240,000 Guineas Minzaal Colt Tops the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale

The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale concluded with a MINZAAL colt selling for 240,000 guineas, equaling the highest price achieved at the sale since 2016. The Horses In Training section of the sale realised a turnover of 1,321,000 guineas and a clearance rate of 89%.

New Partnership Secures the Top Lot at the Guineas Breeze Up Sale

The son of first-crop sire MINZAAL out of the Group 3 winner DISTINCTIVE was sold by Eddie Linehan’s Lackendarra Stud for 240,000 guineas, the equal highest price at this sale since 2016. Georgia King was the successful bidder, with Richard Brown filling the underbidder role. King explained:

“It’s for a new partnership between Rebel Racing’s Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley, with Richard Spencer the trainer. We’re delighted to get him and the aim is to hopefully have him run at Royal Ascot.”

King elaborated: “Richard and I came this morning to look at him and then Richard was away at Kempton, so I was left to do this. He’s the first horse I’ve ever bought, so it was quite nerve-wracking! I recently started working with Rebel Racing and it’s a great yard.”

Eddie Linehan knew he had something special leading up to the sale, commenting:

“I’ve been very strong on this horse for a while. He’s been very impressive over the last six weeks since we started stepping him up. He did a piece of work at The Curragh and I saw then all I needed to know.”

He added: “He was owned between myself and Mick Murphy of Longways. We both landed on him at the yearling sale and bought him privately together”.

Stroud Coleman Secures Ten Sovereigns Colt for 200,000 Guineas 

A large number of buyers congregated in the ring in attempt to secure Drummona House’s colt, including Stuart Boman, Ted Durcan, Middleham Park Racing, Tom Biggs and underbidder Richard Brown, with Anthony Stroud eventually prevailing as the successful buyer. The winning agent explained: 

“This is an extremely nice horse, he did a very good breeze in difficult, windy conditions. He has a good pedigree, and is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, which is useful. He is for a client, and plans are to be confirmed.”

The colt’s dam BY REQUEST is a half-sister to the multiple Gr.1 winner CORONET. The family also traces back to the Gr.1 French 2000 Guineas winner AUSSIE RULES. The result was a huge success for Kevin Blake, who parted with €12,000 to secure the colt as a yearling. Blake was full of praise for Drummona House’s principals: 

“I thought he was a beautiful colt as a yearling and was fortunate to buy him. I have known Colin and his wife Aušra for a long time. They are great horse people, professionals and have a great temperament for the job.”

Blake continued: “I met Aušra in Tesco a couple of weeks ago, I think that was nearly the only update I got. But you put your horses with good professionals and leave them to it, me knowing what is going on is not going to make them any faster!”

Colin and Aušra Bargary started Drummona House seven years ago, breaking yearlings and pre-training. Colin enthused: 

“It is an absolutely fantastic result for the whole team. It’s not often that the stars align. He breezed well, came back sound and jumped through all of the hoops. We have been well-rewarded for what we think is a nice horse.”

American Pharoah Colt Heads the Way of Blandford Bloodstock for 125,000 Guineas

The first six-figure lot of the 2026 Guineas Breeze Up Sale was consigned by Tom Whitehead’s Powerstown Stud, with Stuart Boman signing the winning docket. The agent explained: 

“He is a lovely colt. I have had luck buying from Tom at this sale in the past with the likes of Lark In The Mornin. He did a very good breeze, and I rated him my number one. He is Chesham eligible, though I am not saying he will go there, but we have a few ideas in mind. He goes to Joseph O’Brien with a client yet to be decided.”

The colt hails from an extremely talented immediate family, with his dam LAVENDER being a half-sister to Gr.1 winner ZAFISIO, as well as the dams of Gr.1 winner EXCELLENT TRUTH and Gr.3 winner SPYCATCHER. Boman added his take on the market:

“I think people are starting to realise that the world is not ending and in fact, a lot of people have made a lot of money.”

The sale represented a strong pinhook for an understandably delighted Tom Whitehead, who bought the colt as a yearling for $50,000 and commented: 

“He is a May 10th foal, so that is why he has come to this later sale. He will be a lovely middle-distance horse in time. There was a lot of action, with plenty of vets.”

Bromley and Baker Combine to Secure Purple Moon for 65,000 Guineas

The highest priced lot of the Horses in Training section of the sale was the promising four-year-old PURPLE MOON, who was offered as a wildcard by Belmont Stud and knocked down for 65,000 guineas to Highflyer Bloodstock and trainer George Baker.

“He looked a very sound, clean individual, athletic”, explained Anthony Bromley. “The form of his win is quite good, with the horse who finished second running well in a big handicap last Friday off a mark of 86”.

Bred, trained and owned by Pat O’ Rourke, the lightly raced son of RIBCHESTER broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths on only his second start just three weeks ago over 1m 1 ½ furlongs. The well-bred gelding hails from the family of dual Gr.1 winner VESPONE, as well as Gr.1 Melbourne Cup and Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase runner-up PURPLE MOON.

He has been bought for well-travelled connections, as Candida Baker added: “He is one whom we hope can go to race in St Moritz and potentially Bahrain as well. He is for a lovely owner called Paul Bowden, who owned Lucander, a winner in Bahrain, and Wargrave, who won in St Moritz.”

Managing Director’s Statement

At the conclusion of the Guineas Sale, Tattersalls Managing Director Matthew Prior commented:

“The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale has historically attracted a broad cross-section of both domestic and international buyers, drawn by the mix of proven horses and commercial ‘breezers’, from a sale that consistently produces a significant number of Group and Listed performers.

“While demand for horses in training remains resilient, prevailing economic conditions and uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East have had a marked impact on the breeze up sector. In particular, domestic demand continues to contract, reflecting ongoing pressure on UK businesses, with the impact of current government’s fiscal policy increasingly evident.

“Consequently, results at the Guineas Breeze Up Sale followed the trend of earlier sales, with a lower clearance rate, while turnover fell to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, it was pleasing to welcome a strong international buying bench to Park Paddocks, with Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Middle East all represented, and good competition for the standout two-year-olds on the day.

“It was also pleasing to see Eddie Linehan so well rewarded for his efforts, with his Lackendarra consignment producing the top price of 240,000 guineas, the equal highest price at this sale since 2016.

“We now look forward to the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale, the final sale in this sector for the Tattersalls Group, before the Tattersalls July Sale, Europe’s premier midsummer sale.”