Featuring the season's only seven-figure breezer and with a much larger catalogue than usual, it was no surprise to see turnover increase, though a near-50% upturn was perhaps even better than anticipated, with the 140 sold bringing in a total of €21,110,500 to ring the new record bell. Other indicators were also up: the average by 15% at €150,789, and the median to €105,000.

No stranger to picking up the top lot at this sale, Oliver St Lawrence was the agent behind the first millionaire two-year-old of the European season when going to €1.2 million for Grove Stud's Siyouni (Fr) colt (lot 145) out of the dual Listed winner Isabel De Urbina (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

“I had to pay twice the price for this one,” joked St Lawrence in reference to the €550,000 it took to buy last year's top lot, the subsequent G2 Mill Reef S. winner Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The Siyouni colt will also join Roger Varian's stable.

“He turned out alright so hopefully this one will be just as good. I wouldn't have thought we'll see him racing until August or September, a proper race towards the end of the season.”

He also issued an update on KHK Racing's Sakheer, who finished seventh in the 2,000 Guineas. He said, “He didn't love the ground but he has come out of the race well. There was some discussion about withdrawing him on the morning of the race when all that rain came. He'll drop back in trip now for the Commonwealth Cup, that seems the obvious thing to do, and we'll just take it one race at a time.”

KHK Racing also owns 2021 Arqana Breeze-up graduate Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the winner of last year's St Leger, who is entered in Friday's G2 Yorkshire Cup.

The seven-figure mark has been broken at the #BreezeUp Sale as lot 1️⃣4️⃣5️⃣, a son of @AgaKhanStuds Siyouni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Siyouni, sells for €1,200,000 to @OStLawrence from @grovestud. pic.twitter.com/wyQweJBEvU

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

The main talking points:

• The transatlantic travels of Arqana's executive director Freddy Powell have not been in vain for there was a strong American theme to proceedings on Saturday. Two of the top four lots are both heading to the United States. Coolmore bought the Uncle Mo colt (lot 51) for €600,000 from Tom Whitehead's Powerstown Stud and he will be trained by Todd Pletcher, while Arnaud Delacour will take charge of a Blue Point (Ire) filly bought for €500,000 by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda for Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stable.

• West Point Thoroughbreds, one of the owners of Flightline, also appeared on the buyers' sheet alongside a Street Sense colt (lot 17) from Knockanglass Stables, while Flightline's trainer John Sadler was active at the sale, buying three horses through Fernando Laffon-Parias and Francoise Dupuis.

• It was a stellar day for Brendan Holland, who sold seven horses through his Grove Stud, including three of the top eight, for a total of €2.4 million and average of €342,857 to lead the vendors' table.

• Two colts by Dubawi (Ire) featured in the catalogue, and they both sold to Godolphin through Anthony Stroud for €800,000 and €400,000, from Oak Tree Farm and Yeomanstown Stud respectively. Mags O'Toole had bought the colt (lot 180) from the family of Group 1 winner Chicquita (Ire) and Magic Wand (Ire) for €150,000 at the Arqana October Sale, while Yeomanstown gave 180,000gns for the half-brother (lot 116) to Group 2 winner Turath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) at Tattersalls December Yearling Sale.

• Richard Brown struck early with three purchases within the first 11 horses through the ring, led by the €420,000 bid for lot 13, Mocklershill's full-brother to G2 German 1000 Guineas winner Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). The colt had been a €170,000 buy-back in the same ring last August. Blandford Bloodstock ended the day as the second-leading buyer at the sale with nine bought for €1,525,000.

• Lot 12, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) colt out of the unraced Posh Claret (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) bought for 34,000gns as a yearling, was not sold when knocked down at €480,000 in the ring. A private sale of €400,000 was later agreed between vendor Johnny Collins of Brown Island Stables and Anthony Stroud, and the colt will go into training with John and Thady Gosden.

• Anthony Stroud later bought the Blue Point half-brother (lot 87) to Darley sire Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for €325,000. Bred by Coolmore, the colt was in utero when his dam Beach Frolic (GB) (Nayef) sold for 2.2 million gns to MV Magnier at Tattersalls in 2020. Another half-brother, the year-older Castle Way (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}), provided a recent update when winning the Listed Newmarket S. at the Guineas meeting.

• The run on Blue Point continued, with four members of his first crop sold for an average of €281,250 to make him the leading freshman. Of his contemporaries, Calyx (GB) was also represented by four sold for an average of €178,000.

Offered by Oak Tree Farm, lot 1️⃣8️⃣0️⃣, a @DarleyStallions #Dubawi colt, brought the hammer down at €800,000 in favor of @godolphin at the #BreezeUp Sale. pic.twitter.com/LdtzOPpMLz

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

The Bleep Bleep Connection

We had to utilise the bleep-o-meter when transcribing the interview with Johnny Hassett of the Bloodstock Connection after he sold his Sioux Nation filly (lot 45) to Oliver St Lawrence. There weren't quite 450,000 expletives on the tape, but that was the number of euros it took to secure the half-sister to Listed winner Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {Ire}) who had been picked up for €90,000 at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale. From that same sale, Hassett had also bought a Magna Grecia (Ire) colt (lot 94) for €145,000 in partnership with Nico Archdale and resold that son of the unraced Callisto Star (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) on Saturday for €210,000 to Saudi Arabia's Najd Stud.

“What's not to like? I've had a tricky season,” Hassett said. “I haven't counted it yet but my gut reaction was that I hadn't made or lost too much money up to here, which probably means I had lost some because I'm always positive. But I'd say I'm out now and I've four more horses to sell here.

“This sale is strong so far and I think a lot of the high-dollar horses are stacked later. I think I have a couple of shots at the €150,000-plus lots and that was the first one and it worked.”

Asked if the pressure was off now, he replied, “Oh ****, yeah. You do a bit better when you're not hungry. It makes it easier when the pressure is off; you perform better.”

Hassett added, “A lot of credit must go to Emma Chilcot and the selection team, who got this right.”

The Bloodstock Connection ended up with six sold for an average of €193,667 and aggregate of €1,162,000, and there was a definite improvement in Hassett's language as the day wore on.

€450,000 from @OStLawrence secures lot 4️⃣5️⃣, a daughter of @coolmorestud #SiouxNation consigned by @TheBloodstockC at the #BreezeUp Sale. pic.twitter.com/4kz6zSzOGb

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

Ryan Signs Up Lone Waldgeist

Very few French consignors feature at the breeze-up sales but Philip Prévost Baratte made his presence felt when selling the sole entrant in the catalogue from the first-crop of Ballylinch Stud resident Waldgeist (GB) for €360,000.

Richard Ryan, who was been busy throughout the season, signed for lot 47 on behalf of Teme Valley, with Anthony Stroud and Alastair Donald also in the hunt. 

Ryan indicated that the son of Sous Le Soleil (Tizway), who is out of the G1 Preis der Diana winner Que Belle (Ger) (Seattle Dancer), would be trained in Ireland by Paddy Twomey.

“He's quite set and neat, balanced, there's an awful lot of Galileo about him,” said the agent, who signed for four on the day for Teme Valley and Opulence Thoroughbreds respectively. “He'll get a run or two for sure before this season is out, but he was bought with a view to try to run in the Classics next year.”

Ryan continued, “He has a German pedigree on top of an Arc winner. Waldgeist wanted a mile at two himself, so you're not trying to break any records, you just want them to present properly, have a good mouth, nice stride, and finish out the breeze ready for the next stage of his career, which is where he's at.”

He added of Prévost Baratte, “He's a skilled vendor. At this stage, everything has been done right for the horse.”

Offered by @Prevostbaratte2 at the #BreezeUp Sale, lot 4️⃣7️⃣, a colt from the 1st crop of @BallylinchStud #Waldgeist, is knocked down for €360,000 to @richryanracing. pic.twitter.com/lGqTZqPCpb

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

No Jogging but a Trio of Breezers for Sadler

In the company of Fernando Laffon-Parias and Francoise Dupuis, Californian trainer John Sadler made the most of his maiden voyage to Arqana by recruiting a trio of European breezers to take home with him.  

“It's my first trip to Deauville and to Arqana. It's lovely driving here from Paris through the French countryside and everyone has been so nice,” Sadler told TDN.

“The Powell brothers [Freddy and Richard] have been good hosts. [Their brother] Lenny Powell, who trains with us at Santa Anita, sent me a text and said 'You might want to think about going for a jog along the boardwalk'. This was last night when it was raining and cold!”

He continued, “There are a lot of horses here with American pedigrees, which is good, through we didn't end up buying one. There's so much turf racing now worldwide, and there are plenty of options for a turf runner in the United States, especially in California, because we have year-round turf racing and the perfect climate for it.”

Joining the Sadler barn will be a colt by Highclere Stud's freshman sire Land Force (Ire), who has been represented by his first two winners in the last two days. Lot 100 from Lackendarra Stables was knocked down at €250,000, and was later joined by Knockanglass Stables' Siyouni filly (lot 122), sold for €150,000, and a filly from the first crop of Haras d'Etreham's City Light (Fr), himself a son of Siyouni, who was bought from Philip Prévost Baratte for €160,000 as lot 177.

The hammer comes down at €600,000 for lot 5️⃣1️⃣ as @MccalmontJamie buys the colt by @coolmorestud #UncleMo offered by @PowerstownStud at the #BreezeUp Sale. pic.twitter.com/DN3WDeFtt7

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

A Blether with Blarney

Brendan Holland, best known to all as Blarney, was understandably a happy man as he reflected on a day's work that represents months and months of planning and hard graft, starting at last season's yearling sales. 

The sale's leading vendor said, “Today has gone above and beyond Plan A, for once, as everyone who does it will appreciate, things went according to plan. 

“I've been lucky in France since this sale was in Saint-Cloud, and I tend to buy, in general, a later-maturing horse. I'm just attracted to that kind of horse, and that type of horse is more suited to this sale than any other sale. It's not just that I like coming here, it just suits my type of horse, and I also have a few left for Goresbridge for a similar reason. I have to split my horses.”

Observing the breeze-up market overall in 2023, he added, “Regardless of many economic woes, if this year wasn't a good year for the breeze-ups then there was never going to be a good year. We had three Classic winners last year and four other Group 1 winners. The quality of the horses is improving every year. We, as a bunch, are spending more on yearlings. That's not always reflected on the track if you spend more, but in this sector that is being reflected. The more we spend on yearlings, we're offering a better product, and maybe we're producing the product better as we are learning. 

“The industry is very connected worldwide and everyone is aware of what's going on in the different jurisdictions. It's no surprise that the breeze-ups are attracting new clients from different parts of the world. I sold one to America and two to Australia today, and that's reflective of the market. The breeze-up market really is worldwide.”

From the 1st crop of @DarleyStallions #BluePoint, lot 4️⃣4️⃣, a filly offered by @grovestud goes to @nbbracing for €500,000 at the #BreezeUp Sale. pic.twitter.com/Oym8LrLJDF

— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2023

Hoyeau And Powell Pleased At Curtain Fall

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell said, “We are very pleased with the results, thanks to the hard work and professionalism of our vendors who have once again placed their trust in us and brought horses of such a high standard that have been extremely well prepared. The quality of the catalogue brought many buyers to Deauville, whom we would also like to thank for coming. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the work of our teams as well as that of France Galop and the staff at Deauville Racecourse, who largely contributed to the success of this sale by allowing us to hold the breezes on a beautiful prepared track again this year.”

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Offered as lot 51, the son of the multiple graded stakes winner Summer Applause (Harlan's Holiday) had been bought by Tom Whitehead for $165,000 at Keeneland last September.

Signing the ticket on behalf of Coolmore, agent Jamie McCalmont confirmed that the colt would enter training with Todd Pletcher.

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Following the withdrawal of 10 horses, 63 juveniles were presented to an enthusiastic group of bidders from a variety of jurisdictions and attended by Sheikh Mohammed and his advisors. Some 42 horses were reported as sold for AED25,814,178, a decrease of 18.2% from last year's AED31,580,000. The average of AED614,624 represented a 1% gain over the inaugural event, while the median of AED537,000 jumped by a whopping 37%. The clearance rate of 67% declined from 80% in 2022.

“The second renewal of the Dubai Breeze-Up in association with Goffs was another sale of vibrant sales ring action,” said Goffs' Henry Beeby. “Whilst the clearance rate was slightly down on last year, the average and particularly the median has grown considerably which demonstrated that the quality was selling extremely well.

“The old adage at these types of sales is 'breeze well, sell well', and those that caught the eye at the breeze were the most active in the sales ring. We built very solid foundations in years one and two and look forward to working with the Dubai Racing

Club to develop this sale into a truly world-class event, and the racetrack success of the first year certainly means that it has a bright future.

“Once again, I would like to extend thanks from all the team at Goffs to the Dubai Racing Club for the trust they have placed in us, and we salute the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in adding the sale to this huge week of international racing at the Dubai World Cup.”

Hay Is For Horses

It was a busy evening for Stephen Hillen and Dr Jim Hay, who ended up securing not only the sale's top two sellers, but four of the top seven overall.

Lot 2 was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale, Chelston and Wynatt and was consigned to the sale by Willie Browne's Mocklershill on behalf of the breeder. Lead auctioneer Henry Beeby accepted an opening bid of a robust AED500,000 and bidding was steady up to and through the 2-million dirham level before Hay landed his first winning blow of the evening.

“We supported the sale last year,” said Hay, whose two purchases last year included a Gun Runner colt and a filly by Into Mischief. “We didn't do well with the purchases, but nevertheless, there are high-class pedigrees, the catalogue this year looks better. Stephen has had a good look at everything.”

Added Hillen: “He is by a top sire, Willie Browne thoroughly recommended him. I saw him at Willie's place about three weeks ago, big stride and by a good stallion. He'll probably stay here in Dubai to be trained by Bhupat Seemar.”

Hay has racing interests in all corners of the globe, but is encouraged about the trajectory of the local programme.

“The plan is to build up the stable in Dubai, this is where the prize money is and we need to race here,” he said.

“Very pleased with that,” said the consignor. “He was a beautiful horse by a stallion who is going places.”

A Justify colt also topped Monday's opening session of the OBS March Sale in Ocala, Florida, on a bid of $1.2 million.

A short time later, Hay and Hillen bought consecutive lots off Tom Whitehead's Powerstown Stud. Lot 17, a War Front own brother to the stakes-placed Stony Point, was acquired by Chad Schumer for $130,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and fetched €320,928 Tuesday, while Hay went back to the Gun Runner well once more when paying the sales-topping price.

“He was already a big horse when we got him, but he got broader and wider since,” Whitehead said of the Gun Runner son of Brazilian Group 1 winner Baby Go Far (Brz) (Elusive Quality), who was purchased for $160,000 at Keeneland last fall.

He, too, will be trained by Seemar, who said the colt reminded him a lot of his G1 Dubai World Cup hopeful Bendoog (Gun Runner), who was most recently runner-up in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3.

Hay's fourth purchase was a colt from the first crop of Mitole–Warm Breeze (Street Sense) (lot 14) for €246,914. The May 3 foal was consigned by Bushypark Stables, who bought him for $60,000 at Keeneland.

Stephen Hillen & Dr Hay bought 4 lots at the Dubai Breeze Up Sale for an average of €407,408.

Lot 2 – €518,519
Lot 14 – €246,914
Lot 17 – €320,988
Lot 18 – €543,210#GoffsDubai pic.twitter.com/HQxHwESixT

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) March 21, 2023

Schumer Happy, Surprised By Results

American agent Chad Schumer does plenty of business in the Gulf region and is responsible for having sold last-out Listed Al Bastakiya S. winner Go Soldier Go (Tapiture) at last year's Dubai Sale. He was more than satisfied with the sale of the War Front colt through Powerstown, but was generally perplexed at the end results

“It's a very good pedigree and we expected that colt to do well,” he said, taking time out from his work down at the OBS sale. “He was a beautiful yearling and vetted well. You never know until you get there so we are delighted.”

He continued, “Tom generally just tries to buy the right kind of horse. This horse was well below what we were willing to spend, so it was a nice surprise we were able to pick him up for that.”

Given the success of last year's event, he was a bit taken aback at the level of engagement this time around.

“It was a real surprise to me,” he said. “Last year it felt a bit spotty to me. If you didn't have the right type, there was no money at all and Goffs did an exceptional job in pushing to get those horses sold. This year, based on the fact that so many of the horses had won and there was the Group 1-placed horse in Japan, I would have thought there would have been voracious demand, but there wasn't. Maybe OBS going on at the same time causes a pull from this sale, I don't know.”

Many congratulations to Powerstown Stud on the sale of their War Front colt for $320,000 @goffs1866 Dubai Sale. Knocked down to us for $120,000 @keenelandsales – hopefully another good one to showcase the Dubai Sale pic.twitter.com/AYU5QlZ8hX

— Chad Schumer (@SchumerBS) March 21, 2023

Mitole A Hot Commodity in Dubai As Well

The first-crop offerings by Mitole (Eskendereya) proved popular Monday at OBS, with three lots fetching six-figure prices, and those that went through Tuesday in Dubai made a favourable impression as well. In addition to Hay's aforementioned purchase early in the session, Oliver St Lawrence and trainer Fawzi Nass went to €222,222 for a half-brother to the multiple Canadian stakes winners Dene Court (City Zip) and Jacally (Bold Executive). Lot 66 was purchased by Roderic Kavanagh's Glending Stables for $60,000 at Keeneland in September.

“I liked this colt very much and it seems like the sire is making some good horses,” St Lawrence said. “They have good substance and are good doers.”

The Name's Stroud

Buyers at Tuesday's sale were identifiable by paddles bearing a three-digit number, and lot 42, a colt by Darley America's Street Sense was knocked down to agent Anthony Stroud–holding paddle 007–for €370,370, the joint-fourth highest price of the sale.

Bred in Kentucky by Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding, the bay colt is out of Gold Serenade (Medaglia d'Oro), whose superstar 11-times Grade I-winning dam Serena's Song (Rahy) was responsible for G1 Coronation S. heroine Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and graded-stakes winners Grand Reward (Storm Cat) and Harlington (Unbridled). This is also the family of US champion Honor Code (A.P. Indy).

Norman Williamson of Oak Tree Farm congratulates Anthony Stroud on the purchase of his Street Sense colt (Lot 42) for €370,370 at the Dubai Breeze Up Sale.

The colt is the 3rd produce of a daughter of G1 winner & G1 producer Serena's Song.#GoffsDubai pic.twitter.com/pbVQYYRdWb

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) March 21, 2023

No Nay Never Colt Leads Euro-Breds

Of the 18 2-year-olds offered during Tuesday's session by European-based stallions, lot 71 proved the most coveted, selling to the burgeoning Najd Stud for €209,877.

A son of 2012 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas third Princess Sinead (Ire) (Jeremy), the May-foaled bay was led out unsold on a bid of 40,000gns during Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale last fall.

“We are delighted with that,” said Colm Kennedy, whose Drumphea Stables consigned the colt as the property of a partnership. “We were very pleased with the way the horse presented and his breeze [Monday] was very nice. Certainly the sire helped him, but that was a very good result.”

Najd Stud, the operation of Saudi Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz, bought four lots Tuesday topped by a Constitution colt (lot 25) out of a half-sister to multiple graded winner and Grade I-placed Independence Hall (Constitution) for just over €395,000 off Brendan Holland's Grove Stud.

Click here for the full results.

Najd Stud were busy at the Dubai Breeze Up Sale, with the Saudi Arabian stud farm owned by HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz purchasing 4 lots, headed by Grove Stud's Constitution colt for €395,062.#GoffsDubai pic.twitter.com/cbjo56dZXA

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) March 21, 2023

The post Gun Runner Colt Tops ‘Vibrant’ Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“A first for Dubai and a first for Goffs,” said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby, as the initial batch of horses was ushered into the parade ring before a large crowd gathered around the paddock restaurant.

With Sheikh Mohammed arriving just before the off, as the next few hours unfolded, 69 horses were offered for sale in the winner's enclosure, with 52 (74%) having found a buyer by the close of play, bringing an aggregate of AED31,580,000 (€8,200,409) at an average price of AED609,412/€157,700. The median was AED400,000/€104,128.

The evening's top lot (45), a colt by Curlin, began life in Kentucky before being bought at Keeneland from Denali Stud for $150,000 and travelling to Ireland to Tom Whitehead's Powerstown Stud. He is now likely to remain in Dubai after Mohammed Al Subousi went to AED2,500,000 (€619,808) to secure the son of the dual winner Saucy Dame (Distorted Humor). The Dubaian owner will be represented on Saturday in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen by the well-bred Eastern World (Ire), a Dubawi (Ire) half-brother to dual G1 Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}).

“That was beyond my expectations,” said Whitehead. “We've had a very good sale. He was just a bit babyish when we bought him but he matured into a lovely horse.”

He added of the breeze, in which the horses were asked to stretch out at a steadier pace than is the norm at breeze-up sales, “This is much easier for us because you can get the horses here in one piece and hopefully they will train on. I think it's a very good idea. If you're buying a classy horse like that you don't want them doing 10-second furlongs.”

Whitehead's shopping trip to Keeneland last September proved to be a fruitful one as he also sold lot 59, bought for $110,000 as a yearling, to Prince Faisal Khalid Bin Abdulaziz for AED2,000,000 (€495,846). The son of Mo Town is out of Tizza Trick (Tiznow), a half-sister to GIII Bashford S winner Exfactor (Exchange Rate).

The second-most expensive colt of the sale will be heading to Japan for his racing career after Hirokazu Okada of Big Red Farm gave AED2,100,000 ($520,638) for lot 30. The only son of Frankel (GB) in the catalogue, he is a half-brother to the Group 3 winner Lily's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and listed victrix Zurigha (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).

“He has to go to Europe for 60 days before he can go to Japan,” Okada explained. “We like Frankel and he was a very masculine colt and a good walker.”

Bred by Nick and Alice Nugent, the son of the unraced Noyelles (Ire) (Docksider) from the family of the George Strawbridge-bred Group 1 winners We Are (Ire), Call The Wind (GB) and With You (GB), was sold for €360,000 as a foal at Goffs to Oneliner Stables. Unsold when offered at the yearling sales, he was then prepared as a breezer by Church Farm & Horse Park Stud.

John Cullinan, one half of the consigning duo with Roger Marley, said, “We've had a marvellous night. We've sold a Tapiture and a Mastery well, so we've been very lucky, and then to have this horse.”

He continued, “Some friends of ours bought him as a foal so there was a lot of pressure, but he's a marvellous horse. They weren't expecting a rocket type–these are next year's horses, and we've trained him accordingly. He did very little galloping, Roger Marley looked after all of that, but this horse was just naturally talented and he has improved physically.

“I'm all for anything that will bring new money into the sport, and fair play to Goffs and the Dubai Racing Club to establish this. It's another dimension to the whole season and they have been fantastic hosts. They have looked after us so well. There's a great crowd here.”

Another of the Juddmonte stallions, Kingman (GB), found his name on the leaderboard as the sire of lot 40, a half-brother to G3 Geoffrey Freer S winner Agent Murphy (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), knocked down to Ross Doyle for AED2,000,000 (€495,846).

“He's for an existing client,” said Doyle of the Aguiar Bloodstock consignee. “He's a lovely colt with a very nice pedigree and he breezed particularly well. He may stay here but there's a chance he'll go back to Europe–a good chance, I'd say.”

The colt was bought by Robson Aguiar and Amo Racing for 110,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1.

Scottish-born owner Dr. Jim Hay, a full-time resident of Dubai, made a little piece of bloodstock history as the successful bidder on the first lot through the ring. The colt by Gun Runner out of the dual Grade II winner Bank Audit (Wild Rush), already the

dam of seven winners, sold for AED1,400,000 (€347,092).

After his agent Alex Cole had signed for the colt, Dr. Hay said, “I think the sale is a brilliant concept and I know it's something that Goffs have been hoping to do for a while. The horse has a lovely pedigree. We're looking for horses who will go on the dirt in Dubai. We bought three in Ocala last week to go to Bhupat Seemar and he will train this horse as well.”

Lot 1 was offered by Mickey Cleere of MC Thoroughbreds, who understandably expressed relief at a positive start to his breeze-up season. After the colt was unsold at $70,000 at Fasig-Tipton last October, he was bought privately for $50,000.

“I was a bit worried about being the first lot in but that's a lot of money,” said Cleere. “We certainly bought him with this sale in mind and we were after one of those fashionable pedigrees.”

The colt is from the second crop of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Gun Runner, who was also runner-up to Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup of 2017.

Towards the end of the evening Cole and Hay later returned to the MC Thoroughbreds draft to buy a filly by Into Mischief out of the Grade III winner Ageless (Successful Appeal) (lot 67) for AED1,600,000 (€396,677).

The progeny of Dubawi (Ire) have posted some pretty impressive results at Meydan over the years and his sole juvenile in the sale, a filly out of the listed winner Joyful Hope (GB) (Shamardal), was bought by Yousuf Salem Saeed Saqer Al Kaabi for AED1,400,000 (€347,092).

Malcolm Bastard, who consigned lot 24 for her breeders Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber of Watership Down Stud, said, “We are pleased with the price, which is only the price of the nomination and keep, and we hope she's very lucky for the people who race her.

“I was a bit nervous coming in but it has worked out well. We were told to breeze at a three-quarter pace and that's what we did.”

Reflecting on the inaugural Dubai Breeze Up Sale, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “The first Dubai Breeze-Up Sale has laid the most solid foundations for future evolution following a vibrant evening in the winner's enclosure at the iconic Meydan racecourse.

“Goffs would like to thank the Dubai Racing Club for the trust and confidence placed in our service and we salute the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed in adding the sale to this amazing weekend of racing. The Dubai World Cup is the focal point of the racing and bloodstock world this weekend and the global appeal of Dubai was clearly reflected in the international nature of the list of buyers who literally travelled from every corner of the world.

“We have learned a huge amount in our first year and look forward to growing the sale in future years with the Dubai Racing Club. It was some evening, some privilege, and some atmosphere.”

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The Sportsman's Sale, like the Orby, was relocated last year to the Goffs UK headquarters in Doncaster with the pandemic making it all but impossible for visitors to travel to Ireland, and back at its rightful home in Kildare on Thursday the first session returned positive figures. Whereas in 2020 during the first session 104 yearlings had grossed £1,404,000, 186 were sold on Thursday for €3,945,000. This year's average of €21,210 was up 43% on last year's figure of £13,500, and even improved on the 2019 first-day average of €17,954. The median likewise climbed 45% to €16,000; it was £10,000 last year and €14,000 on day one in 2019. The clearance rate was 90%.

Topping trade on Thursday was a Dark Angel (Ire) filly from Lumville Farm knocked down to Cathy Grassick of Brian Grassick Bloodstock for €140,000. Bred by Shadwell, Lot 475 is the first foal out of the listed-placed Ghazawaat (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), whose dam and half-sister Simply Striking (Fr) (Kheleyf) were both stakes-placed.

“In terms of this sale she was a standout and we're delighted to have gotten her,” said Grassick. “I've bought horses this week for a new client and ones from America and Australia and they are going to keep their purchases in training here which is great to see.”

There was one Siyouni colt offered on the day, and Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud swooped to get him at €105,000. He is likewise a first foal; lot 577 was bred by Sunderland Holding and is out of the placed Dawn Approach (Ire) mare Miss Aiglonne (GB), herself a daughter of the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air victress Aiglonne (Silver Hawk) and a half-sister to four stakes winners including G1 Prix d'Ispahan scorer Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon victor Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Bungle Inthejungle (GB) has been in the news of late thanks to his G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Winter Power (Ire), and a filly by the Rathasker Stud sire found favour with Rodrigo Goncalves and Robson Aguiar at €90,000. The filly (lot 630) offered by Rathasker is out of the listed-winning Princess Janie (Elusive Quality), and a half-sister to the listed-placed Lundy (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), and she will be raced by Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing.

“She has been bought in partnership with Robson Aguiar for Amo Racing and she is a lovely filly,” said Goncalves. “She looks a really sharp and early type and she is by the same sire as Winter Power so hopefully she can progress like her. She looks a filly with a real future.”

First-crop sire US Navy Flag enjoyed good results at Orby, and a filly by him bred by Peter and Hugh McCutcheon sold for €82,000 on Thursday to Montgomery Otto.

Cotai Glory has enjoyed good results with his first runners this season, and he accounted for three of the top 10 sellers on Thursday, including a filly (lot 497) picked up by Joe Foley for €68,000.

All yearlings purchased at the Sportsman's Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Goffs Sportsman's Challenge, which will be held over six furlongs at Naas next September.

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SackvilleDonald's Alastair Donald secured the attractive colt by first-season sire Caravaggio for 240,000 guineas after seeing off the efforts of Irish trainer Michael O'Callaghan. The son of the Galileo mare Bright Sapphire is a half-brother to the group-placed colt Wall of Fire.

“He is for a new Hong Kong client, he will go out to Hong Kong at the end of the season,” revealed Donald. “He will be pre-trained in England, he is a lovely big horse and he has a nice pedigree. He breezed well for a big horse and looks the type to do well in Hong Kong.”

Donald added: “They don't race until they are 3-year-olds, so don't want a 'here and now' horse. The sire looks like he has got a very nice 2-year-old already and this is the first I have bought by the sire. I did like the yearlings – they are particularly good walkers, and this horse's movement is very good.”

The colt was sold by Yeomanstown Stud, who bought the colt at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 155,000 guineas. Yeomanstown Stud's David O'Callaghan commented;

“He is a beautiful colt, he breezed really well and has a great attitude. We're very pleased, he was always a lovely horse and he hasn't missed a day.”

Kuwaiti buyer Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah bought the second highest priced lot for the day when going to 185,000 guineas to secure the Union Rags colt out of Careless Jewel. Named Tattered Flag, the February born colt was bought last September by Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud for $115,000 and was part of a three-horse draft that included lot 90, a colt by the fellow U.S.-based sire Practical Joke. He made 140,000 guineas and was bought by trainer Michael O'Callaghan.

“I am very pleased,” said Whitehead. “They are two nice horses, and the Union Rags will be a lovely horse later in the year.”

Whitehead's 2020 buying mission took place during the real depths of the COVID pandemic with travel restrictions and problems, but he is now obviously delighted that he managed to make the journey stateside;

“It was touch and go whether we'd get to the U.S. last year. That has been a great start, but we are only halfway there – we've another seven or eight to sell”

At the conclusion of the 2021 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;

“We introduced the £250,000 Craven Royal Ascot/Group 1 Bonus this year, in addition to the lucrative £15,000 Craven Breeze Up Bonus and it is clear that owners have embraced these unprecedented bonuses. We have seen solid and diverse demand at all levels of the market from start to finish which has produced the best Craven Breeze Up clearance rate since 2000 and key indicators which have held up well, especially when taken in the context of the COVID – related challenges and restrictions which we are all still grappling with and which continue to hinder international travel.

“Nevertheless, to hear consistently positive feedback from owners, trainers, agents and consignors about the bonuses has been gratifying, and reinforces our commitment to exploring as many innovative ways as possible to reward owners who buy at Tattersalls with extra prize money. There is no doubt that we will see plenty of this crop of Craven Breeze Up graduates performing at a high level and it would be even more pleasing than usual if the Royal Ascot and Group 1 bonuses were won in the coming months.

“Despite the prolonged difficulties with international travel, overseas buyers have again demonstrated their appetite for high class Tattersalls breeze up 2-year-olds. Buyers from America, Bahrain, Dubai, France, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Singapore have all been active, many of them using the live internet bidding platform, and as well as paying tribute to the consignors who have as ever presented an outstanding collection of two year olds, we must again commend everyone for their patience with the regulations and determination to overcome the obstacles we continue to face. We are still having to conduct sales under strict guidelines, but as well as looking forward to the forthcoming Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale, we are also looking forward to returning to more normality in the not too distant future.”

The next chance to buy a 'breezer' at Tattersalls is at the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale which takes place from April 28-30, with all lots breezing on the Rowley Mile at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 28 before the sale on Friday, April 30.

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The first race of the day, the Prix du Rond du Manege, went to Bellharbour Music, a May-foaled colt from the first crop of Mshawish, bought in September 2019 from Brookdale Sales for $30,000. Now trained in Chantilly by Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti, Bellharbour Music is still in Whitehead's ownership having picked up a small injury prior to his intended appearance at the Arqana Breeze-up, which last year was held at Doncaster in July.

He is the first runner and winner in France for his second-crop sire, who was himself a breeze-up graduate from the Arqana sale having been bought in Kentucky by Whitehead's friend and colleague Johnny Collins for just $10,000. A profitable pinhook, Mshawish was then resold at two to Nicolas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for $170,000 and went on to win a listed race in Deauville before becoming a dual Grade I winner in America.

After his victory in the GI Donn H., Mshawish closed out his career by running sixth to California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup of 2016 and both stallions then retired to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky the following year. Their names were linked again at Chantilly when, two hours after Bellharbour Music's win, California Chrome's 3-year-old daughter Injera made a similarly impressive debut. The filly, trained by another French-based Italian, Gianluca Bietolini, triumphed in the Prix de la Croix Vaillant to become the first European winner for her sire, who is now at Arrow Stud in Japan.

“The colt just had a minor setback and he couldn't go to the sale. I sold the filly privately when we didn't know if the sales were going to go ahead,” explained Whitehead. who is based in Co Kilkenny, Ireland.

“I sent them both over to France around Christmastime so they've been there around six weeks. They weren't worked hard at home but by jockey bookings and betting they were both fancied so they must have been doing some nice work. I know it's only February but it's never easy winning in Chantilly.”

Whitehead is a regular at Keeneland and works the yearling sales in tandem with Nancy Sexton. He bought last season's GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Ete Indien (Summer Front) at the September Sale for $80,000 before reselling him at Arqana to Patrick Biancone for €240,000.

Casting his mind back to the purchase of Bellharbour Music, he said, “I knew the stallion Mshawish when Johnny sold him at the breeze-ups and I followed him through his racing career. When the first crop came up for sale in America I knew he was a good horse and I thought why not buy one. He won on dirt and turf and he was tough, racing until he was six.”

Whitehead's Powerstown Stud will have a team of 25 juveniles to offer at the forthcoming breeze-up sales. He added, “We're happy enough for now but the next month or two will tell. They are roughly half and half American and European horses. Now we just need lockdown to end and to get people back racing.”

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