Tag: Willie Browne

Willie Browne’s Unbeaten Port Augusta Sold For “Proper Money” To Hong Kong

Willie Browne's unbeaten Port Augusta (GB), who racked up wins over six and seven furlongs at Dundalk over the winter, has been sold for “proper money” to Hong Kong.

The legendary breeze-up handler has described his recent upsurge of form on the track as “a breath of fresh air” and, while the 77-year-old admitted to being sorry he couldn't hold on to a horse as talented as Port Augusta, he revealed the son of Zoustar (Aus) fulfilled what he was bought to do by getting sold. 

A 75,000gns Book 1 yearling, Port Augusta missed his engagement in last year's Craven Breeze-Up Sale back at Tattersalls after pulling out of the pre-breeze with a small splint. 

After being given the necessary time to recuperate, the colt went some way to proving his ability by landing back-to-back races at Dundalk, providing Browne with plenty of enjoyment in doing so. 

He explained, “I would think he will suit Hong Kong very well. He is a very sound horse and rattles off quick ground. He has a lot of pace and he stays. We haven't seen the best of this horse, not by a long way. I feel we have only been scratching the surface with him over six and seven furlongs at Dundalk and, if he got a fast pace to aim at over a mile, he could be a serious horse. He's out of a very good race mare [Ship Of Dreams (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire})] and he's very good-looking himself. 

“I thought I might be able to hold on to him and take him to Dubai but he wasn't bought for that and came to me to get sold rather than to race. I got my days in the sun with him and it's good money to get. Proper money.”

Browne added, “He went to the Craven and did the preliminary canter but was slightly lame that evening. We couldn't figure it out. We thought he had given himself a little twist or something. On the morning of the breeze proper, he was still a little off and we discovered that he had a tiny splint halfway down the inside of his shin. We had to withdraw him and give him time. It's probably been a blessing in disguise for this horse.”

Browne may be best known for his breeze-up exploits but his Tipperary stable has been represented by some classy performers in recent times. Spirit Gal (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), winner of the Listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk, famously took Browne to the Breeders' Cup in 2022 before transferring to Andre Fabre. In the past three seasons, Browne has sent out a hugely respectable tally of 15 winners domestically. 

“To say I am enjoying it would be putting it mildly now,” the veteran operator chuckled. “It's been a breath of fresh air. We've been terribly lucky to get a half dozen nice horses at the same time over the winter. Sure I didn't know myself. They've all done their job and the next trick is to try and replace a few of them, which isn't easy.”

Asked if would consider buying a few more yearlings specifically to race rather than to breeze, given how much he has enjoyed his trips to the races in recent times, Browne replied, “I'd say not, to be honest, and there's two reasons why. Number one, I am too old to start doing that and number two, it's very hard to separate the two in terms of deciding that this yearling is for racing and this one isn't. You would only complicate the thing too much and then you would become known as a trainer. It could affect the main business, which is the breeze-ups.

“No is the short answer. I wouldn't buy specifically to go down the road of racing but what I would love is for somebody else to send me a horse. But I'm not stupid enough to think that, at 77 years of age, there'll be a queue of people wanting to send me a horse. For me to go buying yearlings and start putting them into different boxes wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be good for business.”

At 77 years of age, Browne has made it clear that he is not going to go reinventing himself or anything crazy like that. But one thing's for sure, the man who has blooded many top-notchers under the banner of Mocklershill still gets as big a kick out of the game as ever before. 

He concluded, “It's not that easy to explain what the kick of training winners is because it's very different to breezing horses. Once you breeze them, okay you follow them for their new connections, but your input is finished. When you're training them and get them ready for a race and go out the next morning and look at them in the box and admire them, it's a great feeling. There's huge job satisfaction when you can prepare your horse to go and win a few nice races. That's my idea of heaven.”

The post Willie Browne’s Unbeaten Port Augusta Sold For “Proper Money” To Hong Kong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Swanbridge Goes To 150k For Winning Daughter Of Quevega At Goffs

Princess Vega (Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB}), a winning daughter of six-time Cheltenham festival scorer Quevega (Fr) (Robin Des Champs {Fr}), proved to be worth the wait at the Goffs February Sale when selling as one of the last lots through the ring [431G] on Thursday evening for €150,000 to agent Gerry Hogan on behalf of Swanbridge Bloodstock . 

It was Liz Lucas's Swanbridge Bloodstock who signed for the Order Of St George (Ire) filly out of Princess Vega at the November National Hunt Sale at Goffs for €48,000 last year. According to Hogan, so pleased are the new owners with their Order Of St George filly from the top-notch family, they decided to push the boat out to secure the dam who was sold by the Irish National Stud in foal to Walk In The Park (Ire).

Hogan said, “She was bought for Swanbridge Bloodstock, who bought the Order Of St George, who is the daughter of this mare. She's a nice mare and the pedigree speaks for itself. They know the family and they were very anxious to get her.”

It was Catherine Magnier who pushed Hogan furthest and filled the role as determined underbidder. The pair were left fighting it out from the six-figure mark for Princess Vega, who, like her superstar dam Quevega, was trained by the champion trainer in Ireland, Willie Mullins.

Princess Vega, a winner of a Tramore bumper on debut for Mullins, will now join the broodmare band of Swanbridge Bloodstock in Britain, which features well-known mares like Alasi (GB) (Alflora {Ire}), Intense Tango (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Western Victory (Ire) (Westerner {GB}) and more. 

Graduates of the British National Hunt breeding operation includes Midnight River (GB) (Midnight Legend {GB}), Prince Of Scars (Ire) (Flemensfirth) and last year's impressive Goffs UK Spring Sale Bumper winner Crest Of Glory (GB) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}).

Princess Vega proved to be the highlight of the two-day sale which saw turnover fall by 29% to €3,082,400 compared to 12 months ago. The average fell 19% to €12,898 while the median was also down 11% to €8,000. The clearance rate stood at 65%.

Goff chief executive Henry Beeby commented, “As ever Goffs February has been dominated by weanlings and once again has delivered the highest-priced Flat and National Hunt weanling of the February sales season by some margin. That is the strength of the sale and what sets it apart as, like November and December, Kildare Paddocks was awash with pinhookers finalising their 2024 yearling drafts and adding to their three-year-old stores of two years' time which led to several lively bidding duels for those youngsters adjudged to be the most commercial.  

“Of course, a clearance rate of 65% is a clear mirror of the autumn sales season and those the market deemed less appealing were friendless in the ring. However, the familiar cry of 'it's hard to buy the good one' was as evident as ever and we are all having to adapt to the evolving nature of the market.”

Beeby added, “Trade for the breeding stock session mirrored the weanlings with keen competition for some headed by the €150,000 top price and less interest in others but we have welcomed a diverse overseas contingent over the two days who are enticed year after year by the undeniable quality of Irish bloodlines and the proactivity of ITM working alongside the Goffs Purchaser Attraction Team and our superb international agents. Indeed, buyers from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Libya, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, UK and Zambia have all featured in the results and ensured a truly cosmopolitan feel to the sale.

“So Goffs February confirms its market leading status again with two vibrant sessions and a big crowd from start to finish. As ever, we extend our thanks to each vendor and all our purchasers for we are nothing without them.”

“It's Not Rocket Science,” – Havana Grey Continues To Shine

Willie Browne: bought a Havana Grey weanling for €90,000 | Goffs

There's no such thing as a dull day when it comes to Havana Grey (GB). The Whitsbury Stud-based stallion lit the touch paper to the February Sale on Wednesday when a colt of his was knocked down to Yeomanstown Stud for €85,000 and the big results kept coming for the sire sensation on Thursday when top judge Willie Browne signed for a Havana Grey filly under the banner of JB Bloodstock to the tune of €90,000. 

That meant that Havana Grey accounted for three of the top five weanlings sold at Kildare Paddocks this week. The €90,000 filly (lot 291) was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment on behalf of her breeder Tommy Severns, who was rightfully overjoyed by the result.

He said, “I've loved her from day one. She was always a pretty classy filly and the dream was to keep her, but as a small operation, we have to keep trading. Billy Jackson-Stops felt she would stand out a bit here, so we targeted this sale as a result. 

“It's all a credit to the team at Stoneyhill Stud in Gloucestershire, where she was born and bred. We then sent her to Triermore Stud in County Meath, where Paul McDonnell and Terry Denning do a great job. The filly has thrived since she went there and having seen the videos, she looked great on the complex, so Bill and his team at The Castlebridge Consignment deserve a lot of praise too.”

The January-born Havana Grey filly is out of the Selkirk mare Scots Fern (GB), a three-time winner. Scots Fern has already produced two winners, Giava Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Hebridean Nomad (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), from five foals.

Severns added, “It's our (Stonehill Stud) second year in operation and a result like this is so important. Ed Harper deserves a lot of credit, too, as he was very strong on Havana Grey and advised me to use him. 

“We've got six mares at home, so we're a pretty small operation, though a result like this may help us to go out and improve the quality of stock on the farm. I'm a polo player by day, so I'm currently in Argentina. I'm actually gutted to not be there, but that's the way it is.

“Scots Fern has been great for us and she foaled a smart filly by Perfect Power (Ire) last week. We haven't finalised our mating plans for the year, but there are an exciting bunch of stallions on the list so far.”

For Browne, who revealed to be down on numbers with regards to his foal purchases in 2023, the Havana Grey filly proved to be exactly what he was searching for. The legendary breeze-up trainer and pinhooker admitted that his new acquisition didn't come cheap but explained how she could slot into any yearling sale in the autumn. 

He said, “She is a very good model and I couldn't fault her in any way. She was plenty expensive now but I suppose that's what you have to pay to get a Havana Grey these days-it's not rocket science. 

“I actually underbid another Havana Grey earlier in the day so I am very pleased to have gotten her. I usually buy around 12 foals a year and we were down on numbers this time round. They were very hard to buy in the winter. This filly could come back to the Orby or even to Book 2 but I've been very lucky selling at Goffs down through the years so we might keep her for the Orby.”

The post Swanbridge Goes To 150k For Winning Daughter Of Quevega At Goffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Manoel Marques Q&A: The Top Breeze-Up Rider Talks Buyin Buyin And More

   Prominent breeze-up rider and handler Manoel Marques will have an extra pep in his step at the Craven Sale next week as Buyin Buyin (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), a horse he sourced for just €8,000 before riding him to victory in his wife Leidiana's colours on debut at Dundalk, looks set to be sold for a multitude of that initial outlay.
   Marques has earned himself a reputation for being one of the leading riders on the breeze-up circuit, having partnered Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro) and many more top-notchers in their breeze before they became famous.
   In this week's Q&A, Marques explains what it was that drew him to the Tally Ho-Stud bred Buyin Buyin at the sales, what that six-figure sale to an unnamed client means to him and his family and what he is most looking forward to at the breeze-up sales over the coming weeks.

You had a big result with Buyin Buyin winning his maiden on debut at Dundalk and I understand you have since got him sold.
I am very happy and the horse has made a few pound alright. I have never got anything like this before so my family is very happy about that. I buy about four or five horses every year and we have had some good horses but this is the best result for me.

What other good horses have you had through your hands?
I bought a very good filly called Happy Odyssey (Ire) by Camacho (GB) and she ended up winning a listed race for Amy Murphy. Jim McCartan consigned the filly under Gaybrook Lodge Stud at the breeze-up and Amy bought her there for £14,000. She turned out to be a very good race filly for her.

How long have you been based in Ireland?
I am in Ireland over 10 years now and my first job was with Willie Browne. I moved around a little bit and have spent time working with Thomond O'Meara, Tom Whitehead and Jim McCartan as well. When Paul Deegan was training, I spent some time working for him in Kildare as well, so I have moved around a lot.

You are a popular man on the breeze-up circuit and have a reputation for being one of the go-to riders.
That's right. Thank God for that. I am very proud about that. Everybody knows me and I am very busy for the breeze-ups. I have my jockey's licence as well and my family have some horses to race. I also rode a winner for Thomond O'Meara before at Dundalk.

Would winning in your wife's colours on Buyin Buyin be your best experience in racing so far?
I was a very good jockey when I was younger. I would have been top jockey a couple of times in Brazil and I rode at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai for a bit as well. It was a long time ago, but I also rode all across South America–Paraguay, Uruguay and other places like that–and I have ridden over 1,000 winners all together. When I was younger, I rode many Quarter Horse races because I was very light. I rode many winners at that in Sao Paulo.

Why did you decide to come to Ireland?
I was working in England for Paul Cole and Ralph Beckett and got some great experience. I can remember somebody telling me all about the breeze-ups and I just thought it could be very good for me and help me to start a business with my family. I knew that I had the ability to ride these fast horses and thankfully it has worked out. I started out working with Willie Browne and got more contacts and it started to happen for me.

The breeze-up game has changed a lot in those 10 years.
It has and I am very proud of my business because, when I came here, I had absolutely nothing. I had some money from my time working in Brazil but it wasn't a lot to go buying horses. I got some help from friends to get one or two horses every year and tried to grow it little by little. This year, my wife had five horses and it looks like Buyin Buyin is sold now. We have a few more to go breezing so hopefully it will be a good year.

What have you left to breeze?
I have one for Arqana, one for the Guineas Sale and another for Goresbridge. The horse for France is by Sioux Nation and he's a nice colt who cost €40,000. The Guineas Sale horse is a Dark Angel (Ire) filly and the Goresbridge colt is by Dandy Man (Ire).

Buyin Buyin looks a steal now at the €8,000 you paid for him off Tally-Ho Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.
I don't why he was so cheap but I just think God helped me and I thank God that I was lucky enough to have found him. I saw him at the sales and I really liked him. I remember going to look at him twice down in the yard. Before he went into the ring, I asked Roger what his reserve was and he told me it was only eight grand. I said, 'okay, that's fine,' without making it look like I was really interested in the horse but I really loved the horse. Anyway, when the horse came into the ring, I went away to hide! Someone bid six, another person goes seven, then someone else goes seven-and-a-half. I bid the eight and then nobody else bid. I said, 'thank God,' and that's how it happened.

Why didn't you breeze him?
I nominated this horse for a couple of breeze-up sales but he didn't get in. Some of the sales companies said they wouldn't take him because the pedigree was a bit light but I never pushed too much for them to accept the horse. I really liked the horse and I can remember telling my wife, 'look Leidiana, I like Buyin Buyin very much, this horse is a January foal and he is very strong and is working very well. I've made my mind up, I'm going to race this horse.' My wife was a little bit afraid and said, 'you need to be very careful because, if this horse does not win or finish in the top three, we are in trouble.' I was very confident in the horse and guaranteed Leidiana that, if he didn't win, he would finish in the top three at Dundalk. She wished me good luck and, while the horse was green in the race, thank God he won it very well and he was quite impressive.

You mentioned that he was green so hopefully there could be plenty more to come from Buyin Buyin.
He has plenty of ability. When I told Willie Browne that I wanted to run him, he told me that I was crazy. I told Willie how confident I was in the horse because he had been training very well and I think he will improve a lot for his next race.

And what does it mean to get a big payday with the sale of the horse?
I'm very happy because I've never had anything like this before. I am very happy and very proud of the horse. When the sale goes through, we can look at buying a property or something like that.

This is a very exciting time of year with the Craven Sale on the horizon.
Definitely. I have ridden a lot of special horses in the breeze-ups, including Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), so it's a very exciting time for me. I also rode Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro), California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate),
Dutch Masterpiece (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) and Ligthning Thunder (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) so I have been doing this for a long time and, while there is a lot of pressure at the breeze-ups, it's normal for me.

The post Manoel Marques Q&A: The Top Breeze-Up Rider Talks Buyin Buyin And More appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Brave Chelmsford Bid Could Lead to Kentucky Derby

Amid much ado about the start of the turf season in Britain on Saturday, it is important not to overlook the day's second-most valuable race after the Lincoln. Chelmsford City's Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions S., worth a decent £100,000, is the last of seven races in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. 

Launched in 2019 by the enterprising team at the Essex track, which continues to punch well about its weight on the prize-money front, the Cardinal's three winners to date (there was no race in 2020 during the pandemic) have not taken up the challenge for Churchill Downs. This year, however, two of the 11 declared runners have already earned points elsewhere, and a win on Saturday, which is worth 30 points, would have both sets of connections seriously considering a trip to Kentucky in early May.

Leading the charge in this regard is Middleham Park Racing's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), who has already given his syndicate of owners much cause for cheer by winning five of his seven starts to date, including the Listed Prix de la Californie at Cagnes-sur-Mer followed by Kempton Park's 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' Conditions S. on March 15, for which he earned 20 points for the American Classic. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) accrued the same number of points for winning Dundalk's Listed Patton S. and was subsequently tenth in the G2 UAE Derby on Saturday. 

“It's been a bit of a whirlwind,” Middleham Park Racing's Tom Palin told TDN. “It only really came on our radar since he got his head in front at Kempton. I must admit it was never really something we had thought about, or a careful piece of race placement to try to target him at the Kentucky Derby. But when he won at Kempton we realised that he picked up 20 points and we were made aware that he was joint-top of the European series with Cairo, and then Cairo didn't pick up an extra points at the weekend.”

Middleham Park Racing also fields the George Scott-trained four-time winner Coco Jack (Ire) (Wings Of Eagles {Fr}), who was previously fifth to Brave Emperor at Kempton, while Charlie Appleby is represented by the treble winner and 101-rated Bold Act (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). James Tate's unbeaten Iconic Moment (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), recent winner of the Listed Spring Cup at Lingfield and a dual scorer at Chelmsford, looks likely to start favourite. 

Palin continued, “Obviously we need to see what happens on Saturday. It looks a very competitive race, and I even think our other horse, Coco Jack, could come in and upset the applecart. George is very bullish about him. It's a super-competitive race but if he picks up enough points to secure his berth, that's when the syndicate will have to have a bit of a grown-up chat. There would still be the small matter of about $30,000 to run and more than that to get him across there and back. But as the saying goes, 'you've got to be in it to win it', and that's exactly what we did last Monday, we put him in there. Everybody has heard of the Kentucky Derby, everybody wants to run for the roses, so if you've got a secure berth it's certainly something one should be having a serious conversation about.”

A stellar 2022 season saw another of the Middleham Park Racing syndicates win the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye with The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), who was subsequently sold for 1.2 million gns to Katsumi Yoshida. She has remained in training for the leading Japanese owner and has been switched from Richard Fahey's stable to that of Roger Varian.

Eddie's Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was another to carry the silks with aplomb, winning the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint and the G3 Prix Eclipse, and finishing second in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte. He was sold at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale for 320,000gns to continue his career in Qatar. The Middleham Park Racing model clearly raises the possibility of Brave Emperor being fully or part-sold should he earn a start at Churchill Downs. 

“Absolutely,” Palin agreed. “The decision is ultimately up to the people in the syndicate. It's not what we want to do, it's what the owners want to do. But they also want to fund their racing for the next four or five years so in some ways the ideal scenario for everybody would be if we were to partner up with somebody, perhaps an American client who wanted a runner in Kentucky Derby and was interested in taking half. 

“Getting him there would wipe out all of the prize-money he has earned so far, and that represents several years' racing for the owners. But it really is very special stuff to be able to talk about it. We were at the Cheltenham Festival after Red Risk had run there and we just finishing up in the bar when Brave Emperor won at Kempton. It was a bit surreal, thinking we were standing there at Cheltenham and suddenly we had the possibility of the Kentucky Derby.”

He added, “He's been fantastic and what's really quite special is that the vast majority of the owners who are involved in Brave Emperor were involved in Eddie's Boy as well. So they are having a real time of it at the moment, they're living the dream.”

Archie Watson, who trains Brave Emperor, a gelded grandson of Scat Daddy, said, “How many times do you get the opportunity to have a runner in a race like that? Personally, I feel he would probably suit the Preakness more, but he's done nothing wrong. On pedigree you'd probably say that it would be worth giving the dirt a try, and also on the way he runs, because he does tend to grind it out. That style of running should suit the dirt, but I guess there are a lot of unknowns, like going up two furlongs for the Derby.

“He's as tough as nails and we definitely haven't got to the bottom of him. He responds well and is tough in a battle.”

He added, “I know he's a Listed winner already but I'd say Saturday will be his hardest test yet. With the Godolphin horse coming in and another horse who has won his last three that we haven't met yet, it looks a strong race. I haven't seen the betting but I'd be hopeful he'll confirm his form with the others, for all that it might be close.”

It was a bit surreal, thinking we were standing there at Cheltenham and suddenly we had the possibility of the Kentucky Derby

Among Brave Emperor's rivals, and with six Kentucky Derby points to his credit following his third-place finish behind Cairo in the Patton S., is the Charles Fipke homebred Stormy Entry (Point Of Entry). Having made his debut when second at Dundalk on December 16, he has subsequently won twice there under the tutelage of the man best known as a breeze-up maestro, Willie Browne.

“Mr Fipke is a sportsman, and he likes his racing, so he wants to give it a go,” said Browne, who also trained the Listed Star Appeal S. winner Spirit Gal (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) for the same owner-breeder last season.

“The handicapper would suggest that we have little chance but he's a nice horse and I'm sure that even though he does look like one of the lesser ones in the field he'll probably give a good account of himself. A truly-run race would suit him, he's in good form, and he travelled over well [Thursday morning], so we're going to give it a go.”

Stormy Entry is also luring leading jockey Seamie Heffernan across the Irish Sea on Saturday.

Browne added, “Having Seamie is a plus for us as he knows the horse and he likes him, so why not?

“I think he has improved and the style of racing in Chelmsford in particular–they seem to go a good gallop–would suit him, but that said this does look tough and we probably haven't the best draw. Mr Fipke loves his horses and he bred this horse. Needless to say, if something did happen, he's be on his way to Kentucky in a hurry. It's ambitious, but you never know.”

The post Brave Chelmsford Bid Could Lead to Kentucky Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights