Grade 1 Winner Skyace Tops Tattersalls Ascot March Sale

The Tattersalls Ascot March Sale, the first sale at Ascot in 2022, witnessed busy trade throughout the day and produced a record-breaking top price – the Grade 1 winner Skyace (Lot 114) living up to her star billing and selling for £80,000.

The seven-year-old is going back to Ireland and to her own stable – she was bought by her trainer Shark Hanlon on behalf of new ownership, and a date at Cheltenham next March is on her agenda.

"I am delighted to get her back and I have bought her for T J McDonald, who already has horses with me," reported Hanlon. "He wants her to go back in training, race her for a year and then put her in-foal and go breeding.” 

Explaining the reason for the mare's sale today, Hanlon said: "She got a chip in her knee at Sandown and her former owner the Birdinthehand Syndicate decided to sell her. Hopefully, we will see her at Cheltenham next March, that is the plan.” 

Hanlon added: "I am thrilled, I did not think that we would get her, I thought she would make too much. The whole story has been wonderful, and the Birdinthehand syndicate has had a brilliant time." 

It is the second time that Hanlon has bought Skyace at Tattersalls Ascot – after she’d had three starts in NH Flat races in Ireland, Hanlon bought her at 2019 November Sale for just £600. 

The inspired purchased has more than rewarded Hanlon and her former owners – the daughter of Westerner went on to win five races, including the Grade 1 EBF Mares' Novice Final at Fairyhouse. 

Lot 41 BOAFO BOY

The day’s second-best price was given by Jamie Lloyd of Meah Lloyd Bloodstock, who went to £40,000 for Boafo Boy (Lot 41), sold by Jamie Osborne's The Old Malthouse Stables. 

"He goes to Tom Molloy, who has just started training in Qatar for my client, who is wanting to completely restock his string,” explained Lloyd. "We think this horse could end up as the kind of horse we want in Qatar later on this season. He has shown enough so far, he was very precocious but there looks to be more to come. Hopefully, he will look cheap at the end of the year." 

The three-year-old son of Lope De Vega was a winner on his debut at two and has been placed twice from five starts. He is BHA rated 77 and was second off a mark of 76 at Kempton in February over 6f. 

Of the 115 horses offered through the session, 97 sold producing a strong clearance rate of 84 per cent, with a gross turnover of £707,900. 

The online bidding platform was active throughout the session with 15 horses successfully bought by online bidders, while 22 of the underbidders were based online. The platform produced a turnover of just over £100,000 from 189 bids. 

The Tattersalls Ascot May Sale is due to be held on May 31, and entries can be made online.