Kovanis tops a superb Cheltenham November Sale

KOVANIS, the expected highlight of a fabulous Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale more than lived up to his pre-sale billing – the four-year-old debut winner of a Portrush maiden topping the evening’s sale when selling to Gordon Elliott Racing for £330,000 (Lot 8).

The gelding headlined a strong evening’s trade that produced a turnover of £3,085,000, which was an improvement of 34 per cent on 2023, an average price of £93,485 and a median price of £72,000, increases of 26 per cent and 24 per cent on last year's sale. Horses sold at a clearance rate of 87 per cent.

Kovanis is a four-year-old by TUNIS, and is out of the French-bred mare NOVA D’AUTEUIL from the family of today’s Cheltenham Shloer Chase (G2) winner JONBON. He was consigned by Gerald Quinn’s Caherty Stables for owner Philip McBurney Racing, and was a hugely impressive winner at the beginning of October. Sent off favourite then, jockey Noel McParlan hardly had to move to secure the win. 

"We are delighted, he showed himself well here all week,” said Quinn, the evening’s leading consignor selling three horses for a turnover of £532,000. “We were hoping he’d go well, and he has done it. He has always been a very relaxed horse, whenever you asked a question he always showed up. We were expecting him to run well on his debut as his work at home had been very good.”

Elliott, the sale’s leading buyer, joined the auction proceedings at £300,000, and said: "He is a nice horse, he has come well recommended and he travelled in his race like a good horse.

“I will imagine he will go for a bumper in the spring, he looks a nice big horse and one to go forward.”

Wildcard card entry RECKLESS SPENDING (Lot 7), a four-year-old by SHOLOKHOV and second on debut at Umma House on October 20, was bought by Jerry McGrath Bloodstock and Nicky Henderson for £200,000 from Jonathan Fogarty Racing.

“He’s for owner Martin George,” said McGrath. “The winner of that race and this horse pulled ten lengths clear of the third. Nicky Henderson has had brilliant luck with the sire; he can get you a Champion Chaser or a Gold Cup horse. Hopefully this will be a nice horse going forward.” 

Jonathan Fogarty Racing also sold the evening’s third best-priced horse – Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins going to £195,000 for HANK WEST (Lot 25), a four-year-old WESTERNER gelding and winner of his maiden on debut at Lisronagh for Fogarty. 

“WESTERNER has been very lucky for us and we bought the Grade 1 winner FERNY HOLLOW from here,” said Kirk. “This gelding is out of a MONTJEU mare, and he is another sire we have been lucky with via Hurricane Fly.

“We loved this horse as an individual, and he won his race well. This is the first we have bought from Jonathan.”

It has been a great day for the Twiston-Davies family today with Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale graduate and exciting novice POTTERS CHARM winning the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

UN SENS A LA VIE, a four-year-old gelding by MUHTATHIR sold by Ballyboy Stables and winner on his second career start at Loughrea, was bought by William Twiston-Davies for £180,000 on behalf of POTTERS CHARM's owner, El Rincon.

"The sire speaks for himself and we loved this horse when we saw him, he is a real Nigel Twiston-Davies type of horse, a real future stayer,” said Twiston-Davies. “We are trying to build and grow the yard and you have to spend some money.

“He looks like a nice type to run in bumpers in the spring and hurdles and chases to come." 

Shirley Anderson-Jolag, Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales Manager said: “It has been fantastic to be back at the Home Of Jump Racing for the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale and we have had a sale fit for the occasion.

“We wanted to ensure that this first catalogue of our sales year was select and we concentrated on cataloguing only the very best young jumps horses. I think that goal has been achieved with a top lot of £330,000, seven sold for £150,000 and above and ten six-figure lots.

“The team has worked hard since the beginning of October to deliver buyers an outstanding catalogue of young NH horses and that has been achieved. I am thrilled to see that our consignors have been rewarded with such great results today.

“With a growth of 34 per cent in turnover and increases of 24 per cent and 26 per cent in median and average, the figures prove once again that Tattersalls Cheltenham sales are a source of top-quality jumps horses.

“We all enjoyed watching the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale graduate POTTERS CHARM win so impressively today and we are looking forward to seeing Tattersalls Cheltenham graduates go on to achieve at the highest level over jumps and win on the biggest stages.

“Our next sale is on December 13 and entries are being taken now.”