First entries in for Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale

The initial draft of entries has been catalogued for the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale, the first sale of four-year-old point-to-pointers of 2024, and due to take place in the Cheltenham sale ring on Friday, February 23rd at 1pm. 

The 31 lots form an exciting opening catalogue and feature:

• 16 winners, including five four-year-old point-to-point winners and ten five-year-old winners

• One four-year-old debut INH Flat race winner

• Four four-year-old placed point-to-pointers

• Leading stallions represented include AFFINISEA, CIMA DE TRIOMPHE, DOYEN, FLEMENSFIRTH, FRENCH NAVY, GETAWAY, IT'S GINO, JACK HOBBS, KAPGARDE, KAYF TARA, MAHLER, MILAN, NO RISK AT ALL, SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, SHOLOKHOV and WESTERNER.

The sale is always a fine source of top-class National Hunt talent and its leading graduates have won 29 graded races, headlined by the Grade 1 winners BRANDY LOVE, ENVOI ALLEN, FERNY HOLLOW, JANGO BAIE and ASTERION FORLONGE, also winner of the 2023’s renewal of the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle.

Arguably, Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie is one of the most exciting novice hurdlers currently in training and was the winner of the Aintree Grade 1 Formby Hurdle on just his second start under Rules in December.

The Tiger Groom five-year-old gelding could line up at The Festival in either the Grade 1 2m Supreme Novices’ Hurdle or the Grade 1 2m4f Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle.

Jango Baie was purchased as a four-year-old at last year’s Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale by Jerry McGrath from Michael Goffs’ Moate House Stables for £170,000 after the horse finished second on his point-to-point debut at Knockanard. 

JINGO BLUE, bought at the same sale and by the same connections from Rob James Racing, has yet to win a graded race but the son of Great Pretender is showing all the talent and won a novices' handicap hurdle at Sandown last time carrying top weight to a 6l victory. He is also entered in the Baring Bingham, as well as the 3m Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (G1).

The sale has also produced this year’s Grade 2 Towtown Chase winner, the Jamie Snowdon-trained COLONEL HARRY, and connections have Festival aspirations for the gelding in either the Grade 1 My Pension 2m Arkle Challenge Trophy or the Grade 1 Turners Novices' Chase over 2m4f. The Shirocco seven-year-old was purchased by Tom Malone Bloodstock and Snowdon at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale in 2022 from Paddy Farrell’s Moylisha Stables. 

And, looking further forward, last month’s Thyestes Chase (G3) winner AIN’T THAT A SHAME, a Henry de Bromhead-purchase from Camas Park Stud at the 2019 Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale, is near the top of the betting for April's Grand National, a race in which he could take on the 2022 Grand National winner, recent Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle victor and Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale graduate Noble Yeats.

A limited number of entries for the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale will be open through to Monday, 19th February with point-to-points due to take place in Ireland at Oldtown, Knockanard and Tinahely, while in Britain meetings are scheduled at Horseheath, Badbury Rings and Askham Bryan College.