A bumper entry of 408 two-year-olds, with purchase prices ranging from 5,000
guineas to 700,000 guineas, has been made for the Tattersalls Millions, a series
of eight races offering a total of £1.75 million in prize money.
All of the races, run both this year and next over distances from six to 10
furlongs, will take place at Newmarket and the Tattersalls Millions is the most
extensive sales race series ever run in the Northern Hemisphere.
The races are only open to horses from Book 1 of the 2009 Tattersalls October
Yearling Sale and owners will pay a total of £4,000 for their horses to run.
The first race, the £100,000 Tattersalls Millions Fillies’ Auction Stakes,
will be run over six furlongs at Newmarket’s July Course on August 28 while the
eighth and final race in the series takes place over 10 furlongs at the end of
June, 2011.
Among those targeting the series are the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing
syndicate, who have six entries including a 150,000 guineas Mr. Greeley colt out
of the Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-G1) winner Sulk (Ire) (Selkirk).
“I think that expanding the series to eight races is a great help to owners
— it gives more opportunities, especially for the three-year-olds — and the
variety of distances is also a great incentive,” said Harry Herbert, Highclere
Thoroughbred Racing’s Managing Director. “The Mr. Greeley colt that is going to
Sir Michael Stoute was one our most expensive yearlings last year but he is out
of a Group 1-winning mare. He is a very imposing horse who is currently being
broken with Malcolm Bastard before heading off to Sir Michael in around two or
three weeks time.
“He’s actually quite a strong looking horse — I suspect that he is going to
be more of an autumn two-year-old because he looks a good-sized horse with
plenty of improvement on him.”
Highclere’s entries also include a 110,000 guineas Danehill Dancer filly with
Jeremy Noseda, a 100,000 guineas Cadeaux Genereux colt with William Haggas, a
95,000 guineas son of Cacique (Ire) trained by Michael Jarvis, a 72,000 guineas
Danehill Dancer filly with Richard Hannon and a Haggas-trained son of Oasis
Dream (GB) who was bought privately.
“It was tough to buy at Book 1 last year and it was nice to be able to get
yearlings by stallions like Mr. Greeley and Danehill Dancer at a decent price,”
Herbert continued. “I am hopeful that one or two of them will be able to run in
one or more of the Tattersalls Millions races. We have been fortunate to win
Tattersalls sales races with Tiger Eye and Tamarisk in the past and they are
great to have a crack at. The fact that there are now eight races makes the
concept even more appealing.”
The 700,000 guineas Book 1 sale-topper, an Oasis Dream (GB) colt trained by
Aidan O’Brien for Derrick Smith, is the dearest entry although those engaged
cover a full spectrum of prices. George Washington’s (Ire) as yet unnamed only
foal, a filly bought for 320,000 guineas by owner Julie Wood and in training
with Richard Hannon, has been entered. Meanwhile, also engaged is a Danehill
Dancer three-parts brother to George Washington (Ire) in training with William
Haggas.
“We are delighted with the number of entries for the £1,750,000 Tattersalls
Millions,” Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said. “To have more than 400
entries is a wonderful endorsement of the all new Tattersalls Millions which is
the best value sales race series ever devised in Europe. When we made the
changes to the Tattersalls Millions last year we were aiming to produce a series
which allowed horses from all levels of Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale to
compete for six figure prize money and it is terrific that owners have supported
it so wholeheartedly.”
“I am thrilled by the initial entry for the Tattersalls Millions series,
which is open to all horses that were cataloged in Book 1 of last year’s
Tattersalls October Yearling Sales,” Newmarket’s Director of Racing Michael
Prosser said. “The increase in numbers is especially satisfying and indicates
that the new formula has captured the imagination of owners and trainers alike.
The series, which was first staged in 2008, has evolved to offer substantial
prize funds over a number of different stages.
“I am particularly excited about the inaugural £150,000 Tattersalls Millions
3yo Trophy, which will be held at the 2011 Craven meeting. This valuable race
offers three-year-old sprinters an ideal starting-point for their campaigns and
I’m sure will be a very useful addition to the program book.”