New Bay Colt Tops Opening Day of Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale got off to a strong start on the opening day with a son of NEW BAY topping proceedings at 525,000 guineas and eight lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more.    

New Bay Colt to Godolphin for 525,000 Guineas  

The top lot during the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the NEW BAY colt out of the GALILEO mare ALEGRA who was purchased by Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin for 525,000 guineas. The colt was sold by Katie Walsh's Greenhills Farm who purchased him at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year for 125,000 guineas, where he was part of the Lady Ogden dispersal.  

"This is a very nice horse, he did a very good breeze. Katie Walsh does a fantastic job, and he has a great pedigree being by New Bay and out of a Galileo mare," said Stroud, who recalled:  

"I saw him as yearling, liked him and should have bought then!"  

After the sale Walsh revealed: "Physically I always thought he could come back here as I thought he was sharp enough, and his breeze yesterday matched up to that.  

"I can't believe it really, but I guess I did dream a little bit as he had cost 125,000 guineas and he has the pedigree - the people who are into pedigrees couldn't knock him on it. He made sense on paper, and then when he breezed well and vetted well I knew we had a chance of getting a touch."

She added of the feeling after selling for such a sum: "In the moment after it is a bit of a whirlwind as the phone is ringing from home, and you want to ring everyone, but it is brilliant. It’s great for everyone. We are a family-run business with my sister Jennifer, my mum and dad and my husband, we are all in it together as well as all the lads at home. We couldn't do it without the lads at home, and that's the truth. This is due to the work they put in at home all year - we have a good team at home and it is a win-win for everybody."  

The colt’s dam ALEGRA has produced five winners including the Listed winners PYTHAGORAS and BLUE GARDENIA. His third dam is ALOUETTE, dam of the Champions ALBANOVA and ALBORADA, herself the ancestress of numerous blacktype winners headed by the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner ALPINISTA.  

Stroud, who had to withstand the efforts of BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe, will be hoping this purchase will be as successful as his 2023 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up sale topper, the KHK Racing-owned leading British two-year-old of last season VANDEEK.    

O’Callaghan Strikes at 300,000 Guineas for Brother to River Tiber  

Trainer Michael O’Callaghan is a familiar face at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale and he struck early on the first day for the MEHMAS half-brother to last year's Group 2 Coventry Stakes winner RIVER TIBER, who also placed in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and Group 1 Prix Morny. O’Callaghan saw off the attentions of underbidder Ross Doyle, who was standing with trainer Richard Hannon, to secure the Mocklershill consigned colt for 300,000 guineas and commented:  

"He was very professional in his breeze and he comes from a very good hotel, he has a great pedigree, he is a half-brother to River Tiber and it is a very good cross – Mehmas out of an Arcano mare, Supremacy is the very same,"    

He added: "I have bought him for an existing client and am delighted to get him. He is a Royal Ascot mould, he is by that type of sire. Hopefully if that happens, that happens. He was up early in his breeze - he was very professional and I am delighted to get him."  

The April-foaled colt’s dam TRANSCENDENCE is an unraced daughter of Norwegian Listed winner COVER GIRL who is also the granddam of Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner SUDIRMAN. It is the family of 1000 Guineas winner MOTHER EARTH and the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes winner ANTHEM ALEXANDER. RIVER TIBER was purchased at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 480,000 guineas by MV Magnier and White Birch Farm and has entries in the English and Irish 2,000 Guineas.  

McStay and Twomey Secure Pinatubo Colt for 220,000 Guineas  

Avenue Bloodstock’s Mark McStay teamed up with trainer Paddy Twomey to secure the PINATUBO half-brother to dual Listed winner MRS GALLAGHER for 220,000 guineas. The son of the first crop sire is out of the REFUSE TO BEND mare A HUGE DREAM and was consigned by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables, who purchased him at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 68,000 guineas.    

A HUGE DREAM herself was a winner and Listed placed and is the dam of the aforementioned MRS GALLAGHER and the Listed-placed TONE THE BARONE. She is a half-sister to XTENSION, a dual Group 1 winner in Hong Kong, and to the dams of Champion Sprinter HARRY ANGEL, Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner SUPREMACY and Group 1 Prix de l Abbaye runner up WHITE LAVENDER.  

Purchaser Mark McStay said: "He’s been purchased for a very good client based in Dubai called Mohammed Al Suboosi who already owns some nice horses with Paddy – Procrastinate, another breeze up horse, and Noche Magica who’ll come back for a sprinting campaign after being a Group horse last year.    

"We had a very select list and combined all our thoughts and this was the horse we hit on. I think the sire could be very promising and the mare’s already done it by breeding Mrs Gallagher. The colt came recommended by Johnny Collins, who I’ve known for a long time. His recommendation counts for a lot so I’m delighted to get this colt." 

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale continues at 5.45pm on Wednesday, 17th April.