Rare horseracing colours for sale at Bonhams’ racing sale

Racehorse owners will have the chance to buy unique racing colours at Bonhams’ racing sale later this month.

Fifteen sets of colours will be on sale at Tattersalls in Newmarket on 19 July — including a set of plain terracotta silks valued at £50,000 – 60,000.

Michael Steel from Bonhams’ says: “Racing colours are part of an important racing tradition and an essential element of the racing world today, helping racing commentators and race goers to identify horses, jockeys and owners.

“What’s particularly attractive about this July’s sale is that as well as high-value lots we have some much more accessible colours available, giving someone, who perhaps has just one or two horses, or a syndicate group, a chance to acquire their own distinctive colours.”

The sale also includes a set of white colours with a light blue star estimated at £1,000-2,000, a set of dark green colours with a white cross of Lorraine estimated at £2,000-3,000 and a black set of silks with a pink and black checked cap, estimated at £10,000-15,000.

And the proceeds from a set of pink colours with blue epaulets and cap, estimated at £4,000 – 6,000 will be donated to Cancer Research at the request of the late owner’s spouse.

All the colours have been submitted by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the sale has been organised in conjunction with Weatherbys.

Toby Watson of Weatherbys said: “As the number of owners, and therefore colours registrations has increased (from 9,000 to over 20,000 in the past 30 years), it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a plainer set of colours for new registrations, although there are several million standard colour combinations available.

“This sale offers the opportunity for owners who are perhaps leaving racing to realise a possible asset, whilst allowing others to secure some special colours.”

For every sale the a percentage of the proceeds is donated by the BHA to racing charities and a percentage is also put back into the industry.

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