Dwyer eyes Royal Ascot prize with Tatts purchase Skiathos 

Promising two-year-old Skiathos has topped the fourth session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, fetching 150,000 guineas amid another strong day of international trade.

The Wootton Bassett colt, offered by trainer Karl Burke, attracted global interest after two impressive runs in October, including a front-running win at Redcar earlier this week. He was ultimately secured for trainer Henry Dwyer, with bidding handled by Harvey Williams on behalf of Dwyer and agent Jamie Piggott.

Piggott, who was en route to the Breeders’ Cup in California during the auction, said the colt ticked every box.

“It’s the first time I’ve bought a horse whilst flying over Michigan,” Piggott said. 

“I’m on the way to Del Mar. Henry is a good friend, we’ve had a lot of good times together in the UK and Australia over the last couple of years.

“He’s obviously done amazingly with Asfoora here and back home, and he was looking for something to race here and then likely take back to Australia. This colt could be anything. I watched him win well whilst in the Green Room on Monday and immediately remembered that he was in on Thursday.

“He’s a lovely athletic individual with scope to get the mile next year. Harvey Williams did a great job with the bidding, we’ve bought five smart prospects with his dad Ian over the last couple of days, couldn’t be happier.”

Skiathos is a brother to Listed winner Attagirl out of the stakes-winning mare Catalina Bay and was the third purchase by Dwyer at Tattersalls this week, with the first two bought in tandem with agent Sam Haggas.

The fourth session recorded a 90 per cent clearance rate, pushing total turnover past 33 million guineas – only the fourth time the sale has reached that mark, with one session still remaining.

Australian participation was strong throughout the week. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, working with agent Johnny McKeever, secured three horses by Wootton Bassett, the Coolmore stallion who died unexpectedly in September. 

His influence continues to grow with his son Al Riffa, trained by Joseph O’Brien for Australian Bloodstock, is among the contenders for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, while Coolmore will stand his Group 1-winning sons Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse at stud in Ireland in 2026.

Trainers Chris Waller, Annabel and Rob Archibald and Matt Laurie as well as Kembla Grange-based trainers Mitch Beer and George Carpenter have also bought horses at this week’s Tattersalls sale as has Monarch Racing Syndications in partnership with agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman.