European Record Broken At Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The European record for a breeze up sale was broken at Tattersalls on the final day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when the ELUSIVE QUALITY colt catalogued as lot 148 was knocked down to Jamie McCalmont for 760,000 guineas. Consigned from Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud, the son of the MIESQUE’S SON mare GENDER DANCE was the subject of a bidding duel between Jamie McCalmont, stood alongside Paul Shanahan and Michael Tabor, and Ross Doyle standing alongside Richard Hannon Jnr. Competition for the two-year-old had started early with Richard O’Gorman and Blandford Bloodstock Richard Brown both making the early running along before McCalmont and Doyle went head-to-head, taking the price past the previous record of 625,000 guineas before coming to rest at 760,000 guineas.

"He is a very athletic colt," said McCalmont, "and is by a sire who is doing very well. To be honest I had not thought too much beforehand where his price would get to. I am not sure who is to train him.

"This is a really strong sale," he added, clearly relieved that the bidding had concluded in his favour. “This spring I have done Keeneland, Barretts and Fasig-Tipton, and this is the strongest market.”

The second day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale saw a total of 52 lots sell for 5,228,000 guineas, at an average of 100,538 guineas and a median of 55,000 guineas. The two day sale saw a total of 103 lots sold for 9,235,000 guineas, which was a rise of 8% on the corresponding sale total last year. The average rose 22% to 89,660 guineas whilst the median dropped 4% to 55,000 guineas.

The second highest priced lot for the day was the DUTCH ART colt who was knocked down to Shadwell Estates’ Angus Gold for 320,000 guineas. Consigned from Willie Browne’s Mocklershill, the daughter of the PIVOTAL mare DEVELYN was knocked down to Gold after he saw off the efforts of agent Jamie McCalmont.

"We've missed out on a few," said Gold, "but were keen to get this colt. He is a very athletic horse, by sire who is doing very well and is bred on the same cross as yesterday's winner Garswood. It's a very strong market."

Ross Doyle signed for the third highest price lot on the second day when going to 300,000 guineas to secure the INVINCIBLE SPIRIT colt out of the NAYEF mare CARRIG GIRL.

"He's going to Richard Hannon," said Doyle, standing with father Peter, Richard Hannon Jnr and jockey Richard Hughes.

"He's from a good home, he looks a sharp sort and breezed well - I liked the way he went about things.

"He's from a family that has already worked well with Invincible Spirit."

Doyle was referring to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner VALE OF YORK who is also by INVINCIBLE SPIRIT and out of a half-sister to this colt’s dam CARRIG GIRL. VALE OF YORK also happens to be a graduate of the Craven Breeze Up Sale where he was sold for 65,000 guineas from the same consignor, Clenagh Castle Stud. 

There were plenty of memorable pinhooks throughout the two-day sale but few better than a colt and filly consigned by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill and Emma O’Gorman’s Seven Springs Stables respectively. Browne’s Mocklershill consigned lot 99, the INVINCIBLE SPIRIT colt who was knocked down to David Redvers for 230,000 guineas, having been bought as a yearling at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale for just 10,000 guineas. O’Gorman faired almost as well, with her FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND filly, catalogued as lot 171, selling for 190,000 guineas to the bid of Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown. O’Gorman had purchased the filly for just 17,000 Euros at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

At the conclusion of the 2013 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;
 
"The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up is well established as Europe's premier sale of two year olds in training and the 2013 renewal has very much lived up to this billing. Buyers from throughout the world have all contributed to a sale which has produced rises in turnover and average, as well as some remarkable pinhooking triumphs which, as ever, demonstrate the skill and professionalism of the consignors. The record top price of 760,000 guineas, comfortably eclipsing the previous record for a European Breeze Up of 625,000 guineas, was the obvious highlight and a wonderful result for Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud which has been at the forefront of the European Breeze Up scene for many years. Competition at the top of the market has, without doubt, been the feature of the sale and the number of six figure lots has only been bettered once, while turnover in excess of 9 million guineas is the third highest in the sale's history.
 
"While there have been so many positives to take from the sale, including the first purchases at Tattersalls by mainland Chinese buyers, it should also be recognised that the market has been selective at times. We would have liked to have seen a higher clearance rate, and economic realities understandably continue to play a part in this business, but overall the 2013 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale has served as another reminder of the enduring global demand for quality bloodstock."

The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up & Horses in Training Sale takes place on May 2 – 3.