3 minute read

Filly sold for 165,000gns to top Monday's opening session when figures all fall

The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the Shadwell Estates consigned filly Asiaaf (New Approach), who was knocked down to Ted Durcan for 165,000gns. A winner on her second start at Goodwood over 1m2f, she was subsequently second at Sandown and Goodwood, and was offered with a Timeform rating of 96. Durcan secured the three-year-old after beating off a plethora of agents including Hubie de Burgh, Sam Haggas, Ronald Rauscher and Billy Jackson-Stops. 

"She is the filly I was after in the sale," commented Durcan. "She is a lovely model and has excellent form, she will be a lovely filly next spring and summer on a fast surface. There are lots of options trip-wise as well. She is a lovely big scopey mare and she will improve, she was my pick of the sale, I loved her. You just hope that you can land on her." 

Durcan added: "Her only average run was on soft ground, she wants a nice fast surface – I've been watching her all summer. And arriving out of Marcus Tregoning's hotel is a major plus. He is a marvellous horseman, he brings them along and helps them. It is nice to have one from Marcus." 

Bred by Shadwell Stud, Asiaff is out of Shamardal (Giant's Causeway) mare Baqqa who is a sister to multiple Hong Kong Group 1 winner Dunboyne Express. 

Overall on Monday 244 of the 292 lots offered sold at a clearance rate of 84 per cent. This was slightly down on the 2019 figure when 265 of the 305 lots offered sold to produce a clearance rate of 87 per cent. The aggregate dropped this year by 46 per cent down from 7,696,700gns to 4,138,500gns whilst the average dropped 42 per cent from 29,044gns a year ago to 16,961gns this year. The median fell 33 per cent to 9,000gns, down from 13,500gns last year. The salet continues on Tuesday.