TATTERSALLS will be hoping to maintain the momentum of the July Sale, as the three-day sale returns on July 9th. Last year’s renewal generated record turnover at 16,986,000gns and equalled the 15,000gns record median set in 2022.

The clearance rate was particularly impressive at 90% and though the average dipped by 8%, 29,592gns was still the second-highest of the sale’s history. This year’s edition will have its work cut out with 917 lots catalogued before the sale’s characteristically high number of withdrawals.

A pair of Galileo mares topped trade last summer at 350,000gns and 330,000gns apiece, and one of their paternal sisters looks a likely highlight next week. Baroda Stud offer Hope Diamond as Lot 242 and the own-sister to recent Group 2 Queen’s Vase victor Illinois will be joined by a No Nay Never filly at foot. A full-sister to three group winners in total, she is also a half-sister to champion three-year-old Danedream.

She is one of a number of fillies who have benefitted from black-type updates, with others including:

Lot 18; Half-sister Kalpana finished third in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes

Lot 41; Half-brother Tropical Storm finished second in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes

Lot 268; Half-brother Nations Pride finished second in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes

Lot 375; Half-brother Arizona Blaze finished third in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes and Group 2 Railway Stakes

Lot 428; Half-sister Running Lion won the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes

Regional a perfect poster boy

As well as producing exciting updates, Royal Ascot also provided a reminder of the bargain buys to be found at the July Sale, as Regional came within a length of gaining his second Group 1 success in the King Charles III Stakes.

Last year’s Haydock Sprint Cup victor was bought by Bethell Racing and Blandford Bloodstock for just 3,5000gns. The Territories gelding had achieved a rating of 95 from three juvenile starts for Richard Fahey, but had been off the track for almost nine months when purchased by new connections.

Among the trainers consigning next week are Andrew Balding, Charlie Hills, Clive Cox, Ed Dunlop, James Tate, Jim Bolger, Karl Burke, Marco Botti, Michael Bell, Sir Michael Stoute and William Haggas.

There will also be sizeable drafts from Baroda Stud, Barton Sales, Steve Parkin’s Dullingham Park, Godolphin, Jamie Railton, Juddmonte, Shadwell Estates and The Castlebridge Consignment, to name just a few.

Possible HIT highlights

Lot 98; Del Ray is now a winner, having landed a Lingfield maiden on debut for Archie Watson. The runner-up boosted the form when winning at Newmarket next time out

Lot 157; The well-bred Davideo is rated 98 after defying top-weight on his seasonal return over a mile and a half

Lot 543; Harvard Sound bolted up on his second start, stretching seven and a half lengths clear in a seven furlong maiden at Lingfield

Lot 564; Sea The Polaris earned a rating of 92 on his most recent start when winning a Gowran Park maiden by three and a half lengths

Lot 598; Since the catalogue was printed, Serious Challenge has finished third in two Listed races and fourth in another, as well as finishing third in a premier handicap at the Curragh

Lot 741; Jubilee Walk’s hat-trick of wins brought the colt’s official rating to 97

Lot 864; Al Mubhir was rated 105 before gaining his maiden blacktype win in yesterday’s Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown

Six wildcards are a recent addition to the catalogue and include recent juvenile winner Sands Of Marra (Lot 200B), progressive three-year-old The Camden Colt (Lot 800A) and an own-sister to Epsom Derby fourth Deira Mile (Lot 200A).