Tattersalls July sale: Across-the-board gains for opening session

The three-day Tattersalls July horses in training sale began Wednesday with strong trade resulting in increases in gross, average, and median, topped by Group 1 performer Miblish.

Tattersalls reported 176 lots sold from 209 offered for total receipts of about $4,426,700 (2,819,600 guineas), a 106 percent boost compared with the opening session in 2012, when 147 of 181 lots sold from 181 offered for about $2,152,900 (1,371,300 guineas). The average price of $25,171 rose even higher – 72 percent – while the median of $9,500 increased 11 percent. The buyback rate was 16 percent.

Miblish, a 4-year-old Teofilo colt, sold for about $392,150 (250,000 guineas) to lead the first session. He was purchased by Qatari trainer Gassim Mohammed Ghazali, who said that he would ship the colt back to Qatar to race and possibly compete at the Dubai Carnival next March.

A winner of two of 16 starts to date, including the listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton earlier this year, Miblish finished fifth in both the Prince of Wales’s and the Eclipse Stakes, Group 1 events, in his two most recent starts. He was trained by Clive Brittain, who consigned the colt via Carlburg Stables.

Miblish was purchased as a yearling for over $166,800 at the 2010 Tattersalls October sale. He is out of the winning Hector Protector mare Triton Dance and is from the family of Group 2 winner Jewel in the Sand.

Lover Man, a 4-year-old gelded son of French classic winner Lawman, brought the session’s second highest price of about $212,280 when Irish agent Bobby O’Ryan outbid Ghazali. Castlebridge Consignment offered Lover Man, who entered the sale off of a win in the listed Prix Hampton at Maisons-Laffitte. He has won three of eight starts to date and earned $67,174.

Irish-bred Lover Man is out of Group 3 winner Seltitude, by Fairy King, and is from the family of Italian Group 1 winner High Hawk.

The Tattersalls July sale was to continue with a second session on Thursday and conclude Friday.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.