Smart two-year-old AUGUST GEORGE topped the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks when selling for 375,000 guineas to Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali, one of five lots to realise 200,000 guineas or more.
Ghazali Strikes for August George at 375,000 Guineas
The highest priced lot on the opening day of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale was the two-year-old AUGUST GEORGE who realised 375,000 guineas to leading Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali. Consigned by Finbar Kent, the son of NIGHT OF THUNDER finished a length and a quarter second to subsequent Group 3 Killavullan Stakes winner DORSET on his most recent start for trainer Ivan Furtado.
“That is a great result here and a good price, and I wish the best of luck to the new connections,” said Furtado, who trains at Easingwold in North Yorkshire. “I hope he will carry on and progress, it is nice to get some money and it will go towards the next horses!”
Consignor Finbar Kent also purchased AUGUST GEORGE as a yearling for €90,000 and commented: “It is a brilliant result, and great for owners Stephen and Wendy Burdett who also own Ivan’s yard. They put a lot into the game and buy 10 to 15 yearlings every year, and it’s nice to get one who gets a result on the track and then get a return today – it keeps all the wheels turning.”
Successful purchaser Gassim Ghazali said: “Hopefully this horse will go for the big two-year-old race on Qatar Derby day, and then run on HH The Amir Sword day in February. What we really like is that he is by Night Of Thunder.”
Ghazali has already enjoyed success with this year’s Tattersalls purchases in the 2025-26 Qatar racing season, revealing: “We have already started racing for the new season – we bought Basalt at the July Sale and he won on his first start in Qatar on October 23rd. He looks a very exciting prospect.”
Mukhtalif Heading Down Under at 325,000 Guineas
An opening bid of 100,000 guineas indicated competition would be fierce for the Shadwell Estate Company consigned MUKHTALIF and the son of SEA THE STARS was eventually knocked down for 325,000 guineas to Will Bourne, head of bloodstock for leading Australian trainer Ciaron Maher, standing alongside bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops.
Placed on his first three starts, the three-year-old has posted several smart updates subsequent to catalogue publication, breaking his maiden at Newcastle before romping to a two and three quarter length victory in a competitive handicap at York earning a Timeform rating of 98p.
Bourne commented: “He’s progressive and having inspected the horse, you can see he’s a beautiful animal. We really like the fact that the stallion works in Australia. David Hayes had the Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars and Johnny McKeever bought the Metropolitan winner Just Fine out of this sale, and they’re both by Sea The Stars too. This horse is a progressive stayer so he profiles perfectly for us and we’re happy to be taking him down there.”
On the enduring appeal of European horses to Australian buyers, he added: “When you look at Ciaron’s results in the last two months, Royal Supremacy won a Metropolitan and our runners in the Melbourne Cup this week are from Europe, so we’ve just got to keep sourcing these horses out of here.”
MUKHTALIF was previously trained by William Haggas who also trained his dam MAQSAD, winner of the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes and a granddaughter of Champion mare AQUARELLISTE.
Mount Kilimanjaro Destined for Scandinavia at 240,000 Guineas
The international theme continued for the third highest priced lot of the session with the Coolmore consigned three-year-old MOUNT KILIMANJARO secured for 240,000 guineas by bloodstock agent Edgar Byrne, Norwegian Champion trainer Niels Petersen and owner Wibecke Nagell-Erichsen.
“He will go from here to Dubai for the winter and will run there for the team,” revealed Petersen, adding; “He will go then to Scandinavia for the best races, I hope he will be a head above the rest.
“He is a nicely balanced horse, he is a galloping horse and they tend to race a little differently in Scandinavia than they do here. He has plenty of ability, that will take him a long way in Scandinavia. He is a striking-looking horse and the minute Wibecke saw him she loved him.”
MOUNT KILIMANJARO was second in the Group 1 Critérium International at two and won the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester in May for Aidan O’Brien. The SIYOUNI colt is out of the Grade 3 placed GALILEO mare DECORATING, a half-sister to Grade 1 winners COIL and CHIROPRACTOR.
The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues with the second session at 9.30am on Tuesday, 28th October.
