Busy couple of weeks

It's been a really busy couple weeks both at the yard and at the sales.

Last week I was at the St Leger Yearling Sales and today I'm off to Tattersalls Ireland.

The market was incredibly strong at Doncaster and we came away with only two purchases. However, I think that they were two great buys which I'm looking forward to training over the next 12 months or more. I'll make a post later with regard to both the fillies.

Tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday we are looking for some value yearlings. This will be dependent upon the strength of the market as last week saw the most successful St Leger Sales ever with the average rising by 30% and turnover of £14.2 million gns, up 31%.

I understand the sale has been made smaller this year but there are still 638 lots in total. They are also running a New Sire Showcase with the first 73 lots all being by stallions with their first crop of yearlings.

Stallions represented in this showcase include Choisir (the Australian sprinter who won twice at Royal Ascot), Dubai Destination (who beat Rock of Gibraltar in the Champagne Stakes and won the Queen Anne), Kris Kin (the 2003 Derby Winner) and Hawk Wing (2nd to Rock of Gibraltar in the 2002 2000 Guineas, 2nd in the 2002 Derby behind High Chaparral and the 11 length winner of the 2003 Lockinge).

It will be interesting to see how Hawk Wing gets on at stud as both the winner and third horse of the 2002 2000 Guineas were both first season sires of 2-year-olds this year. Rock of Gibraltar (winner) has sired the stakes winner Roxan whilst Redback (3rd) has sired both the Group 2 winner Gilded and the Listed winner Sonny Red.