A sale of racehorses goes ahead at Cheltenham Racecourse today, despite the loss of Countryside Day.
Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, which was due to take place after today's final race, has been brought forward to a new start time of 1.00pm. It takes place in the Tattersalls' Cheltenham Sales Arena near the Hunters Lodge Hostel.
The catalogue comprises 51 lots before withdrawals, and is dominated by recent bumper and Irish point-to-point winners. Last year's sale saw 40 horses go under the hammer, achieving turnover of just over £3m at an average of £77,735. Twelve horses made £100,000 or more with a high of £190,000 for two four-year-old Irish pointers who were both knocked down to champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
Horses who take the eye in today's catalogue include Ballyadam (Lot 20), a son of stallion Fame and Glory and the most impressive winner of a point-to-point at Portrush in Country Antrim last month. He heads to the sale from Colin McKeever's stable, while another good recent winner, Premiumaccess (Lot 31), hails from the yard run by Colin Bowe, the County Wexford-based handler who is Ireland's reigning champion point-to-point trainer.
Like many horses in today's sale, Premiumaccess was bought as an unbroken three-year-old 'store' horse with a view to being prepared for a race, running and then being reoffered. He cost €50,000 at Tattersalls Ireland's Derby Sale last year, and after two placed efforts won snugly at Kinsale earlier this month. His family tree includes Jenny Pitman's Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Garrison Savannah.
Bowe's other candidates today include Jay Bee Why (Lot 22), who scored comfortably on debut when running at Loughanmore last month, and Fiston Des Issards (Lot 43), a winner at Loughanmore last month. He is a son of Buck's Boum, a French stallion who is a brother to the outstanding staying hurdler Big Buck's.
The Cian Hughes-trained Yousayitbest (Lot 28) made a smart debut with victory at Moig South, and Queens Brook (Lot 21) a winner at Dromahane from Aidan Fitzgerald's Cobajay Stables, could appeal to racehorse owners and breeders. She is a half-sister to classy chaser Shotgun Paddy, who was placed in Cheltenham's National Hunt Chase.
Another mare with similar credentials is Hollymount Holly (Lot 49), a winner at Dromahane as recently as Sunday - she is a half-sister to G1-winning chaser Anothercoppercoast.
Today's sale is open to the general public and is free to enter.
