Five-year-old Karaka De Thaix proved the pick of British pointers who went under the hammer at yesterday’s Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale.
The Dale Peters-trained gelding (pictured above) was sold for £135,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley, who said the five-year-old had been lined up for a client of former champion trainer Paul Nicholls. Bromley also invested £90,000 in four-year-old Outmaster who won at Edgcote on Sunday for trainer Gina Andrews. He too will be joining Nicholls.
Anthony Bromley (left) chats with Tom Ellis after securing Outmaster for £90,000 (Photo: Debbie Burt)
Karaka De Thaix, a son of top French sire Cokoriko, was bought by Huntingdon-based Peters and point-to-point owner Toby Hunt at Goffs UK’s Spring Sale for £13,000 almost two years ago. He made his debut in a maiden race at Charm Park in early March when ridden by his trainer, but missed the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale after picking up a bruise to a heel.
Once the injury cleared up Peters opted for the April Sale as an alternative, and after leading his horse from the ring he said: “I’m very pleased, but he’s ever so good. He’s done everything right since we had him and whoever trains him next has a lovely horse.
“He’s very similar to [Gr.1-placed hurdler] Miami Magic [Leading Light] who we had last year and who had run a couple of times before he came to us, whereas this horse had never run. He fell asleep at the top [yard] but came alive when he came down here to the ring. I’d love to keep him, but I cannot afford to keep him. We have four young horses to run, two in partnership with Toby and two that have been sent to us.”
Outmaster with trainer Gina Andrews after being knocked down to Anthony Bromley and Paul Nicholls for £90,000 (Ce)
Bromley said: “I’ve always loved British pointers and I love Cokoriko, one of the leading sires of chasers in France. It’s a nice French AQPS pedigree and Dale and Toby are genuine people who I’ve known for years. Their horse looked magnificent today, and while that was probably my very last bid these British pointers are good value.”
Andrews and husband Tom Ellis, under their G & T Racing banner, also gained £15,000 for Bitterley Flat race winner Lord Cauvelliere, who was sold privately to trainer Sheila Lewis, while Sogna In Grande, who won a maiden race at Ston Easton for Worcestershire-based Joe Drinkwater, was knocked down to bloodstock agent Aiden Murphy for £75,000. Murphy, father of Warwickshire trainer Olly Murphy, was acting for trainer Kim Bailey.
Lord Cauvelliere is interested in proceedings at yesterday's Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale (Ce)
Tony Ross’s Dalton Park maiden race winner Elusive Knight was sold for £30,000 to Glamorgan trainer Evan Williams.
Full list of results can be viewed at https://www.tattersallscheltenham.com/sales/cheltenham-april-sale/4DCGI/Sale/CAP25/Main/52/