Solid Trade At Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up
A son of INVINCIBLE SPIRIT was the star turn on the second day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when selling for 575,000 guineas, as the two day sale saw 85 lots sell for 10,343,000 guineas, at an average of 121,682 guineas and a median of 85,000 guineas.
Invincible Spirit Colt Tops Day 2 Trade at 575,000 Guineas
Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm enjoyed another profitable day when selling their INVINCIBLE SPIRIT colt out of the Group 3 winner and Group 1 Prix Vermeille third MARE NOSTRUM for 575,000 guineas. The half-brother to the Group 1 winner ERUPT was purchased by Godolphin with Justin Casse the underbidder.
The colt did a great breeze - all the more meritorious as his rein snapped through the piece of work meaning the gallop could not be completed successfully. A new rein was found and the colt breezed for a second time, putting in a strong time and a good performance.
"He showed a remarkable temperament to essentially breeze twice and did a good breeze the second time," said bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud. "He looks a lovely colt, is from a strong Niarchos pedigree and Norman does a great job producing these horses."
Williamson, who purchased him as a yearling for 90,000 euros said: "He proved that he is a good sound colt, he did a fantastic breeze, he is a lovely horse. I have been lucky with the breeder before – I sold War Of Will last year."
A son of WAR FRONT, WAR OF WILL was a Grade 1 runner-up last September, finished fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and was successful at Grade 2 level in February. He is trained in the US by Mark Casse, having been purchased by his brother Justin - and today's underbidder – last spring.
Shamardal Colt to Hong Kong for 340,000 Guineas
Late in the evening US-based bloodstock agent Sam Wright went to 340,000 guineas to secure the Grove Stud consigned SHAMARDAL colt out of PATRONISING on behalf of Hong Kong based clients.
"I was delighted to get the chance to buy a Shamardal last year," said Grove Stud's Brendan Holland after selling this colt by the sire for 340,000gns. He bought the colt for 150,000 guineas at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
"I had sold a filly by Shamardal before and she went on to be a Group 1 winner for Roger Varian.
"I knew this family really well too – Kevin Lynch had Hoity Toity and bred Lillie Langtry and Count of Limonade and he is just a mile away from us at home."
Night of Thunder Colt to Godolphin for 300,000 Guimeas
Colts by the 2,000 Guineas winner NIGHT OF THUNDER have been popular this week and Houghton Bloodstock’s colt out of the AUTHORIZED mare PERMISSION SLIP maintained the form selling to Godolphin for 300,000 guineas. In total the sire had four lots sell this week for a total of 1,020,000 guineas at an average of 255,000 guineas. The colt, who was a 65,000 euros yearling purchase, is from the family of the champion two-year-old filly and Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes winner BINT ALLAYL and the Group 3 Jersey Stakes winner KHELEYF.
Competitive Edge Filly Makes 280,000 Guineas
Cian Hughes’ C H Thoroughbreds enjoyed a stunning pinhooking success when selling their COMPETITIVE EDGE filly for 280,000 guineas. The daughter of the Group 3 placed mare HUG AND A KIS was knocked down to Daithi Harvey, on behalf of Lindsay Laroche, having been purchased as a yearling for 32,000 euros.
"I was in the US and saw some by the sire and thought they were nice horses," explained consignor Cian Hughes. "Her page caught my eye in the yearling catalogue – her dam was Group 3 placed in France – so I took a look at her. She is a lovely filly and I did not think we'd buy her.
"She is a real two-year-old type, but I have not been hard on her, I like to mind them."
Hughes worked for long-time breeze-up consignor Jim McCartan and prepares both Flat and National Hunt horses. He also got a great result at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale last December when selling point-to-point winner CHANTRY HOUSE for £295,000.
The filly was the sole lot brought to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale by Hughes, who said: "I knew from working with Jim that I had to bring a nice one here."
He has one lot to come to the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale - a colt by WICKED STRONG catalogued as Lot 196.
Harvey Bloodstock’s Daithi Harvey commented; "She is a gorgeous beautiful filly. She did a good sectionals, but is also out of a mare rated 107, who was a 10-furlong performer so we hope she'll train on as a three-year-old too.
"She goes to trainer Gavin Cromwell and is for Lindsay Laroche, who had Princess Yaiza with Gavin. Lindsay is building up a breeding programme, hopefully this filly will get some stakes form and be able to join the broodmare band."
Chairman’s Statement
At the conclusion of the 2019 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“An improved clearance rate and a good cross section of buyers, both domestic and overseas, are positives to take from the 2019 renewal of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale. We deliberately catalogued fewer two year olds than last year and understandably the turnover has reflected this decision, but it was definitely prudent to keep a tighter rein on the numbers.
"The sale has as ever produced some outstanding pinhooking successes, most notably Tally Ho Stud’s outstanding 850,000 guineas KINGMAN filly who is the highest priced filly ever sold at a European Breeze Up Sale, and it has been encouraging to see new faces from Hong Kong and the USA participating as well as a significant number of buyers from throughout the Gulf region active at all levels of the market. Trainers have also responded positively to the new £15,000 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Bonus and we look forward to rewarding owners for their confidence in the Craven Breeze Up as the season unfolds. In the meantime we look forward to the forthcoming Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale which features a further 172 quality Breeze Up two year olds and 132 horses in training."