KARL Burke supplied the two highest-priced lots at Thursday’s Tattersalls Online sale, the most expensive of which was listed winner Cuban Tiger at 72,000gns.

Saudi Arabian-based FMQ Stables signed for the three-year-old son of Havana Grey, who previously carried the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. The €200,000 yearling made a winning debut in January and gained stakes success two months later, but had been winless since then, selling with an official rating of 94.

All four offered by Burke’s Spigot Lodge Stables found a buyer, the next most expensive being Imperial Sovereign, who joins Philip Kirby at a cost of 49,000gns. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s home-bred son of Frankel won on debut over a mile, before being narrowly denied over a mile and three furlongs, and is currently rated 96 after five more runs.

Busy vendors

Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest victor King Gold had been the expected highlight, but was retained by connections at 180,000gns. Owned by trainer Nicolas Caullery with Christian Wingtans, the seven-year-old entire gained his last win in May, in a Group 3 at Longchamp.

The Chantilly-based trainer came away with a new addition to his string, having bought a yearling Territories filly from George Peckham Racing for 1,200gns.

Richard Fahey’s progressive miler Silent Move was also retained, at what would have been the third-highest price of 60,000gns. The vendor’s notes did note that the three-year-old was “being sold to settle a debt”.

Tattersalls Online reported that over 330 bidders registered for the sale from over 20 countries, including America, Belgium, Britain, France, Ireland, India, Italy, Germany, Serbia, Sweden, The Netherlands, and from throughout the Gulf region.

The Ralph Beckett-trained two-year-old Chelsea Embankment is bound overseas after selling to Serbian trainer for 38,000gns. The Sioux Nation colt is due a win, having placed on six of his eight starts.

Irish interest

Willie McCreery’s Cancelled has a shorter trip to the UK, having been sold to Dixon Bloodstock with Jonjo and AJ O’Neill for 36,000gns. McCreery’s notes were highly encouraging, saying: “As we thought a lot of this filly, she has been highly tried. I believe she is capable of, at the least, listed class. Reason for sale is purely financial.”

The two breeding rights offered, to Sergei Prokofiev and Ardad, fetched 31,000gns and 27,000gns respectively. Sergei Prokofiev has made a smart start with his first crop and the listed winner Clear Water sold in foal to the Whitsbury Manor Stud sire for 18,500gns. Nasser Alqahtani secured the Houghton Bloodstock-consigned daughter of Hard Spun.

Of the National Hunt breeding prospects, the Flemensfirth five-year-old What A Flirth looked good value at 5,000gns. Grange Stables bought the half-sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Langer Dan from Dan Skelton’s Lodge Hill Stables.

77 of 181 lots offered found a buyer, generating turnover of 602,300gns, an average price of 7,822gns and median of 2,600gns.

Speaking after the sale, Tattersalls Online Sales Manager Katherine Sheridan said: “We witnessed a record number of entries this month and the continued growth of our Tattersalls Online monthly sales reflects the trust and confidence of our vendors, for which we are very grateful.

“The catalogue received strong support from England, Ireland and France and attracted a diverse collection of buyers, both domestically and internationally. The top priced lot, as well as many others in the sale, being purchased for international connections, highlights the unique reach of Tattersalls Online in this market.

“We now look forward to the Tattersalls Online December Sale, which will feature the highly anticipated Southern Hemisphere Session.”