Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up And HIT Sale Sustains Momentum
Robust trade at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up & Horses in Training Sale saw turnover surge into record territory for the third consecutive time at Tattersalls in 2017. A total of 36 lots sold for 50,000 guineas or more during the Breeze Up section, up from seventeen last year, with 11 lots breaking the six-figure barrier. The ‘breezers’ realised 5,502,200 guineas, a record for the category at this sale, taking turnover for the whole sale to 6,157,300 guineas for the 205 lots sold.
The day started with the Horses in Training section with STEVE ROGERS topping proceedings at 105,000 guineas, the third highest price for a horse-in-training in the sale’s short history. That section realised 655,100 guineas for the 51 lots sold before the Breeze Up lots which were headlined a son of KODIAC who sold for 240,000 guineas late in the evening and followed by a trio of lots that realised 170,000 guineas apiece.
The top lot came late in the evening when Stephen Hillen struck to secure lot 298, the KODIAC colt out of the GREEN DESERT mare GREENFLASH for 240,000 guineas. Hillen secured the cold after seeing off the efforts of agents David Redvers and Richard Knight.
"He's been bought for Pat Gallagher and goes to Richard Hughes," said Hillen.
"He breezed tremendously well and really attacked the hill - that's what we want to see, horses finishing out their breezes well. We tried hard on the Dawn Approach earlier today, but we are delighted with this purchase."
The sale proved to be a massive pinhooking success for Knockanglass Stables’ Thomond O’Mara who secured him for £28,000 as a yearling via Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock. It has proven to be a stellar month at Tattersalls for the Co Tipperary pinhooker, having sold 12 lots for 1,678,000 guineas.
"I am delighted," said O'Mara. "It's been a good season for us, but it is not over yet, we've still got around 20 to sell!”
The first of the three to realise 170,000 guineas was lot 214, the chesnut DAWN APPROACH colt out of the RAINBOW QUEST mare WHISP, consigned by Roderick Kavanagh’s Glending Stables on behalf of his parents Peter & Antoinette Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud. Stephen Hillen opened up the bidding at 100,000 guineas before it raced to 170,000 guineas when knocked down to Richard O’Gorman, standing next to John Ferguson.
The successful purchaser Dick O'Gorman said: "This colt did a very good breeze and the first runners for the sire did extremely well this week."
It was the second year in a row that the Kavanagh’s have hit the heights at the Guineas Breeze Up Sale, having sold leading 1,000 Guineas fancy DABAN at this sale last year for 260,000 guineas.
A few lots later lot 223, the ACCLAMATION colt out of ZIBELING became the lot to realise 170,000 guineas when knocked down to bloodstock agent Richard Frisby. Consigned by Church Farm & Horse Park Stud, the colt’s dam is a half-sister to Group 3 winner BEAUTY IS TRUTH and the Classic-placed GLORIOUS SIGHT with the Group 1 winners LAST TYCOON, IMMORTAL VERSE, VALENTINE WALTZ, TIE BLACK and SENSE OF STYLE all featuring within the catalogue page.
"He has been bought for Godolphin and over the next few days Sheikh Mohammed will decide which trainer he will go to," said Frisby. "The horse has a lovely page, a stallion's page if he is good enough."
The sale represented a great return for his owners, having been purchased as a yearling for 60,000 euros.
The final of the trio to sell for 170,000 guineas was lot 254, the grey colt by LETHAL FORCE out of COOL CATENA who was knocked down to agent Jeremy Brumitt after he saw off Cheveley Park Stud’s Chris Richardson. It was a case of second time lucky for Brummitt, having been underbidder on him at 55,000 euros as a yearling.
"I liked him then, and I hate to be proved wrong about anything!" smiled Brummitt. "I am not looking for a two-year-old – we are after a three-year-old type – and he has done everything I expected of him since last year. He is to go abroad."
The sale had kicked off with the horses in training section of the sale that saw 51 lots sell for 655,100 guineas and the Roger Varian-trained STEVE ROGERS make 105,000 guineas. The six-year-old son of MONTJEU has an official rating of 105 and was knocked down to fellow Newmarket trainer Michael Bell.
"He is for Ed Ware of 32-Red," said Bell. "Ed found him in the catalogue and was looking for a good Saturday horse and a horse to run at Ascot.
"This horse is very consistent, he has been in good hands and all the lads in Roger's yard liked him - which is always a good sign!
"He should be a lot of fun and has relatively low mileage for a six-year-old. At Ascot he could be one for the Queen Alexandra Stakes and then further down the line for the Ebor."
At the conclusion of the 2017 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“The extraordinary trade at the recent record - breaking Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up demonstrated the global demand for quality breeze up two year olds and it has been encouraging to see the momentum sustained at the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale. We have welcomed buyers from throughout Europe and further afield to today’s sale and they have combined with strong domestic representation to produce increases in turnover, average and median as well as a record number of six figure transactions and lots selling for 50,000 guineas or more.
"The key to the popularity of both the Craven and Guineas Breeze Up Sales is the combination of supremely professional consignors and consistent top level success on racecourses around the world. Both elements have played a major part in today’s sale with some spectacular pinhooking triumphs paying tribute to the horsemanship of the consignors and Sunday’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas second favourite DABAN, the highest priced filly at last year’s sale, providing yet another reminder of the outstanding quality to be found every year at this fixture.
“In addition to positive returns for the Breeze Up two year olds, the popular horses in training section has also achieved increases across the board and served as another reminder of the uniquely global audience consistently drawn to bloodstock sales at Tattersalls."
The next sale at Tattersalls is the July Sale that takes place from July 11 – 14. Entries are open and can be made online at www.tattersalls.com.