And so it proved after the colt was knocked down to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin. Bought for 125,000gns from the Ogden family's dispersal at Book 1 last year, the already-named Anno Domini (GB) (lot 26) was one of the big eyecatchers from Monday's breeze that took place in some of the most challenging weather conditions that many key stakeholders said they could remember. 

After out-muscling BBA Ireland's Mick Donohoe, who filled the role as underbidder, Stroud explained how he empathised with some of the consignors and even the horses for negotiating such terrible weather conditions during the breeze.

“Struck early, go home early,” Stroud said, referencing the contrasting approach to last year's sale, where he was forced to stay to the bitter end to secure the joint-top lots, including what turned out to be the unbeaten superstar Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). 

Asked if he saw the colt last year, Stroud answered, “I did see him as a yearling. I probably should have bought him as a yearling, shouldn't I!? But sometimes, it's better to leave them and come back. It's good to keep the whole business rolling on. He is a very nice horse and did a very good breeze. Katie Walsh does a fantastic job. We're delighted to get him.”

He continued, “I thought it was really hard on consignors and mostly the horses [on Monday]. It was really hard. I think I would probably be more flexible in looking at the weather charts but it's difficult when you have people coming in on the Monday for the breeze to go and switch it for another day. I have never seen it that bad.

“Also, I sometimes think the concentration required for that length of time [during the breeze] is difficult. I don't know if you want to go and have them on two separate days but I do think that, if you are breezing 180 horses, it's difficult for everyone. If the weather had been really nice, it would have all worked out.”

The New Bay colt really was one of the big talking horses coming into the sale and he didn't disappoint. Stroud, who did his bidding at the back wall, held off the persistent challenge of Donohoe in the bidders' area, but there was a moment of confusion before the hammer fell.

Double checking with auctioneer John O'Kelly that it was, in fact, he who had placed the winning bid, the bloodstock agent was met with a typically witty response. 

“Don't worry sir, I'm an auctioneer–I'm here to look after you,” O'Kelly joked. 

As for Walsh, topping sales is something she has done in the past, but there was an extra layer of satisfaction to Tuesday's result given she owned a large chunk of the colt. 

“I can't believe it, really,” Walsh said. “But I guess I did dream a little bit as he had cost 125,000gns and he has the pedigree. The people who are into pedigrees couldn't knock him on it. He made sense on paper and then when he breezed well and vetted well, I knew we had a chance of getting a touch.”

She added, “In the moments after a big sale it is all a bit of a whirlwind as the phone is ringing from home, and you want to ring everyone, but it is brilliant–it's great for everyone. We are a family-run business with my sister Jennifer, my Mum and Dad, and my husband Ross. We are all in it together–as well as all the lads at home.”

Anno Domini hails from the Galileo (Ire) mare Alegra, who has produced five winners, including Listed scorers Pythagoras and Blue Gardenia.

Anthony Stroud goes to 525,000gns on behalf of @godolphin for the only New Bay in the #TattsCraven catalogue, consigned by @katiewalsh9's Greenhills Farm.

A ½-brother to Stakes winners Pythagoras and Blue Gardenia, the colt was bought for 125,000gns at #TattsOctober Book 1. pic.twitter.com/elg1Kigv8V

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) April 16, 2024

Collins's Pinatubo Colt Off To Paddy Twomey

Paddy Twomey doesn't hang about. Along with his stable jockey Billy Lee, the leading Irish trainer day-tripped it to Newmarket on Monday before scouting the barns to catch a glimpse of the horses who caught his eye in the breeze.

Back at his base in Golden, County Tipperary on Tuesday, where he opened his yard to the Irish press, Twomey snapped up a colt by exciting first-season sire Pinatubo (Ire) from Johnny Collins's Brown Island Stables for 220,000gns through bloodstock agent Mark McStay. 

The Pinatubo colt proved to be one of the big hits on day one. Bought by Collins for 68,000gns from New England Stud at Book 2, he ended the session as the third highest-priced lot and will carry the colours of Mohammed Al Suboosi on the racetrack.

“It's great,” said Collins. “He's going to a very good trainer and I hope he's very lucky for him. He has a great temperament, he's a straightforward kind of horse. He breezed very well and showed very well all week and was just a pleasure to deal with.”

McStay and Twomey have teamed up with a good degree of success at the breeze-up sales and the bloodstock agent explained how the pair came to land on lot 22. 

The agent said, “He's been purchased for a very good client based in Dubai called Mohammed Al Suboosi who already owns some nice horses with Paddy–Procrastinate (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), another breeze-up horse, and Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who'll come back for a sprinting campaign this year.”

McStay added, “We had a very select list and combined all our thoughts and this was the horse we hit on. I think the sire could be very promising and the mare has already done it by breeding Mrs Gallagher (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The colt came recommended by Johnny Collins, who I've known for a long time. His recommendation counts for a lot so I'm delighted to get this colt.”

O'Callaghan Begins With A Bang

Michael O'Callaghan makes no secret about the fact that he prefers to stock his Kildare-based stable with breeze-up horses rather than shopping at the yearling sales. The trainer struck early in the sale for a Mehmas (Ire) half-brother to the Aidan O'Brien-trained Coventry S. winner and Classic hopeful River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for 300,000gns. 

Consigned by Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables, lot 6 got the sale off to a roaring start, with O'Callaghan revealing that he was taken by the professionalism of the colt's breeze. 

He said, “The horse has a great pedigree. He's a half-brother to River Tiber and it's a very good cross with Mehmas and an Arcano (Ire) mare–Supremacy (Ire) is the very same. He's been bought for an existing client.”

O'Callaghan added, “He was up early and, not long after he breezed, things were delayed because of the weather. The weather was bad so he was very professional and we're delighted to get him. Hopefully he can be a nice horse.”

The #TattsCraven Breeze Up has started with a bang as @MDOCallaghan goes to 300,000gns for @Mocklershill1's Mehmas ½-brother to the Coventry winner and Prix Morny third River Tiber. pic.twitter.com/d71OOz9iDj

— Tattersalls (@Tattersalls1766) April 16, 2024

Talking Points

• Cormac Farrell told TDN Europe this week that his dream was to emulate top breeze-up handlers Willie Browne, Con Marnane, Norman Williamson and Eddie O'Leary by producing a champion. The Copper Beech Stables-based consignor, who went out on his own under the banner of CF Bloodstock last year, couldn't have wished for a better start to the 2024 breeze-up campaign when his Hello Youmzain (Fr) colt [lot 12] was knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock for 200,000gns. Bought for 58,000gns at Book 2, Tuesday's result represented a respectable profit for the man who sold top-notch prospect Bracken's Laugh (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) at Tattersalls last year.
• The Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners have lit up Park Paddocks in recent times and, in snapping up lot 20, a Havana Grey (GB) filly consigned by Cian Hughes, the American outfit got in on the action once again. Interestingly, the 180,000gns purchase will go into training with Newmarket-based handler, Dylan Cunha. 
• Mick Donohoe may have been out of luck on the day's top lot but he didn't come away from Tattersalls empty-handed after picking up a City Of Light colt for 210,000gns and a Good Magic filly for 65,000gns. Both horses were bought for Saudi Arabian clients. The BBA Ireland agent said, “I bought two horses for Saudi Arabia today and hope to do a bit more business here tomorrow as well. I have been travelling to Saudi Arabia for 20 years now so you could say that the hard yards are paying off. I actually underbid the New Bay that topped the sale. He probably would have stayed in Britain before eventually going to Saudi Arabia but, anyway, we couldn't get it done.” He added, “We're very happy with the two horses we bought today. The City Of Light colt is a brother to a horse [Rational Choice (Candy Ride {Arg})] who has done very well out there and was a very good individual. The Good Magic filly was good value at 65,000gns and she has a good pedigree being a sister to a Group 3 winner. Happy with the day's business.”
• Donohoe wasn't the only man representing Saudi Arabian interests at Tattersalls. Lot 46, a Knockanglass Stables-consigned colt by Munnings, went the way of Marco Bozzi for SBS Global. Bozzi said, “We saw the horse in Ireland last week and really liked him. The Prince likes Munnings and we know the family. So we think he is a good prospect to run in Saudi Arabia. He will go to Ireland for now and then ship over in August.”
• It wasn't all a bed of roses on day one. Of the 75 horses offered, 53 were sold, representing a clearance rate of 71%. The aggregate was down 14% to 5,589,500gns, the median stayed the same at 77,000gns and the average dropped 4% to 105,462gns.

The Golden Touch: Lot 78
Filly by King Of Change (GB) out of Greatest Virtue (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB})
Consigned by Donovan Bloodstock 
Purchased by Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah
Danny O'Donovan and Adam Potts deserve some credit for turning lot 78, who was the cheapest yearling sold at Book 1 at 8,000gns, into a 80,000gns breezer. The filly is from the family of Sole Power (GB) and certainly caught the eye of some good judges by how well she breezed. In the end, the hammer fell the way of Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah [owner of Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire})], securing a healthy profit for the two lads. 

Thought For The Day

Consignors might well have come away from day one of this year's Craven Breeze-Up Sale suffering from a heavy dose of deja-vu. The patchiness that dominated on day one 12 months ago was back again, which was represented in a clearance rate of 71%.

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They include A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), who gained her third success from as many starts when returning from eight months off to win the G3 Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” S. at Leopardstown last time, digging deep to beat the Listed winner Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) by a head.

“I was very happy with how she did it in the Guineas trial the other day at Leopardstown,” Twomey said of that performance. “She won in spite of the ground, I would say. She's got form last year where she beat Opera Singer on pretty quick ground and then she's won on heavy ground, so she's pretty versatile.

“She's a classy filly and, every time she's started a race, she's done exactly what we thought she would do. I'd say the Irish 1,000 Guineas is the race she'll go for next. She's entered there and she's not entered in Newmarket.”

A Lilac Rolla could be joined at the Curragh by two other unbeaten stable-mates in the shape of One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and 'TDN Rising Star' Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}). Both fillies raced only once at two and have already been in action in 2024 when making the most of good opportunities to win at Cork and Naas, respectively.

“My thinking now is that she won't go to Newmarket,” Twomey said of One Look, who made a sparkling debut as a two-year-old when winning the Goffs Million at the Curragh by six lengths. “I think she'll stay in Ireland and either go to the Athasi Stakes or more likely the Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown, with a view to going to the Irish Guineas.

“I feel that I'd like to educate her a bit more along the way. I don't want to land her into an English Guineas just now. Those are the two races I would run her in if she is going to run before the Irish Guineas and the preference would be the three-year-old only race [Cornelscourt].

“She's one that I would hope will progress all year and I'm just not in a hurry to rush off to England and give her a grueller. I would like to take the next step with her career in mind.”

Twomey confirmed similar plans for Purple Lily, adding, “She will go for an Irish Guineas and not an English Guineas. She's a filly that will stay 10 furlongs in time and she's very exciting. I'd like to get another run into her of some description, but she could go straight to the Guineas now.”

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“I think she's a good filly and I'd hoped she would do something like that,” Twomey said. “I haven't run her since she won the second time last year as she just grew and I wanted to give her the time. I'm glad I did and she's trained well all winter. I was looking forward to coming here today, although the heavy ground was a concern as her form was on good ground. She's uncomplicated and she's tough.”

Pedigree Notes
The dam Mejala, who was a 12,000gns Shadwell cast-off at 2020 Tatts December, has produced the dual listed-placed Mutaaqeb (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). From the family of the sires Bahri and Bahhare which includes the dual G1 Jebel Hatta winner Alfareeq (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and the G3 Prix Noailles scorer Raseed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), her 2-year-old filly is by Shaman (Ire).

3⃣ out of 3⃣

A Lilac Rolla makes it three wins from as many starts by grinding out victory in the Group 3 "Priory Belle" Stakes on return.

It looked hard work but she is tough!@paddytwomey | @wjlee24786 | @BallylinchStud pic.twitter.com/4Lxm85grOj

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 7, 2024

Sunday, Leopardstown, Ireland
BALLYLINCH STUD PRIORY BELLE 1000 GUINEAS TRIAL S.-G3, €55,000, Leopardstown, 4-7, 3yo, f, 7f 18yT, 1:40.89, hy.
1–A LILAC ROLLA (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Harry Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Mejala (Ire), by Red Ransom
2nd Dam: Wissal, by Woodman
3rd Dam: Wasnah, by Nijinsky II
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€40,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY). O-Mutual Admiration Society Partnership; B-John Cullinan (IRE); T-Paddy Twomey; J-Billy Lee. €33,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $69,398. *1/2 to Mutaaqeb (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), MSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kitty Rose (GB), 128, f, 3, Invincible Army (Ire)–Varnish (GB), by Choisir (Aus). (20,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Tim Porter; B-Carmel Stud (GB); T-Natalia Lupini. €11,000.
3–Buttons (Ire), 128, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Wonder of Wonders, by Kingmambo. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Westerberg, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Wonder Of Wonders Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €5,500.
Margins: HD, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 4.50, 4.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Greenfinch, Alpheratz (Ire), Wendla (GB), Cherry Blossom (Ire), Mysteries (Ire), Money Dancer (Ire), Finsceal Luas (Ire), Sweetest (Ire). Scratched: Lexington Belle (Ire).

.

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She's good!

Purple Lily justifies 1,000 Guineas entries by going clear of the 108-rated Portland to make it two wins from as many starts.

Next stop, Newmarket?@paddytwomey | @wjlee24786 pic.twitter.com/ClKZrHkxq9

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 24, 2024

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Along with some of the major farms in Ireland–your Glenvales, Camas Parks, Barodas, Tally-Hos, Ballylinches and more–Philip Stauffenberg is here. Consigning at the Orby Sale for the first time, Stauffenberg Bloodstock will offer the Kingman (GB) half-brother to Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), who lit up the foal sales here in November when selling to the German native for €550,000. 

But it's not all about the Kingman colt. Stauffenberg will also offer a Masar (Ire) filly out of his beloved mare Frangipani (Ger), producer of the brilliant German Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). 

Already named Fire And Ice (Ger), the presence of that Masar filly and the Kingman colt, along with the Sottsass (Fr) filly Stauffenberg has brought to the Orby, can be viewed as a major vote of confidence to Goffs. 

As far as Stauffenberg is concerned, he has no doubt that, given the right horses, Goffs is as equipped as anyone at selling yearlings of the highest standard. 

Speaking alongside his wife Marion at their base in Barn C, he said, “Our connection with Goffs goes back many years and we have been very lucky here. It was a special wish of Marion's to bring the sister to Fantastic Moon here. The family has been wonderful to us and Marion said that, if the filly is to go to a sale, then it would be at Goffs. They have proven they can sell the horses when they get the right ammunition.”

Marion Stauffenberg added, “I know Goffs very well and I love it here. I have bought my best horses here and have sold very good horses here through Eimear Mulhern. I have just spoken to two agents and they have said that the quality of the horses here is really up.”

Beeby shared that the feedback he was receiving from the buyers and sellers on the ground to be similarly positive, which is good, given he went on to explain how he couldn't remember a stronger book of yearlings assembled for the Orby Sale in over four decades working for the company.

He said, “When you get somebody like Philip Stauffenberg coming here for the first time, and coming here with his best horse, that's a huge vote of confidence. It's a huge trust but it's also a huge responsibility. Then there's Dermot Cantillon of Tinnakill House with his Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to State Of Rest (Ire). He's here with the best horse he's ever bred–by his own admission. 

“You've also got the sister to Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) from Ballylinch Stud belonging to the China Horse Club and they've also chosen Goffs. Those are only three horses and, on paper, it's as good an Orby Sale that I can remember. All of that is for better judges than me to say but the feedback has been very, very consistent that we have assembled a solid bunch of horses.”

“The most exciting pedigree in the catalogue is matched by the physical,” – Jeremy Brummit

Beeby added, “It's hard not to keep coming out with the same things on the eve of a sale; you hope for the best and all of that kind of stuff. But, the closer you get to a sale, you do twitch because I do genuinely feel the responsibility. 

“For those two, two-and-a-half minutes, we are handling what could decide some people's year, or maybe even longer. We know there are alternatives and that people could say, 'well, why haven't you gone to other places to sell your horse.' That's a reasonable thing to say. But that's what makes the market in Britain and Ireland so vibrant, that there is strong competition between the sales companies. It's a big deal for us to get the big horses and we take it very seriously.”

And the Orby is jam-packed full of serious horses. The second lot into the ring on Tuesday is an American Pharoah half-sister to Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Lot 8 is a Kodiac (GB) half-brother to The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), 12 a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly out of a sister to Saxon Warrior (Jpn), 16 a brother to California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) while lot 27 is another who has the potential of hitting the heights early on in the session by being a Wootton Bassett filly out of a sister to Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

There are big-ticket lots right throughout the catalogue. From Stauffenberg's duo to the Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) [48] from Tinnakill House and Ballylinch Stud's sister to Saffron Beach [356], there are countless potential headline-makers in the sale. There are also plenty more bubbling with intrigue. 

The Night Of Thunder (Ire) half-sister to Lucky Vega (Ire) [37], Staffordstown's Sea The Moon (Ger) half-brother to Sandrine (GB) [78], the Mehmas (Ire) half-brother to River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett) [150] and the Camelot (GB) half-brother to Poetic Flare (GB) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) [500] could also make waves.

Jeremy Brummit | Goffs

But for esteemed bloodstock agent Jeremy Brummit, there was little doubt in his head about what the best horse he'd seen on the sale ground during inspections was. 

“The most exciting pedigree in the catalogue is matched by the physical,” he said of Saffron Beach's sister, before adding, “it's rare that happens.” Brummit went on to describe the quality of the Orby Sale to be on the rise year after year, to which Beeby later attributed to the confidence placed in the sales house by the Irish breeders. 

He explained, “It's a credit to the Irish breeders. We have very directly said to a whole range of Irish breeders that we are the Irish national yearling sale. Everything is set up right. We have put our heart and soul into it-money, time and effort-and have expanded our team. For example, our recruitment team is significantly bigger than what it was a few years ago. But we can't do it without the horses and, if people back us, we can deliver. Thankfully, we've had a good run in the sales ring and on the racetrack.”

Beeby added, “Success breeds success but it also breeds confidence. It's all down to the breeders. I'm part of the team that goes around looking at the horses and every year we are getting a greater share of the top-tier yearlings in Ireland. I really believe that and, similarly to what Jeremy said, a lot of key figures have come up to me over the past few days to say that we have assembled a better bunch of horses again. When you put all of that together with the number of people on the ground, you would have to be very hopeful of a good sale.

“It's like the old Avis advert from years ago, 'when you are number two you try harder.' We know where we are and we know what we have to do and how we can do better. We are always reaching and striving to be better. We have an ambitious team of people here at Goffs. This is my 41st year in this business and I love it.”

One of the major subplots to the Orby Sale in recent years has been the strength of the American buyers and, with familiar faces like Ben McElroy and first-time visitors like Phillip Shelton of Medallion Racing on the ground, that presence is expected to be as strong as ever this week.

Beeby said, “Jacob West [American agent for Goffs] has been an outstanding appointment for us. Tom Taaffe and Hayley O'Connor have also been out to America quite regularly and got around to everybody to promote the sale. Success breeds success and people keep coming back. Happily, the people who have travelled over from America in recent years have spread the word about the sale. We've invested a lot of time and resources in making sure that they are looked after and they play a huge role in this sale.”

Few trainers have exemplified the value on offer at the Goffs Orby Sale quite like Paddy Twomey has in recent times. Twomey ripped up the playbook in sending out One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) to win the Goffs Million by a scorching six lengths on debut at the Curragh on Saturday. 

The Golden-based trainer shared how, along with One Look, Leopardstown maiden winner Juxtaposition (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) was picked up out of this sale by Kevin Connolly and Cormac McCormack for just €150,000 combined 12 months ago. The pair are worth a whole pile more 12 months on.

Twomey said, “I had never met Kevin before this sale last year. He bought two horses, Juxtaposition, who won the first mile maiden of the year at Leopardstown, and who has since been sold to Hong Kong. The other one was One Look, who won the Million on debut. It was through Cormac McCormack that I was introduced to him and he asked me to train them for him. The Connollys are a very famous racing family and Kevin trained in China, Macau and Australia.”

He added, “We turn up to all of the yearling sales and try to find the horses we'd like to train and buy them at the best value we can. Sales is something I have been around all my life and I have been lucky at Goffs. The job is to try and find the next ones this week.”

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A star is born in the @Goffs1866 Million as One Look destroys her opposition with a remarkable performance on racecourse introduction as she streaks clear of the field to complete a double on the card for @wjlee24786 and @paddytwomey pic.twitter.com/gSpQc0UBsx

— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) September 23, 2023

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Deepone is not for catching in the Group 2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes, dominating throughout on the front end and galloping out strongly to land the feature event for the @wjlee24786 and @paddytwomey combination pic.twitter.com/ESVMrKfkJM

— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) September 23, 2023

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Owned by the Red Lily Racing Syndicate, which is headed by Naas native Alan Hennessy, King Cuan will come into the lucrative sales race off the back of that extremely impressive Cork display and confidence in the camp couldn't be higher.

— !

TASLEET's King Cuan wins with ease in the Irish EBF Auction Series Race at Cork for @paddytwomey and @wjlee24786

Congratulations to all connections including his breeders R F And S D Knipe

pic.twitter.com/AawdNHLxNV

— Shadwell Stud (@ShadwellStud) September 6, 2023

That win came after a 103-day absence, after which his trainer Twomey described the €21,000 Goffs Sportsman's buy as “a quick horse,” and connections are hopeful that the son of Tasleet (GB) will prove just that at their local track on Thursday. 

“It has been a brilliant experience so far and we are really looking forward to Naas on Thursday,” Hennessy said. 

“It all started last summer when I was approached to see if I'd be interested in a share in a horse and then King Cuan was bought at Goffs this time last year and it has just gone on from there. 

“To be going to my local track for a €100,000 race is a dream come true and the WhatsApp group for the owners has been buzzing since the horse won at Cork last week.”

He added, “There are people like myself who got involved for the first time in a horse and there's others who have been involved in horses for many years so it is a great mix and great banter among the syndicate.

“We have people in from all over Ireland so it has been the perfect syndicate experience and it gives you a real taste for ownership. Last week at Cork was brilliant but Thursday looks a tough race so we'll cross our fingers and hope he runs well. Paddy has said he come out of the race in Cork in good form. The joke at the moment is that we might need the top hat and tails for Royal Ascot next year! It's only a joke at the moment but you never know!” 

Champion jockey Colin Keane has been booked for the Clive Cox-trained James's Delight (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}) with Gavin Ryan partnering the other British-trained runner Beechwood Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) for Richard Fahey. 

The first on a seven-race card on Thursday is due off at 1:55 p.m. with the Goffs Sportsman's Challenge at 3:05 p.m.

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Bloodstock agent Marco Bozzi bought French Claim (lot 195) and recent winner Pivotal Revive (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 114) on behalf of Prince Saud Bin Salman and SBS Global.

French Claim, who was trained by Paddy Twomey to win three times and achieve a rating of 108, was sold for 115,000gns while the Jessica Harrington-trained Pivotal Revive was a narrow winner of a Leopardstown maiden on his fourth start last time and commanded 100,000gns.

Speaking about the latter, Bozzi said, “He is for my client Prince Saud Bin Salman and SBS Global. The horse will go to Saudi for the autumn season. He is by Pivotal, looks progressive, is a nice type and vetted well.

“He will be trained by the prince's trainer Ahmad Abdulwahed, who trained Emblem Road (Quality Road) to Saudi Cup success. The trainer will make a plan for the colt once the horse settles into the new routine.”

On French Claim, the agent added, “Prince Saud Bin Salman loved the horse, he liked the rating and his races. The horse is very nice, he moves very well. In Saudi they don't really have such fast ground and the dirt is quite deep at both Riyadh and Taif so it might work for him. He has not run since April, but his trainer [Paddy Twomey] said that as the ground has been too fast for him.”

It was the twice-raced Maximum Dividend (Ire) (lot 287), an American Pharoah colt owned by the Coolmore partners, who topped the sale at 200,000gns when selling to Sam Haggas on behalf of Australian trainer John O'Shea.

That sale rounded off a busy afternoon for Haggas, operating under the Hurworth Bloodstock banner, who said he expects the Richard Hannon-trained Maximum Dividend to progress with racing for his new connections.

Haggas said, “He is the first foal out of a good staying Galileo (Ire) mare and by a sire whose stock improves a lot with age–American Pharoah himself got better with racing. I hope this horse will do the same and is going to be a horse to improve from two to three and a bit beyond–and stay a bit further than the seven furlongs.

“He has run two very good races, the first was particularly eye-catching at Sandown and the form looks good. The winner goes for the Solario tomorrow and the third is a Listed winner. He is sound and looks sound of mind, too.”

He added, “Maximum Dividend is a nice straightforward horse who I hope will go and do well in Australia. He is going into training with John O'Shea and I have been working with him and his team. I like this horse's profile–he should improve and if he does he should be competitive for his new connections.”

Of the 354 horses catalogued, just 237 were offered and 189 sold (80%). The aggregate was down 39% on last year's figures to 3,235,700gns while the average fell 29% to 17,120gns. The median was 8,000gns.

Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “This is only the fourth renewal of the Tattersalls August Sale and numerically the smallest and while we may have been a little short of obvious stars there has been solid demand throughout the day with overseas buyers very much to the fore.

“Typically for sales of this nature at Tattersalls, buyers from throughout the Gulf region have been particularly active, most notably from Saudi Arabia where the racing continues to go from strength to strength. European, Australian and American buyers have also been active and the domestic demand, both Flat and National Hunt, has been evident at all levels of the market as has the widespread use of the online bidding platform which continues to prove its worth in a busy sales calendar.”

He added, “While the figures have fallen short of previous renewals of the Tattersalls August Sale, the fixture offers a valuable service for owners and trainers and is immediately followed by the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale, which takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 5 and has enjoyed a run of spectacular results in recent weeks.

“The Group and Grade 1 winners Bradsell (GB) and Anisette (GB) have flown the Somerville flag at the very highest level in Britain and America alongside last week's G2 Lowther winner Relief Rally (Ire) and G3 Tattersalls Acomb winner Indian Run (Ire) and we look forward to building on this success next week.”

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Paddy Twomey's mare has won three times at Group 3 level and last summer came within a neck of claiming Group 1 glory in the Prix Jean Romanet, narrowly failing to reel in Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

Having finished fourth over 10 furlongs in the G1 Pretty Polly S. on her penultimate start, Rosscarbery stepped up to a-mile-and-three-quarters for last weekend's Curragh Cup–but after travelling strongly to the front, she was ousted by the hot favourite.

A return to Deauville for another tilt at the Romanet is not being ruled as the 5-year-old's next objective, but Twomey views the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on Aug. 24, over the intermediate distance of a mile and a half, as the ideal aim.

“She ran great on Saturday over a trip that is probably as far as she wants to go in ground that was more favourable to Emily Dickinson than her-she likes a bit of faster ground,” said the trainer on Tuesday.

“We have the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Jean Romanet in mind, that's why we ran her at the weekend as it fitted in perfectly in our schedule.

“Out of those, the preference is probably for the Yorkshire Oaks. The Romanet is the Sunday before and she was second in that last year.

“I think a-mile-and-a-half at York would be her ideal track and trip and very suitable for her, so that's what we have in mind.”

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