Canford Cliffs Colt Tops Opening Day of Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The opening day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale saw a total of 57 two-year-olds sell for 3,304,000 guineas, at an average of 80,585 guineas and a median of 65,000 guineas.

The top lot for the evening was the CANFORD CLIFFS colt consigned from Paddy Twomey’s Athassel House Stud that was knocked down to Charlie Gordon-Watson for 300,000 guineas after he saw off the likes of Jamie McCalmont and Luke Lillingston.

A son of first-season sire and multiple Group 1 winner CANFORD CLIFFS, Gordon-Watson said: "I have been successful buying from Paddy before and this horse has been bought for Hong Kong.

"The colt breezed well, I like the stallion and I am very pleased to have bought a thoroughly nice horse."

The colt, who has been named SPARTE QUERCUS was purchased as a yearling for 65,000 Euros.

John Ferguson went to 250,000 guineas to secure the OASIS DREAM half-brother to the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes winner MOUNT NELSON, seeing off underbidder John Gosden and agent Ross Doyle. The colt was consigned by Malcolm Bastard on behalf of the colt’s breeder Philip Freedman.

"I am thrilled and delighted," said Freedman. "He had a foot abscess when he went through as a yearling and did not sell. The day after he went to Malcolm Bastard's and he has done a fantastic job. I wish new connections all the luck with him."

Successful bidder John Ferguson admitted afterwards that he was delighted with his purchase.

"We were close to buying him as a yearling and we were delighted to see how he has progressed and developed. He breezed well and his time was good for the type of horse he is - a later two-year-old who will be a three-year-old. We do time the breezes, and while it is not the be all and end all, it is a consideration, horses need to do a time appropriate for their pedigrees.

"This horse is a real athlete and has the best pedigree in the catalogue. He is not a typical breeze-up horse, but with Monitor Closely and Mount Nelson in the pedigree there is a chance he could become a proper horse."

SackvilleDonald’s Alastair Donald had to go to 200,000 guineas to secure the STORMY ATLANTIC colt consigned by Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud. The son of the Group-placed DOYEN mare BEA REMEMBERED was knocked down to Donald after he saw off agent Stephen Hillen.

"I thought I'd have to pay that," said Donald. "He is a lovely individual, did an excellent breeze, has a lovely temperament and although he is lacking a bit of pedigree, his mare was a decent runner.

"He goes into training with Ed Walker and is for a new Hong Kong-based client, the Cape Blanco (Lot 4) bought earlier is for the same client."

The STORMY ATLANTIC colt was bought at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 68,000 guineas.

Marco Bozzi went to 160,000 guineas to secure the DISTORTED HUMOR colt out of the Grade 3 winning ROCK OF GIBRALTAR mare GENUINE DEVOTION. The colt, who is already named WICKED WINK, was purchased as a yearling for $80,000 and was consigned to the sale by John Collins’ Brown Island Stables.

Earlier in the evening trainer Jeremy Gask secured a ZEBEDEE colt from Tally Ho Stud for 78,000 guineas on behalf of a syndicate comprising BHA Chairman Steve Harman and Chief Executive Nick Rust as well as the remainder of the BHA Board. The colt, who is out of the REDBACK mare BALTIC BELLE, is a half-brother to the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes fourth TERROR and has been named TRIPARTITE.

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale continues at 6pm on Thursday, April 16.