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Son of former Darley shuttler purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock on last day of Book 3

A colt by former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) topped the final day of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale after Rabbah Bloodstock went to 46,000gns for the colt from the Plumton Hall Stud draft. 

Catalogued as Lot 1839, the colt is out of winning Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill) mare Moonstone Rock, who is herself a half-sister to Reignier (Kheleyf). 

"Obviously Night Of Thunder has done incredibly well so we were looking for his stock," said James Tate, who signed the docket. "We thought he was a really lovely example of the stallion and really liked the way he walked around the ring. Fingers crossed he will be a good horse."

Sean Gollogly with his son, also Sean, and Eric Cantillon of Plumton Hall Stud said he was pleased with the result. 

"I am delighted for the Golloglys," said Cantillon. "It is a great price. We have had the horse since January when he was weaned and he has always been a nice horse, but the price has surprised us. The stallion has been doing very well and perhaps it was good to be a big fish in a small pond.

"They are small breeders near Epsom and it is great for them; the Golloglys are very good friends."

Earlier in the afternoon, a filly by Little Avondale Stud shuttler Time Test (Dubawi) was purchased by Nick Bradley Racing and trainer Richard Fahey for 45,000gns. 

Catalogued as Lot 1807 and offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, the filly is out of unraced Canford Cliffs (Tagula) mare Leap Of Joy and this is the same family as Grade 1 winner Maids Causeway (Giant’s Causeway), who in turn produced Grade 2 scorer Elizabeth Way (Frankel). 

"She had a Book 1 physical to my mind," said Bradley. "The 45,000gns was more than I wanted to spend and Federico [Barberini, underbidder] is a fair judge, and generally if I am on one, then he is on one, and he made me pay! She is a belting physical, she will join Richard Fahey."

Of Time Test, Bradley said: "Of the first-crop sires I really like are Time Test and Churchill."

"I own 22 fillies and not one colt. My theory is that if I won the Dewhurst, it would have to be by a fashionable stallion then I would want to be selling the horse on and then the owners say 'why are you trying to sell it on?'

"If we won the Cheveley Park or the Fillies' Mile the value will be there all the time, then I won't be in a rush to sell them and the owners can live out their dreams. The GB bonus helps as well - we complain about prize-money but there is 20 grand there for winning a race."

The National Stud's Tim Lane, busy with the farm's own draft, is delighted with the continuing progress made by the stallion.

"It is all testament to everyone who used Time Test," said Lane. "We all know what can happen in the spring and coming through to the autumn. He stamps them, they have got the Dubawi middle, great action and very good minds."