This time last week the 2022 1,000 Guineas heroine Cachet set the Tattersalls sales ring alight at the December Mares Sale. Offered by Highclere Stud as part of the Sceptre Session, it was Shingo Hashimoto who put in the final bid, securing the Classic winner at an incredible 2.2 million guineas for Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm in Japan.

A horse that has thoroughly left her mark in the history books, Cachet was the first Guineas winner to sell at public auction since 1988, as well as a first domestic Classic winner for owner Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – subsequently providing trainer George Boughey, jockey James Doyle and her sire Aclaim with a first 1,000 Guineas success furthermore.

 

Pictured: Cachet sells for 2,200,000gns at Tattersalls December Mare Sale

 

“It’s been an amazing journey, a phenomenal journey”

Jake Warren reflects on Cachet’s 2.2m gns sale [see the interview with Gina Bryce below].

 

Having caught the eye of Jake Warren at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in 2021, this special filly was sourced at incredible value, selling for just 60,000gns to Highclere Agency from Hyde Park Stud. 

“You can look at all the high price horses that go through the ring and think how did this filly slip through at 60,000? But she had very interesting markers in her breeze and she fitted our criteria and that’s the criteria that has got us good horses in the past” Jake on Nick Luck’s daily podcast back in May 2022.

 

Pictured: Cachet breezing up the Rowley Mile as part of Tattersalls Craven Sale

 

An early, precocious type, Cachet scored on debut with an impressive 5½-length win at Newmarket in May 2021 (becoming her sire’s first winner) and continued to put in high-class performances throughout her two-year-old campaign with five black-type placings; including a 2nd in the Rockfell (Gr.2), 3rd in the Gr.1 Fillies’ Mile and an International Gr.1 4th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

The Group 1 juvenile continued to demonstrate her aptitude for Newmarket, launching her three-year-old season with a storming success in the Gr.3 Nell Gwyn Stakes (7f) before returning to HQ a couple of weeks later to claim her Gr.1 1,000 Guineas victory – the ultimate achievement over a mile for 3yo fillies. 

 

Pictured: Cachet winning the 1,000 Guineas in 2022

 

It wasn’t meant to be in the French Guineas when Cachet was narrowly denied in 2nd, but this brilliant filly continued to demonstrate her toughness and top-class durability when taking her owners to the world’s stage at Royal Ascot furthermore.

Being offered by Highclere Stud at Tattersalls prestigious December Sale was a fitting end to Cachet’s phenomenal journey with Highclere. Not only will her remarkable front-running victory in the Guineas be a lasting memory, but her multi-million pound sale furthermore.

We wish the very best of luck to her new connections and can only hope to achieve similar success in the years to come.

It has been a vintage year for Highclere Agency, consistently striking with high-class purchases. Believing (sourced for 115,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale) had already achieved success and proven her class with multiple black-type performances at 2, yet improved on that further with an incredible three-year-old campaign. Three stakes victories, an overseas gold in the Gr.3 Prix Texanita and a Gr.1 third in the Sprint Cup, this filly is incredibly exciting. As is the brilliant two-year-old Soprano (sourced for 110,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Book 2) who after her impressive-winning debut, went on to consistently strike in stakes company at Royal Ascot, Newmarket, Sandown and Salisbury. Flora Of Bermuda was another eye-catching breeze-up purchase who went on to break her maiden tag at Glorious Goodwood (beating subsequent Gr.3 Dick Poole winner Juniper Berries) and gain her all-important black-type with a Gr.2 second in the Flying Childers (behind Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Big Evs).

A fantastic year and exciting prospects for 2024.

 

???? Cachet's "phenomenal journey" with an emotional Harry Herbert, @JakeJWarren and the @HighclereRacing team culminates at the #TattsDecember Mares Sale, with the 1000 Guineas winner selling to Japan's Northern Farm for 2.2m gns.@gbougheyracing | #ノーザンファーム pic.twitter.com/xQcaStYq8y

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) December 5, 2023