Just A Rose was knocked down for £175,000 at Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale on Friday evening and became joint-holder of the record auction price for a British filly point-to-pointer.
The four-year-old’s valuation matched that of Saunton Surf when she was sold in May by Brad Gibbs to Tessa and Warren Greatrex at Goffs Spring Sale in Doncaster. Just A Rose, who was trained by Tom Ellis and owned in partnership by him and breeders Sarah and Nigel Faulks of Devon’s Yeo Barton Stud, has now joined champion trainer Paul Nicholls after she was sold in the ring to Tom Malone. He said of her recent winning debut at Chaddesley Corbett: “She’s come from a good camp and she quickened down to the last – it was a nice performance. I’ve seen all three horses from that race and they all stand up. Sometimes you get a lovely winner, but you don’t like the placed horses, but on this occasion they looked the part, too.”
A thoughtful Tom Malone, who bought Just A Rose, is joined by Paul and Megan Nicholls (Ce)
The Fran Poste-trained Country Mile, who finished second to Just A Rose, and third-placed Darcy’s Friend were also offered at Cheltenham and both found new owners. Country Mile, a €26,000 Derby Sale store, was bought for £80,000 by Dan Skelton, whose wife Grace stands the gelding’s sire, Ocovango, at her Alne Park Stud. The Elusive Pimpernel gelding Darcy’s Friend, a £16,000 Goffs UK Spring store purchase by Christy Woods, the wife of Jump jockey Kielan, was sold to a syndicate called I Backed Him Partnership for £45,000.
Country Mile, who was sold to Dan Skelton for £80,000 (Ce)
British point-to-pointers in the catalogue achieved a 100 per cent clearance rate, for the fourth horse from the sport, Kingston James, a son of Kingston Hill trained by Tim Dennis, was sold for £30,000 to Lucinda Russell. Dennis had bought the four-year-old as a foal for €11,000, and recently trained him to win a maiden race at Great Trethew.
Darcy's Friend, offered by Christy Woods and sold for £45,000 (Ce)