Aussies active at Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale on day one

Australian buyers made their presence felt on the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Newmarket, with leading trainers Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller and Henry Dwyer all adding European prospects to their stables.   

Maher’s head of bloodstock Will Bourne set the tone when paying 325,000gns (A$694,153) for Mukhtalif, a two-time winner for William Haggas. 

The Shadwell-bred colt posted a career-best performance with his latest York victory and boasts plenty of depth on paper, being out of Listed winner Maqsad (Siyouni) from the family of Prix de Diane heroine Aquarelliste.

“He’s progressive and, having inspected the horse, you can see he’s a beautiful animal,” said Bourne after signing the ticket alongside Billy Jackson-Stops. 

“We really like the fact that the stallion works in Australia. David Hayes had the Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars and Johnny McKeever bought The Metropolitan winner Just Fine out of this sale, and they’re both by Sea The Stars, too. 

“This horse is a progressive stayer, so he profiles perfectly for us and we’re happy to be taking him down there.” 

The Maher camp has built a strong record sourcing from Europe, but Bourne said 2025 had proven tougher than usual.

“We’re probably 10 horses down on where we’d like to be, that’s privately and through the sale ring,” Bourne said. 

“It’s been extremely difficult to buy the horses that you want at the right price, which hasn’t been helped by the Australian dollar. 

“All these marginal factors, and more competition on tried horses, means it’s been really hard. That can affect our bloodstock portfolio so we’re keen to get a few here.” 

Earlier, Maher and Jackson-Stops added Zain Blue for 150,000gns (A$320,379). The four-year-old has won three for John Butler, including a York handicap.

“His data is strong and Johnny Butler’s always rated him,” Jackson-Stops said. “He looks a 2000-metre type who’ll enjoy a bit of give, the right sort (of horse) for Sydney.”

Waller’s long-time agent Guy Mulcaster was also in the action, going to 200,000gns (A$427,172) for Bath winner Hard Evidence (Zarak), sold by Imperium Sales for Ed Walker and owner Anthony Ramsden.

“I think it helped that the commentator said he ‘powered away’,” Mulcaster said.

“The second horse had had one start at Ascot and the third had one start and had been third, so I think the form is pretty strong. He paraded really well here today, he looked beautiful in the back parade ring. 

“We thought he had a lot more to come; he looks like he wants to be three and wants to be four, so we’ll take him along quietly and see where we end up.”

Meanwhile, three-time northern hemisphere Group 1-winning sprinter Asfoora’s trainer, the Ballarat-based Dwyer, added another to his growing import list when Sam Haggas purchased Synners Kid for 110,000gns (A$236,000) from Baroda Stud.

The two-year-old, trained by Joseph O’Brien for his sister Ana, is unbeaten in two starts.

“He came to the sale for the first time last year and we bought a couple. One of them, Cote Atlantique, won a Listed race at Seymour a couple of weeks ago, so Henry was keen to go again,” Haggas said.

“The horse will end up with him in Australia, it’s just a question of whether he goes immediately or stays here into the summer. 

“I don’t know if Asfoora will come back, there’s a chance she might, but there’s some nice meetings this horse can run in. 

“He could target Royal Ascot as he’d qualify for a Britannia or maybe even a Golden Gates, but long-term his future will be in Australia.”