A colt by Kodiac was the star of the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when selling to Dave Loughnane for 525,000 guineas, on a day that saw five lots realize 300,000 guineas or more.
The top priced lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the Kodiac colt out of the Oasis Dream mare No Lippy who realized 525,000 guineas to the bid of Shropshire-based trainer Dave Loughnane after a prolonged bidding duel with agent Oliver St Lawrence, standing with Bahraini owner Fawzi Nass.
“I loved everything about him, he is a lovely animal, he is very well balanced, he did an exceptional breeze, the fastest breeze of the lot,” said Loughnane. “He just looks an out and out Royal Ascot horse. He has a very good pedigree, his dam was a very good 2-year-old for Mark Johnston. I love everything about him, he has a lot of quality and let's hope he can back up on the track, fingers crossed.”
Of ownership plans, Loughnane said: “He is for a new British-based syndicate. I didn't think that we would have to go that far for him, I knew he was not going to be cheap, but thankfully I have some owners who are willing to back him. The sire has done it year in and year out and he comes from a very good farm in Tally-Ho Stud.”
The colt was consigned by Tally-Ho Stud who stand Kodiac, and who have previously consigned the Grade 1 winner La Pelosa to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up. They had purchased the BHA 88-rated and three-time winner No Lippy at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2018 for 20,000 guineas. She is a daughter of the Group 2 Prix de Pomone winner Freedonia and a half-sister to the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Albigna.
Agent Ted Durcan secured a War Front colt consigned by Native Trail's consignor Oak Tree Farm for 425,000 guineas after seeing off a plethora of bidders including underbidder Satish Seemar, agent Stephen Hillen and French agent Nicky de Balanda.
The colt is out of the Grade 3 placed Giant's Causeway mare Pine Needles and was purchased by Durcan on behalf of owner Oliver Harris.
“He is from a marvelous stable and is a smashing looking and moving horse. The vets were happy and he is going into training with Joseph Parr in Newmarket. He is a beautiful stamp of a horse and is for Oliver Harris who has horses with Joseph,” said Durcan. “The horse is fairly explanatory, he did a smashing breeze. He is obvious and you have to pay for them.”
Consignor Norman Williamson, who consigned champion 2-year-old Native Trail to the Craven Breeze Up Sale last year, said: “I have to give Mark McStay a mention, I knew I'd had luck with War Of Will [also by War Front and breezed by Williamson] and he said 'Listen there is a War Front colt out here [the U.S.] that has not been sold'.
“Tim Hyde Jr. went out to the farm and took videos and all the rest, so really without Mark we would not have got him.”
Williamson added: “He is a beautiful horse, he really is. Let's hope he is a racehorse, but he is beautiful and his breeze was beautiful too. He has a fantastic action, we are delighted – let's hope he is a champion.”
Williamson said that the colt has a definite likeness to War Of Will, winner of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes and the G1 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes and now standing at stud at Claiborne Farm.
“He is very similar – action and attitude, he is always fresh and happy with life, which is interesting. If he is as good then we will be more than happy. He is very like him. Size and build-wise for a War Front he is very like him, big and strong and a lot of scope.”
The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale continues at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.
The post Kodiac Colt Stars On Opening Day Of Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
