Guineas Sale Maintains Upbeat Tempo

NEWMARKET, UK–So which way would the breeze blow this time? Just like the spring, teetering between the frost that coated the sales grounds on Friday morning and the imminent return of the swifts, the Tattersalls Guineas Sale caught the juvenile market at a pivot of the weathervane.

After a traumatic experience last year, the sector had opened a new cycle with a solid start at the Craven Sale here, followed by a quite astounding rally at Doncaster where records tumbled across the board.

This catalogue, which doesn't always benefit from quite so clear an identity as those two auctions, could conceivably have lurched in any direction. All in all, then, its performance must be welcomed as a legitimate consolidation–most notably through a rock-solid median, arguably the critical barometer of both previous sales as well. For while it is difficult to make valid comparisons with last year's auction, eventually salvaged in July, a median of 24,500gns actually exceeded the 24,000gns registered in both 2018 and 2019, towards the end of a sustained bull run for the whole sector.

Needless to say, different vendors experienced differing fortunes. But a historically competitive median in three sales out of three really does suggest that the middle market, so often porous, is in vigorous shape as the Turf prepares to embrace the world after lockdown.

The average was also robust, at 29,948gns actually beating the 28,839gns registered in 2019; and measuring up respectably against the three previous years at 32,848gns, 35,729gns and 32,090gns.

In offering a typical mixed bag, perhaps the most encouraging and instructive motif of this catalogue was enthusiasm for the model, regardless of the make. Commercial breeders might deceive themselves that only sprinters sire precocious horses, but breeze-up consignors know that they must produce a sustainable project. Their wares are assessed, first and foremost, on functionality–and several of the best yields of the day rewarded imaginative pinhooks that broke the “fast and early” shackles so often applied by the market.

“A median bettered only once this decade, combined with an average and turnover which both compare favourably with the 2019 and 2020 renewals, are all positives to take from today's sale,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “As has been the consistent domestic demand at all levels of the market. Similarly, while not quite matching the unprecedented levels at the recent Craven Breeze-Up Sale, the clearance rate has also held up well, especially considering a significantly larger catalogue than usual and the disruption to overseas participation owing to the current widespread travel restrictions.

“We can also reflect on a Guineas Breeze-Up Sale which has produced numerous impressive pinhooking triumphs, as ever reflecting the expertise of the consignors; and another sale which has underlined the importance of the Tattersalls live internet bidding platform, which has yet again proved to be invaluable, particularly for overseas buyers unable to attend the sale.

“COVID continues to test us all, but once more we have experienced trade of remarkable resilience and a collective determination from all involved to explore every avenue to provide as vibrant a market as possible in the face of considerable obstacles.”

Postponed Sets Off Without Delay

Perhaps the standout achievement of the day was that of the rookie stallion Postponed (Ire)–top-class on the track, of course, but a relatively slow burn over middle distances and not necessarily the most obvious sire for the breeze-ups. The Dalham Hall rookie's two representatives both achieved a spectacular yield, for the No. 1 and No. 5 prices of the sale.

Lot 113 might have been viewed as a long-term project when acquired here as a foal by Peter & Ross Doyle, for 20,000gns at the December Sale, but his breeze for Glending Stables secured a bumper 135,000gns from Blandford Bloodstock. In fairness, the colt is out of a Malibu Moon half-sister to the dam of no less commercially resonant an animal than No Nay Never.

“He's for my resale syndicate Never Say Die, and will be trained by David Simcock,” said Richard Brown on signing the docket. “A client of mine bred Postponed so I have followed him all the way through, and I am giving him a big chance.

No Nay Never is sitting there under the second dam, I really liked that. But I don't see this horse running until August or September; he's one for the future. David is on his way to Goodwood, so has no idea that we have bought him–or how much we gave–so I might be in for a bollocking. I just thought him a smashing horse. He did a cracking breeze. He showed a great action, it wasn't a speedy breeze but it was the style he did it in, he has a good attitude.”

This is the syndicate that sold on French Classic winner Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}), a €105,000 Arqana Breeze-Up graduate, and has a couple of irons heating up in the fire this time round. Both Man Of Riddles (Temple City) and Onesmoothoperator (Dialed In), respectively acquired for £195,000 and £140,000 at the transferred Arqana and Goresbridge sales last summer, won their debuts in March.

“Man Of Riddles will have an entry in the Cocked Hat S. and we are dreaming a bit with him,” Brown said. “There are great people involved and I think they will be really excited with this horse.”

Brown's colleague Tom Goff later ensured that Blandford were the toast of Glending when giving 80,000gns for lot 240, a Ribchester (Ire) filly from the family of St Leger winner Millenary (GB) (Rainbow Quest). This was another fine pinhook, picked up as a Sportsman's £15,000 private sale. “I'm delighted, it's a great return for a lovely filly,” said consignor Roderick Kavanagh. “She was fourth-quickest, we had lots of punters on her and she is a stand-out physical.”

Goff's endorsement of Ribchester ensured that Postponed will have competition for bragging rights among the Darley new boys. “I was underbidder on three or four last year,” he said. “There's a big word among trainers, every stable I go to they have one or two they really like. I thought this a beautiful filly, she ticked all the boxes: a 2-year-old type, but she will go on at three.”

Goff also gave 75,000gns for an Almanzor (Fr) colt out of the Italian Group 1 winner Waikika (Fr) (Whipper) presented by Kilminfoyle House as lot 208.

“He's a lovely staying horse by an exciting young sire,” the agent said. “He'll need a bit of time, but he has a great page and I'd hope he will turn into a really nice seven-furlong type and go on from there.”

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

Touch of the day was the son of Mehmas (Ire) consigned by Nanallac Stud as lot 262. Fortunately his owners stuck to their guns when retaining him at £9,000 here last September, having picked him up for even less as a foal when he had likewise failed to meet his reserve at Goffs November. Their patience paid off when David Redvers gave 105,000gns for this colt out of a half-sister to the dam of G3 Cornwallis S. winner Good Vibes (GB).

He was the one and only horse breezed this year by jockey Ian McCarthy, who runs a breaking and pre-training yard at Grangecorr Farm and partnered in this colt with two pals.

“He had a great preparation and we've had plenty of interest the last couple of days,” McCarthy said. “He's really turned a corner over the last eight weeks, he did a lovely breeze under Micky Cleere, and he's by the right sire, isn't he? Gerry McCormack pinhooked him as a foal for €3,000, but it's lucky enough now that he wasn't sold as a yearling.”

McCarthy, who learned the ropes under the late Dessie Hughes and has ridden around 95 winners over jumps, has had a great run with his point-to-pointers too: of four runners this spring, three have won–including the winner of a Tipperary bumper, sold here in March for 195,000gns.

Redvers, acting on behalf of Sheikh Fahad, noted that Good Vibes is nowadays in his patron's broodmare band and is in foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire). As for this colt, all he could say at this stage is that he will be trained somewhere in Newmarket.

Action Not Words For O'Callaghan

Besides the top lot, the other feather in the cap of Postponed was lot 207, a May 21 filly found in Book III by Robson Aguiar for just 4,000gns. Here she made 82,000gns from Michael O'Callaghan, who saluted her as “a lovely filly by a sire I've been keeping an eye on, and who handled the whole occasion very well.”

She should have a residual value, being out of a Shamardal mare with a second dam half-sister to a series of classy producers headed by Sueboog (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}). In principle, however, it is the trade-off between page and performance that has made O'Callaghan one of the most purposeful prospectors in this market.

“You can't train a piece of paper,” said the Curragh trainer succinctly after giving 95,000gns for another colt by a middle-distance performer, a son of Magician (Ire) likewise presented by Aguiar Bloodstock [121]. “The physical is everything, when it comes to training,” O'Callaghan confirmed. “Ours is quite a commercial operation, in terms of trading on, and I can't remember the last time people asked to see the pedigree when you had a nice horse to sell, that market is so strong. If the pedigree matches the kind of physique I like, they can get very expensive. But Now Or Later (Ire), for instance, was by Bushranger (Ire).

“This was a lovely physical and, though he's bred to be a miler, showed plenty of pace. He did a very, very good breeze, very professional, the whole lot: he came highly recommended and vetted well.”

This was another good touch for the vendor, who pinhooked the colt for just 14,000gns at the Tattersalls Ascot Sale. As for the Postponed filly, Aguiar thanked Sophie Buckley of Culworth Grounds Stud for urging her claims as part of the Shutford Stud dispersal.

“She was late in Book 3,” explained Aguiar. “She caught my eye in the ring and I spoke to her consignor, and she recommended her. The filly has grown a lot, she's a late foal with a lot of improvement in her. She'll be a late season 2-year-old and I think a class filly at three. Postponed might not be an obvious breeze-up sire but he is by Dubawi and had speed and class.”

O'Callaghan ended the day with another eight recruits for an aggregate 409,000gns. One that did offer a particularly commercial pedigree was lot 162, a Showcasing (GB) colt out of a half-sister to Gutaifan (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from Kilbrew Stables, and O'Callaghan was pleasantly surprised to be asked for no more than 52,000gns. Then there was a 75,000gns Dark Angel (Ire) colt [lot 108] consigned by his namesakes at Tally-Ho.

“I think the Showcasing was well bought,” O'Callaghan said. “And the Dark Angel was not a real breeze-up type but will be a lovely horse in August or September. To me he did a very nice breeze, visually: he mightn't have clocked for some people but I loved the way he dropped his head and made such use of himself, very professional and straightforward. For the type of horse he is, I thought his time was good enough and, again, he came from a great hotel that we've been very lucky with.”

Moon Makes The Page Half Full

The theme of grass, not paper, perhaps found its ultimate exemplar in lot 70–a colt whose page, candidly, was largely vacant. But he did have a helpful sire brand, through Sea The Moon (Ger), and his physique required an outlay of €40,000 at Baden-Baden last year; while his breeze for Church Farm & Horse Park Stud advanced his value to 82,000gns from Ross Doyle.

“Roger Marley bought him, we split up the chores last autumn,” said John Cullinan of Horse Park. “We were very keen on the sire, as everyone is now. And while the page left plenty of room for notes, a nice horse is a nice horse. He'll be a mile maiden type in a few months' time, and good people bought him.”

Doyle returned the compliment. “He's come from a great home,” the agent said. “We've bought a lot of good horses from them over the years, including Mehmas (Ire) [for 170,000gns at the Craven Sale of 2016], and trainers love them, they get a wonderful education. We're huge fans of the sire, too, like most people. This is a lovely individual and he'll be joining Jim Boyle.”

Trueshan Team On A Mission

Anthony Bromley of Highflyer and Alan King have found this to be fertile territory over the years, and were busy in their quest for a new Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), the G2 Qipco British Champions' Long Distance Cup winner whose 31,000gns graduation from the 2018 auction earned him a portrait on the back of the catalogue.

Their 75,000gns punt on a Noble Mission (GB) colt completed a nice touch for Powerstown Stud, who found him for just $9,000 at Fasig-Tipton last year. As a May 19 foal, he will serve the long-term agenda of a team that can draw out the best from a horse in any environment.

“This sale has been a happy hunting ground for us, so we were aiming to buy a few here,” confirmed Bromley. “This is a very, very handsome horse, moved like a dream, he just kept selling himself to us. We don't normally go after American-breds, but Noble Mission's obviously a full brother to Frankel and Frankels often like a bit of softer ground. He just looked like a late season 2-year-old who will make a 3-year-old.”

Bromley and King stretched to a similar level in trying to land lot 233, a Fast Company (Ire) colt consigned by Meadowview Stables, but had to yield to Walter Buick on behalf of a Swedish patron at 80,000gns. This was another smart pinhook, as an £8,000 Sportsman's yearling;

Declaration Of Intent

Much the highest bid of the day was the one of 370,000gns for the star turn of the brief horses-in-training session that preceded the breeze-up session. But it turned out that lot 37, Declaring Love (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), had not reached her reserve and will evidently be given the chance to increase her value still further. The recent winner of a listed sprint at Bath, she had been found in the Godolphin draft here at the December Sale for just 39,000gns by Megan Evans, but evidently connections hope for better yet for John Butler.

One that was allowed to go for a multiple yield was Nortonthorpe Boy (GB) (Swiss Spirit {GB}) (lot 27), who was picked out by Phil McEntee at the Horses-in-Training Sale and has meanwhile elevated his rating from 63 to 88 in winning no fewer than half a dozen of 14 starts. He is off to Saudi Arabia after Ted Durcan signed a docket for 55,000gns, describing him as “a tough, hardy and sound horse, ideal for out there.”

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Guineas Sale Aims To Catch The ‘Donny’ Wave

NEWMARKET, UK–Much like the trainers who brought members of the preceding crop up the road to the Rowley Mile a couple of weeks ago, rehearsing for this weekend's Classics, consignors at the third juvenile auction of the European sales calendar have returned here with a much better sense of where they stand.

When they arrived for the Craven Sale, they could only hope for signs of stability after the chaos of last year, when they had been the very first to be soaked by the Covid tsunami. And that is exactly what they appeared to find, with trade measuring up respectably not just against the 2020 sale, which was only salvaged after Royal Ascot, but also against those years when the breeze-ups had been enjoying a sustained bull run.

But if they duly proceeded to Doncaster last week with cautious optimism, nobody could have anticipated the thunderous performance of the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale. With records tumbling across all indices, the entire bloodstock industry had to stop what it was doing and stare agog. Could it be that those patrons of our sport whose affluence has survived the pandemic are straining at the leash to enjoy the freedoms that may soon be restored?

There will be corresponding curiosity, then, about trade at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale, which follows a horses-in-training session on Friday morning.

What has been especially encouraging, at both juvenile auctions to date, is a notably robust median. While the top lots were less sensational than in recent years, nor were there the usual complaints about polarisation. And within that context there were still some authentic home runs, none more heart-warming than the one pulled off by Katie McGivern of Derryconnor Stud in realizing £180,000 for a Kodiac (GB) filly she had picked up for just £13,000 at the transferred Fairyhouse sale last year.

This was a “touch” that gratified the whole community, coming just weeks after McGivern barely survived a horrible accident at her Wexford base.

On the eve of the Guineas Sale, where she offers four lots, McGivern reflected on a spring she will never forget. With a rueful smile she recounted how she had decided that it would be imprudent to continue riding out, while raising children aged just two and three–and had therefore been merely leading a horse when catching a kick in the face.

“It was terrifying,” she admitted. “Because when they were airlifting me to Dublin it was like, this could be it. Nobody knew the extent of it. At that point, I have to say the horses were very much at the bottom of my agenda. But now the injury, I can deal with 100%. It's all positive. I'm here, and bone can heal. I shattered my eye-socket, nose and cheekbone, and they've put five plates in my face. But everything is healing the way it should be. My eye muscle is a little bit damaged at the minute, and they'll reassess six months down the line and see what they can do. But look, I'm happy to be here with one eye never mind two. And the kids love mammy now, because I'm a pirate with my eye-patch: that makes me the bee's knees.”

She merits the same description professionally, as well, for instance having brought an Acclamation (GB) filly to this sale five years ago and sold her to Blandford Bloodstock for 260,000gns. Given the name Daban (Ire), she finished third in the G1 1000 Guineas after winning the G3 Nell Gwyn S.

Now McGivern hopes that her Kodiac filly, who has joined Robert Cowell, can similarly excel.

“I think the reason I got her so cheap was not just that she was small but she also has this one white leg,” she recalled. “Because of her size, it was almost like that leg was all people could see, and I'd say that did put them off. But she was very correct, and the ratings were very good under the first dam. So she was a no-brainer for me, once she vetted fine. I only did that because I didn't want to think I was getting her cheap because she had scoped bad or something. As it was, I couldn't believe I got her for 13 grand.

“Her homework was always very good. She mightn't be very big but she had a huge stride and floated across the ground. So I wasn't surprised when she did the fastest time of the sale. Of course, you still need luck on the day: you don't want any wind against you, or the jockey to go too early or too late. But everything worked out. I kept saying, 'If she makes 60, it's a great day's work, and pat yourself on the back.' But to go on to 100, 120, and then to keep going, it was what you dream about.”

McGivern stressed her gratitude to everyone who has helped to prepare not just this filly but the whole 2021 draft, while she was recuperating from her ordeal. Principal among these were partner Tom Hore, and mother Joanna Morgan.

“Tom's a vet down in Wexford and my mother trained many a good horse,” she said. “So thankfully, between a vet and an ex-trainer, I knew I could rest up and get better and have no worry. I knew what was going on at the yard every day. But no, I couldn't have seen it out without them.”

If this particular transaction was a conspicuous tonic, after such a difficult time personally, then it was also a measure of the renewed optimism now coursing through the whole sector.

“Already at the Craven there was a depth they haven't had in years,” McGivern reflected. “There was always that worry, going to the Craven: those middle-range horses. And it was just brilliant. I hope this sale will be the same, but so far you really have to say 'hats off' to the sales companies for everything they've been doing.”

And, again, if McGivern particularly deserved a boost then the same was true of the breeze-up sector overall after enduring so much tension and uncertainty this time last year.

“The expense is huge so to add another three months, with nothing back in between, was frightening for everyone,” McGivern said. “You were investing more but didn't know whether you would get to the sales, or whether you would sell if you did. So this has been very encouraging for everyone.”

As was the case at Doncaster, this sale has inserted a viewing day between the breeze show and the auction. Different people had different impressions of the resulting atmosphere around the sales grounds on Thursday: it was certainly extremely quiet, in pleasant spring sunshine, but whether you should further describe it as relaxed or torpid is difficult to say.

“I think it works very well,” McGivern said. “Obviously there's more expense but in a big catalogue like this, or Goresbridge, I think it's vital to give people time to go through them all, and get vetting, and communicate with owners.”

After a dry spring, conditions were lively for the breeze.

“And there was a strong wind, too,” McGivern said. “But Newmarket's always an excellent track to breeze on, especially at the end where they're a little bit more tired and going hard: it's uphill, so that does take a bit of pressure off their front legs. I didn't hear of too many lame ones around this morning. It was watered, of course, and actually I think some of those early on possibly found it a little bit deader, but I was quite late up and I was happy enough.”

McGivern has two colts and two fillies in the Derryconnor shop window as she bids to consolidate last week's coup.

“I have a nice Cotai Glory (GB) filly [lot 174],” she said. “She breezed very well, she's very strong with loads of size and will be a really nice six-, seven-furlong filly for this year. Then there's a lovely Showcasing (GB) filly [51], maybe more seven furlongs. She gets the bonuses and has a really nice pedigree, one a breeder could win with and keep to breed. And then I have a couple of nice colts by Magician (Ire) [154] and The Gurkha (Ire) [254], they would probably want seven but they'd be real nice trainers' horses, I'm sure they'll be winning races.”

Albeit she was the one to benefit last week, McGivern agrees with many consignors that shoppers should assess the full package and not be enslaved to the clock. After all, the star performers of 2020 out of this sale, as featured on the back of the catalogue, show the breadth of talent available: one is Far Above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), who won the G3 Palace House S. after making 105,000gns for Bushypark Stables to Blandford in 2018; the other is Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), winner of the G2 Qipco British Champions' Long Distance Cup after his 31,000gns sale, the same year, by Knockanglass Stables to Highflyer Bloodstock/Alan King.

As we all know, the agents talk a good game about assessing the horse in the round, but the die is almost invariably cast from the moment the time sheet arrives.

“There's often people who come down and ask, 'What do you recommend?'” McGivern says. “But if the horses don't clock, they don't come back. That does mean there's huge value around. I had a Mehmas (Ire) colt last week, I loved him, his homework had been really good and the sire is flying. But in the end a trainer bought a share off me, because I think he was around 50th [on the times] and you're only talking fractions.”

Not that she's complaining about her fortunes in South Yorkshire. In the circumstances, admittedly, she probably needs to think of a better way of expressing the delight of her team than by saying that they all got “a big kick” out of the Kodiac filly's price. But the hope now is that the Doncaster sale will prove a valid signpost to better times ahead for everyone. After all, there are a lot of people around who now have a heightened sense that life is for living–precisely the lesson absorbed by McGivern herself, along with a kick that somehow combined the very worst of luck (in suffering it at all) and the very best (in still being here to tell the tale).

“Everyone has been so chuffed, I've felt it, and it's been so nice,” McGivern said. “What happened, it really does teach you: you can't control every situation, whatever happens you have to play it out. You have to enjoy every day, rather than stress about things you can't control.

“And yes, maybe people out there do want to make more of their hobbies after the lockdown. So it's all very positive. As people always say, this is an industry like no other: here's the whole world falling apart, and racing just getting stronger.”

The opening horses-in-training session has been strengthened by a most attractive prospect, given her residual value. Declaring Love (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) [lot 37], recent winner of a listed sprint at Bath for John Butler, was an inspired 39,000gns discovery by Megan Evans in the Godolphin draft at the December Sale here.

The sale begins at 10 a.m.

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Excelebration Colt Tops Guineas Sale

NEWMARKET, UK—Alan King may be best known for his exploits with top-class jumpers such as Voy Por Ustedes (Fr) and My Way De Solzen (Fr) but he has been making an increasingly notable impact on the Flat scene in recent years. His 2020 Royal Ascot treble is undoubtedly the highlight of his diversification to date and, with the assistance of his regular agent Anthony Bromley, he added another four Flat-bred horses to his string on Wednesday, including the day’s top lot, a colt by Excelebration (Ire).

“He was our favourite horse of the sale,” said Bromley after being pushed to 140,000gns for lot 108 by underbidder David Redvers. “We don’t go on times, we go on the individual, their stride and general way of going, but inevitably the vendors end up telling you the times. We knew he had breezed well and that he would be expensive but we didn’t think we’d have to go that high.”

The colt was bought for Niall Farrell and Max McNeill, the latter being the co-owner of another of King’s Royal Ascot team, Tritonic (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who was beaten half a length when second in the Golden Gates H. and was bought at the Guineas Sale of 2019 for 55,000gns.

Out of the Mark Of Esteem (Ire) mare Open Book (GB), the April-born Excelebration colt, bred by Chapel Lane Farm, represented a significant pinhooking coup for Brian Slattery of Meadowview Stables who bought him for €18,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

The regular participation of King and Bromley at this breeze-up in particular over the years perhaps typifies the sale, at which one can expect to find a scopier and later-maturing individual than those generally catalogued for the earlier sales at Ascot or Doncaster. That is certainly what Jake Warren will be hoping to see from lot 87, the first son of the former German champion Lucky Lion (GB) to be sold at Tattersalls. Bought from Tally-Ho Stud, the son of the Galileo (Ire) mare Livia’s Wake (Ire) was pinhooked by Matt Coleman from the BBAG Yearling Sale last August for €21,000 and is from the further family of recent G2 King Edward VII S. winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}).

“He could be a Derby horse,” said Warren after signing the docket on behalf of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing at 95,000gns. “It is unique for a horse like this to be at a breeze-up sale. He has size and scope, so to have breezed as well as he did has to be very positive. He should make up into a lovely middle-distance type, and the bulk of his career will come next year.”

The colt is a member of the first crop of G1 Grosser Dallmayr Bayerisches Zuchtrennen winner Lucky Lion, a son of High Chaparral (Ire), who also landed the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) before finishing runner-up in the G1 Deutsches Derby. He stands at Gestut Graditz for a fee of €4,500.

Referring to the trade for breeze-up horses this season, Warren, who bought six in total, added, “It has been a bit up and down, but without some of the key players in the market it has presented some opportunities for us.”

Trade Holds Up Despite Delays
Some regular top-end buyers have indeed been either absent or low key during the last fortnight of rearranged breeze-up sales. Godolphin, for example, bought seven horses at last year’s Craven Sale for 2.94 million gns and a filly at Arqana for €800,000, but this year signed, through Anthony Stroud, for just one filly at last week’s relocated Arqana Breeze-up for £380,000.

The Guineas Breeze-up, like all sales before it in the sector this season, had a high number of withdrawals and only 116 of the 157 catalogued lots made it to the ring on Wednesday. Of those, 94 were sold at a clearance rate of 81%. Trade had a reasonably buoyant if unflashy feel to it throughout the day and, while the median was down by 28% at 17,250, the average was just about static at 28,511gns. Turnover, from 27 fewer horses sold compared to last year, stood at 2,680,000gns (-23%).

“In the current climate we are all looking to accentuate the positives and I think we can reflect on solid if unspectacular trade at this year’s renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up,” said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. “This is, however, a year where ‘solid if unspectacular’ is a positive outcome and we would like to thank all those who have participated at today’s sale for their contribution. The buyers have worked incredibly hard and the breeze-up consignors have had to endure uniquely difficult conditions in the run up to the 2020 breeze-up sales season, but ultimately everyone can look back on sales which have largely exceeded expectations.”

A feature of this season’s sales conducted amid travel and quarantine restrictions has been the introduction of online bidding platforms by the sales houses. At the Guineas Sale, eight lots were bought by internet bidders for a total of 177,500 gns, while another five lots were underbid online.

Make Believe For Real
Just one lot before the top-priced colt entered the ring, Richard Brown had signed for the other six-figure horse of the day and the most expensive filly at 105,000gns. Like Sunday’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner, lot 107 is by Ballylinch Stud resident Make Believe (GB) and was bought as a yearling for a tenth of her breeze-up price at Tattersalls Ireland by Justin Timmons and Danny O’Donovan of Kildare-based Dolmen Bloodstock, who consigned the filly to the breeze-up.

“She has an engine and we were very happy with her breeze. She has been very busy, but it is always hard to gauge, though we had the right people on her,” said Timmons of the first foal of three-time winner Olivia Pope (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}).

Four years ago Katie McGivern of Derryconnor Stud was responsible for the top-priced filly of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale when the subsequent G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Daban (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) sold for 260,000gns and she was to the fore again on Wednesday with a daughter of Kodiac (GB). The more modest price of 90,000gns was given for the fastest breezer of the sale (lot 47) by trainer James Tate on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock. She is out of the champion Italian galloper Fair Nashwan (GB) (Nashwan), the winner of the G3 Premio Federic Tesio and producer of Italian listed winner Fair Dubawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and was bought back by her breeder Nafferty Stud for 42,000gns at last year’s October Sale.

“She has loads of ability, and is very easy. She was always a powerful filly and looked like a colt, and she still does,” McGivern said. “She is ready to crack on with. The coronavirus didn’t stop her as she is actually a middle-of-the-summer filly, a six-furlong or seven-furlong filly.”

She added. “I have sold everything I have offered so far. There has been a great sale at every sale I have been at, no different from any other year apart from the precautions we have had to take. For me there is a good solid market at every level.”

James Tate, who will train the filly for Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, said, “She did a very fast time, I thought she was a stand-out filly in the catalogue. I thought she was decent value at that. I hope she will be running in July.”

Kodiac is a routinely popular sire at the breeze-ups and he was also represented among the day’s top lots by 138, a colt out of the unraced Bahamian Bounty (GB) mare Smart Bounty (GB) who was bred and consigned by Tally-Ho Stud.

Micheal Orlandi of Compas Equine was the buyer at 82,000gns.

Trainer John Quinn won the G1 Darley Prix Morny and G2 Coventry S. with former breeze-up purchase The Wow Signal (Ire) and he understandably has a fondness for that horse’s sire Starspangledbanner (Aus). The trainer’s son Sean went to 77,000gns for another colt by the Coolmore shuttler (lot 6) early in the session.

Thomond O’Mara bought the son of the 3-year-old winner Adore (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for 16,000gns at Book 3 of the October Sale from breeder Fergus Anstock.

“He did a very pleasing breeze and what I liked is that he got stronger as the breeze went on,” said Sean Quinn. “I didn’t have any intention of buying a breeze-up horse, but when I saw him he caught my eye and I discussed it with dad and said he might be a good addition to the team.”

He continued, “Starspangledbanner is a very good stallion. This is a very late April foal so we will get him home, but there is no rush with the horse, we will let him tell us.”

Over To The July Sale
Selling continues at Tattersalls on Thursday and Friday with the mixed July Sale, which includes broodmares, fillies out of training and horses in training.

At the conclusion of the breeze-up, Edmond Mahony commented, “It has been challenging staging events of this nature with the prevailing COVID-related regulations still in place but, despite continued travel restrictions, today’s Guineas Breeze-up has seen demand from throughout the world, including Australia, Bahrain, Dubai, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Qatar and Spain. The international demand has been accompanied by spirited bidding from the domestic British and Irish buyers and has resulted in some notable pinhooking successes, while the overseas buyers have made use of every possible means at their disposal to participate in the sale, including extensive use of our new live internet bidding platform as well as telephone bidding. It is a tribute to the resilience of the global bloodstock market that we continue to experience this level of international demand and we expect to see further widespread use of the live internet bidding platform at our two-day July Sale which commences [Thursday] morning at 10am.”

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