Meehan Leads the Way
Thursday 10th January, 2008
Trainer Brian Meehan dominates with 22 entries across the two races - the next highest is 14 entries registered by Luca Cumani, Jeremy Noseda and Aidan O'Brien. All horses catalogued in Book One of the 2007 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale were eligible.
The £1 million Tattersalls Timeform Million, for two-year-old colts, geldings and fillies over seven furlongs, and the £800,000 Tattersalls Timeform Fillies 800, exclusive to two-year-old fillies over seven furlongs, will be run on what will now be Britain's most valuable ever raceday on Newmarket's NatWest Rowley Mile on Saturday, October 4. The Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (Group One) and the totesport Cambridgeshire will be the other highlights on the card.
The Tattersalls Timeform Million has attracted 186 entries including the two joint top priced colts in Book One of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, both of which were sold for one million guineas, one to each of racing's two powerhouses, Coolmore and Godolphin. The Dalakhani (IRE) out of Bella Lambada (GB) is the Coolmore joint sale-topping colt, while Godolphin has entered their Gone West (USA) out of Myth To Reality (FR) colt.
The Bella Lambada (GB) colt is one of 13 Aidan O'Brien-trained entries, but unusually he is matched on that figure by Luca Cumani. They share the most number of entries in the Million, ahead of Saeed bin Suroor and Jeremy Noseda with 10, John Gosden with eight and Brian Meehan and Sir Michael Stoute with seven entries each.
Meehan may have been numerically overshadowed in the Million, but in the Tattersalls Timeform Fillies 800 he is totally dominant. With a remarkable 15 fillies engaged, he is responsible for over 10 per cent of the 132 total entry in the race and is a distance clear of the trainer with second highest number of entries, Jim Bolger, on six.
While the world record breaking Book One Sale-topping filly has not been entered, the next two highest priced lots have. They are Flame of Hestia (IRE), who was knocked down for one million guineas and is owned by Annabelle Condon and trained by James Fanshawe, and the 700,000 guineas Coolmore purchase, by Danehill Dancer (IRE) out of Flawly (GB), who is now with trainer David Wachman.
Commenting on his entry, Brian Meehan, who won the £250,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket last autumn with Exclamation, said:
"The Tattersalls Millions contests take the concept of sales races to a new level and I am delighted to extend my support.
“With such incredible prize money on offer, it is now possible to go for a sales race with the very top horses and that is what makes the difference.”
Jimmy George, Marketing Director of Tattersalls, said: "We are delighted with not only the number of entries but also the quality.
“Even at this early stage we are looking forward to two hugely competitive and exciting contests. It is also particularly encouraging to see the wide cross-section of trainers with entries at this stage, which reflects the broad appeal of the races and Book One of the October Yearling Sale.”
The first forfeit for the two races is May 6. Every horse left in at that stage will be automatically entered at no extra cost for the Tattersalls Timeform £400,000 3-Y-O Trophy over 1m 2f at Newmarket in April, 2009.
HIGHEST NUMBER OF ENTRIES SUPPLIED BY INDIVIDUAL TRAINERS
22 Brian Meehan (7 Million + 15 Fillies 800)
14 Luca Cumani (13 + 1)
14 Jeremy Noseda (10 + 4)
14 Aidan O'Brien (13 + 1)
12 Sir Michael Stoute (7 + 5)
10 Saeed Bin Suroor (10 + 0)
10 Jim Bolger (4 + 6)
10 John Gosden (8 + 2)
10 Dermot Weld (5 + 5)
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Alex Mommersteeg, Tattersalls, 01638 665 931
Michael Prosser, Newmarket Racecourses, 01638 675 504