Potential Improvers Stand Out in Tatts Autumn HIT Sale

Deciding what to buy from this week's Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale is not an enviable task. When the catalog was published at the end of last month, there were the thick end of 1,600 individuals to scrutinize and other supplementary candidates have subsequently appeared. Interested parties need to keep a close eye on the scratchings. Some horses, such as Aidan O'Brien's incredibly exciting Come What May (IRE), the brother of Derby (G1) winner Desert Crown (GB), made his debut only when entries were being finalized and his exploits in two starts on the track have evidently earned him a reprieve. What makes this four-day sale, which starts on Monday, so fascinating is that, even in the international world of bloodstock, it is about the most cosmopolitan of the whole year. Two of the three most expensive horses from last year, Fantasy World (600,000 guineas) and Push The Limit (580,000 guineas), were bought as prospective hurdlers, while the top lot, Gladius (IRE), was picked up by Wathnan Racing for 950,000 guineas and was sent to Qatar. Factor in the other buyers from the Gulf and the Australians, buoyed by recent group wins from graduates Pinhole and Formal Display, and you have got a fair old buying bench, before you add in the shrewdies with their systems, hunting for a bit of value. Joining them will be buyers from countries across the planet, even places where you would not even know they had a racecourse. One way to find the right horse is to study Racing Post Ratings. There are several very well-known names whose peak RPR was earned by a blue-chip performance, and Audience (Lot 351) has the highest in the sale with a 123 from when he won the Lockinge Stakes (G1) a couple of years ago. However, the gelding was bought by David O'Meara from this sale 12 months ago for 170,000 guineas. He has been placed in a heap more group races and would give a new buyer a lot of fun and take them to big occasions, but he seems unlikely to feature at the top of the leaderboard this week. Some of the horses in the catalog are intentionally being presented by vendors with an obvious upside, while others, plainly, have not lived up to expectations and need their sights to be lowered. The impacts of Storms Austen and Boelo are not expected to drastically affect the line-up, with the vast majority of the Irish entries for the first two days having already arrived in Newmarket, although this could still change through the week if there are further travel delays. Racing Post analysis picks up on those whose recent RPRs entitle them to be considered as improving horses. Rembrand To Go (739H, RPR 104) arrives after landing the Prix du Conseil de Paris (G1) over 1 mile and 3 furlongs. A close relation of the brilliant Rock of Gibraltar, he has been campaigned with skill up the ladder through handicaps in France by Miroslav Rulek. Proposition (718, RPR 103) is among the most interesting of those being consigned by Coolmore this week. A Frankel (GB) colt out of blue hen Halfway To Heaven has the stature to make a stallion in many jurisdictions, but trainers might fancy their chances of getting to grips with him on the track too, as his only start this year—the third of his life—was when runner-up to Benvenuto Cellini in the Chester Vase (G3). His stablemate Lewis Carroll (207, RPR 101) is another from a lovely Coolmore family, this time that of Derby winners Saxon Warrior (JPN) and Dr Devious. The Siyouni (FR) colt won a Curragh maiden in the spring and has been campaigned in a fairly low-key fashion, but he was a close second to King Cuan on his first try at a mile in listed company last time. Jamie Railton will offer Andrew Balding's 4-year-old The Lost King (GB) (739G, RPR 113), a son of Kingman (GB) from the family of Oaks (G1) winner Talent. He boasts strong form credentials, having finished runner-up in group 2 and group 3 company on his last three starts, including behind Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) winner Talk of New York (GB). Among the younger prospects is Alfred Wallace (1155C, RPR 105), who will be offered by Ed Walker's Kingsdown Stables. The Dubawi (IRE) 2-year-old has won the Solario Stakes (G3) and listed Pat Eddery Stakes this season. Out of Falmouth Stakes (G1) winner Snow Lantern, he combines an attractive pedigree with proven stakes form.