There were more good results for trainers of young British pointers when Goffs UK staged its Aintree Sale last week.
Two of the four-strong British contingent were knocked down for a six-figure sum, headed by the Tom Ellis-trained Wicked Thoughts (pictured above), who made £135,000 after scoring impressively at Eyton-on-Severn a few days before his appearance under the auctioneer’s hammer. The four-year-old son of Mahler had been bought unbroken last year by bloodstock agent and point-to-point trainer David Phelan for €30,000.
A fellow bloodstock agent/trainer, Tom Malone, did the buying on this occasion. He said: “I’ve bought him for [racehorse owners] Lynne and Angus Maclennan to go to [Herefordshire trainer] Michael Scudamore. I haven’t seen many more impressive four-year-old winners this season – he just kept galloping and extending and the time of the race looked strong.”
Yorkshire trainer Jack Teal enjoyed a good return when offering four-year-old Martin Plage, who won a maiden race at Sheriff Hutton’s Middleton meeting. Teal bought the son of Buck’s Boum as an unbroken three-year-old for €16,000, and was delighted when Newmarket trainer Ben Brookhouse posted a winning bid of £110,000. Teal said: “I’m very pleased with the sale and it’s grand that he’s going to a good home. He won nicely and he’s very straightforward.”
Martin Plage, sold to trainer Ben Brookhouse for £110,000 after winning at Sheriff Hutton
Emmet Mullins, who trained Robert Waley-Cohen’s Noble Yeats to win last year’s Grand National, put up a successful bid of £65,000 and bought last month’s Brafield-on-the-Green winner Nene River out of Ellis’s stable. The five-year-old had been purchased unbroken for €42,000, while Ask Brewster, who won at Maisemore Park last month for trainer Bradley Gibbs, was knocked down to Evan Williams for £50,000 – the son of Ask had been bought as a store for €12,500.
Nene River (led up by Jack Andrews) who was sold to Ireland's Emmet Mullins for £65,000
Tattersalls Cheltenham next stop
British pointers will be going under the hammer at Tattersalls Cheltenham on Thursday after racing. Entries include a trio from Bradley Gibbs’ stable, namely Melusine De Pail, who won at Buckfastleigh, Nedzor, who was second at Bishops Court, and Saunton Surf, who made a successful start when scoring at Maisemore Park.
The Chris Barber-trained Jo Arengeot Bey AA, who scored at Cothelstone on debut, is entered, while Fran Poste is represented by Pragnell, who made a winning start at Dalton Park, and Smugglers Haven, who won a mares’ maiden race at Dingley on Easter Saturday.
Tommy The Tank went in at Bitterley for Max Young’s yard, while Tom Ellis has entered Pep Talking, who broke his duck at Garthorpe.