Chase at Prestbury Park for Kim Bailey. Under regular pilot David Bass he was held up in the early stages but made good headway through the field on the second circuit and ultimately won in good style at the line. He was a £38,000 purchase by his trainer off Jaqueline Coward at the 2019 Cheltenham April Sale.
AMARILLO SKY put up an impressive performance to win the Handicap Chase on Friday’s card, with the son of WESTERNER jumping superbly to win in good style for trainer Joe Tizzard. He was sold by Colin Bowe’s Milestone Stables to Ross Doyle for £280,000 at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival sale.
HIDDENVALLEY LAKE looks a young horse with a very bright future for Henry De Bromhead and Robcour after taking the Maiden Hurdle at Naas on Saturday. Always to the fore the strapping son of SHOLOKHOV put his rivals to the sword and ran out an impressive winner.
He looks another exciting prospect from last year’s Cheltenham December sale, having been sold by Marie Harding to his trainer and Mags O’Toole for £200,000.
Another youngster to impress for the Henry De Bromhead team was SPIRIT OF LEGEND who took the opening Maiden Hurdle at Navan. The Chris Jones owned five-year-old son of KAPGARDE deserves plenty of credit as the only one able to reel in the clear leader on his hurdle debut. A fine stamp of a horse he looks another potential top-class recruit. He was purchased by Kevin Ross Bloodstock for £100,000 from Colin McKeever’s Loughanmore Farms at last year’s December sale.
The exciting HOLLOW GAMES looks to have a very bright career over fences ahead of him after opening his account over the larger obstacles at the first time of asking for Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud. He looks the type to compete for Novice Chase honours at next year’s Cheltenham Festival. He was purchased by Mouse O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for £255,000 from James Doyle’s Baltimore House Stables at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival sale.
The next sale to be staged at the home of Jump Racing is the Tattersalls Cheltenham December sale which will take place after racing on Friday 9th December in the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales Ring.