850,000 Guineas War Front Colt Heads Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale
A colt by WAR FRONT lit up the ring at Tattersalls on the second night of the Craven Breeze Up Sale, selling for 850,000 guineas – the second highest price at a European breeze up sale on an evening that was the highest grossing session in Britain since the breeze ups began.
A total of 55 lots were sold for a total of 6,589,500 guineas, at an average of 119,809 guineas and a median of 80,000 guineas with the clearance rate an impressive 86%. The two day sale saw a total of 96 lots sold for 9,893,500 guineas, at an average of 103,057 guineas and a median of 71,000 guineas. The average was the second highest for this sale whilst the median was a new record. The clearance rate for the sale was 79%, up from 73% last year.
The top lot for the sale and the second highest price at a European breeze up sale was the WAR FRONT consigned from Willie Browne’s Mocklershill. The half-brother to the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes winner MANI BHAVAN made light of his $400,000 purchase price when knocked down to Alex Elliot at 850,000 guineas. The China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace and Tony Nerses both made strong bids to secure the colt, but neither could better Elliot who bought the horse with Jamie McCalmont on behalf of Michael Tabor.
"His purchase is self-explanatory," said Elliot. "He has a stallion's page and he did a great breeze. I was in the US when The Factor was running - and this horse is the closest I have seen to him.
"He was a $400,000 purchase by Mocklershill - it was a big bet and it has paid off for them."
Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm had one of the pinhooks of the sale when their EXCHANGE RATE filly out of the CAPE TOWN mare RULER’S CHARM was knocked down to Oliver St Lawrence for 350,000 guineas.
"She is a lovely filly and stays in training in Britain for an undisclosed client," said St Lawrence. "She has a pedigree and let's hope she can add some more black-type."
Williamson purchased the filly as a yearling for $45,000.
The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up attracts a wide cross section of international clients and one lot heading overseas is the ELUSIVE QUALITY colt from Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud. The half-brother to the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner CARY STREET was knocked down to agent Ger Hourigan for 300,000 guineas on behalf of Danish clients and is set to head to Denmark.
"He’s a lovely colt and did a good breeze," said Hourigan of the colt who was purchased as yearling by Mags O'Toole for $90,000.
Late in the evening Michael Wallace from the China Horse Club secured the EXCEED AND EXCEL colt out of the OASIS DREAM mare TORENTOSA for 310,000 guineas after seeing off Oliver St Lawrence. Already named JACKFISH, and consigned by Mocklershill on behalf of The Channel Consignment, the colt was bought in partnership with Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Bloodstock.
"This is for the two and he stays in the UK," said Wallace. "He did a good breeze, with some good sectionals and is by a very capable sire - he looks like the better ones of the breed."
At the conclusion of the 2015 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
“Last year’s record breaking Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was always going to be a hard act to follow, especially with a smaller catalogue, but the second highest price ever for a European breeze up two year old, a record median and a considerably improved clearance rate, are all positives to take from this week’s sale. The Craven Breeze Up Sale is well established as the premier sale of its type in Europe and yet again has attracted a diverse crowd of international buyers who have all made a significant contribution.
“Competition at the top of the market has been the real feature of the sale and the number of different buyers active at the upper levels has been notable. Demand from throughout the world, particularly from Hong Kong, North America and throughout the Gulf region, has again demonstrated the truly global reputation of the Craven Breeze Up Sale. We have seen some spectacular pinhooking successes, as ever reflecting the professionalism of the consignors and we look forward to sustaining the momentum at the forthcoming Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale."
The next sale at Tattersalls is the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale which takes place on April 30 and May 1. Catalogues are out now and available from Tattersalls and Tattersalls representatives and online at www.tattersalls.com.