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Putney Bridge tops third day at Tattersalls Autumn HIT Group 1-placed listed winner PUTNEY BRIDGE (Mizzen Mast) proved the star on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, selling for 300,000 guineas. The consignment from Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms is always a highlight of the sale and this year's group looked packed full of potential. The forty-one lots offered sold for a total of 1,569,000 guineas and included the session topper as well as MARCHING TIME (Sadler's Wells), who realized 270,000 guineas. The four-year-old gelding Putney Bridge, offered as Lot No. 1074, has placed multiple times in his career, including a third in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) when under the care of Chantilly-based trainer Criquette Head-Maarek. His third dam, Group 3 queen Slightly Dangerous (Roberto), placed in the1982 Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) before going on to become Broodmare of the Year by producing the likes of five-time champion and sire Warning (GB) (Known Fact); dual highweight and sire Commander in Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave), who won the 1993 English (Eng-G1) and Irish Derbies (Ire-G1); Grade 1 heroine Yashmak (Danzig); and multiple Group 2 victor and sire Dushyantor (Sadler's Wells), who was third in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). The efforts to secure Putney Bridge developed into a three-way battle between agents John McCormack and Anthony Stroud, and trainer Howard Johnson. When McCormack upped the ante, raising the price from 270,000 guineas to 300,000 guineas with one bid, it was enough to see off his challengers and secure the gelding. McCormack bought the horse on behalf of Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Khalid. "He's for Prince Faisal bin Khalid and vetted well," McCormack said. "His form is there for all to see. I'd think he'll ship out fairly soon, as he's already gelded and the Saudi season is now underway." A few lots earlier, Shadwell Stud's Johnny Peter-Hoblyn secured Marching Time for 270,000 guineas after seeing off Blandford Bloodstock's Stuart Boman, Anthony Stroud Bloodstock's Matt Coleman and Kern Lillingston's Alastair Donald. The three-time winning three-year-old colt, sporting Lot 1056, was purchased by Peter-Hoblyn on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and is destined for the Dubai International Racing Carnival. "He'll probably go to Dubai," Peter-Hoblyn said. "He's a decent horse with progressive form and fits in with what we were looking for." Marching Time is out of Marching West (Gone West), who is a full sister to top sires Zamindar and Zafonic, the latter of whom captured the 1993 English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1). Others of note in the family include Group 1-winning sire Elmaamul (Diesis [GB]) and this season's Nassau S. (Eng-G1) heroine Midday (Oasis Dream [GB]), who is pre-entered for the November 6 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Early in the evening, the Welsh-based National Hunt trainer Evan Williams had the listed winning four-year-old FIULIN (Galileo [Ire]) knocked down to him for 280,000 guineas after he saw off agent David Redvers. The chestnut won three times when under the care of Newmarket handler Marco Botti and bought by Williams on behalf of a London-based businessman. Fiulin, entered as Lot 1094, is out of Fafinta (Indian Ridge), who is a half-sister to champion sire and eight-time Group/Grade 1 winner Falbrav (Ire) (Fairy King). "We've been looking for a couple of high-class hurdlers for a long time, and have put in a lot of footwork trying to find them," Williams said. "We've seen everything we want to with this horse, and we were very taken by him as an individual. He's a big scopey horse who looks like he will enjoy jumping hurdles." The day's trade saw 240 lots sell for 6,338,400 guineas at an average of 26,410 guineas. Those numbers represent declines of 9.8 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively, on last year when 254 horses brought a total 7,024,500 guineas with an average of 27,656 guineas. The median of 14,500 guineas saw a rise of 45 percent over the 2008 median of 10,000 guineas. For the complete results, go to www.tattersalls.com. The Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues Thursday with the fourth and final session.
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