Record Breaking Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale

A strong renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale saw two lots sell for 200,000 guineas, the highest prices at this fixture since 2018, with a record 13 lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more. Turnover for both the ‘breeze’ and ‘horses in training’ sections of the sale were also records, breaking the previous highs set last year. 

Farrell Celebrates After Joint Sale Topping Zoffany Colt  

The first of the two sale topping lots to be offered was the ZOFFANY colt out of the Listed placed MONSUN mare GUARDIA, the own sister to Champions GETAWAY and GUADALUPE, who was knocked down for 200,000 guineas to trainer Richard Hughes, sat alongside agent Ted Durcan. Hughes secured the colt, who was sold by Cormac Farrell’s C. F. Bloodstock after seeing off the determined effort of underbidder Jamie Piggott, stood alongside owner Jon Thompson.    

Farrell said: "I am absolutely delighted, I came here expecting to get a nice price but you never know until you get the breeze out of the way, it is great that people liked him.    

"We have been patient with him as he is a big rangy horse. It is amazing that he can breeze so fast, I'd say he is a very good horse, and it sounds silly to say but we did come here thinking we might be able to top the sale. It is great that he has done what we hoped he would do.  

"I think he might be a freak, he can do sectionals like a six furlong horse not a horse wanting a mile and a half, he could just be exceptional and he has shown us that from the very minute we started with him."  

Farrell purchased the colt at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale for €55,000 and he recalled:  

"We thought we were giving plenty of money for him at the time as he was a big raw yearling, but at the same time we were very happy to have bought him. People laughed at me when I said we were going to breeze him and I could see why – in December he looked like an overgrown yearling still but he has thrived since!"  

Purchaser Richard Hughes revealed: "He is for an existing client. I didn't think he should be able to go as quick as he has done, and with the backbone of his pedigree a top class staying German family he has to be good. He is nice big loose horse. I will probably turn him out for some May grass now, I think it will do him good and we will get him in in a month or so and look to ready him for an October maiden." 

O’Callaghan Hoping Lightning Strikes Twice With Time Test Colt  

The second horse to realise 200,000 guineas on the day was the TIME TEST colt out of the GALILEO mare LADY GLINKA who was knocked down to Irish trainer Michael O’Callaghan, after he saw off a determined underbidder in Richard Ryan.    

The Mocklershill consigned colt was bought by Pier House Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 67,000 guineas and Brendan Morrin reported that the decision was made quite early to breeze this colt rather than sell as a yearling.    

"Willie does five or six breezers for us every year," said Morrin. "This horse has a lot of Galileo in him and Willie has done a fantastic job on him. We decided we'd hang on and wait for the breeze rather than sell as a yearling, sometimes this plan doesn't work when buying them as foals but we have been lucky today. He went to Willie's in January unbroken but we handled him with the sales yearlings. Willie makes all the decisions as regards sale plans, we go to the best and send these horses to him!"  

Mocklershill’s Willie Brown said: "He is a magnificent looking horse, he looks a racehorse, he is a great walking horse and has a great mind on him. I thought waiting for this sale might give him a bit of extra time and he was a standout today. We have had a great run with the horses sent to us by the Morrins."  

O'Callaghan saw the likeness in this horse to his Group 2 Beresford Stakes winner CRYPTO FORCE, who was from the second crop of TIME TEST and was purchased by the trainer for 160,000 guineas at last year’s Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale.    

"This is a lovely, quality horse, and I hope lightning can strike twice - we bought Crypto Force here last year and he was also out of a Galileo mare. This horse breezed well, he has a lovely action and was a bit green in his breeze, but we can forgive him that," said O'Callaghan. 

Record Turnover at Guineas Horses in Training Sale  

The Tattersalls Guineas Horses in Training Sale saw records across the board with turnover leaping 50% on last year’s record sale to 1,525,500 guineas.  

The top price at the sale was the regally bred SEA THE STARS filly out of the NATHANIEL mare PINKSTER who was knocked down to Oakgrove Stud’s David Hilton for 150,000 guineas on behalf of John Deer's Chepstow-based farm.  

"It is very much a pedigree-based purchase," explained Hilton. "Mr Deer is very fond of the pedigree, we have Poplin under the second dam and she is doing well for us. We are happy to buy this filly, whether we race her or not is up for debate, but she will join the broodmare band eventually."  

PINKSTER is out of the Listed winning DARSHAAN mare PUCE and is a half-sister to Group 2 Lancashire Oaks winner PONGEE, the dam of four black-type performers including the aforementioned POPLIN, who is herself the dam of the Listed winner ALKANDORA. PINKSTER is also a half-sister to PLATONIC, the dam of Group 3 winner PACIFIQUE, Listed winner ENGLISH KING and PRUDENZIA, the Listed winner whose Group 1 winning descendants include the Irish Oaks winner CHIQUITA and MAGIC WAND.  

Hilton further outlined: "I spoke to Megan Evans at Vicarage who was very honest and said they have not done a great deal with her. She is very elegant, big, she has a lovely head and is a good mover. She is very 'Sea The Stars' and Nathaniel is starting to do well as a broodmare sire. Pinkster is a Newsells Park-based mare and I am sure they will be looking after her very well and we will be looking on with interest."  

The filly was consigned to the sale by Vicarage Farm and her three-year-old half-sister is the two-time winner and Classic prospect PAZ. 

Chairman's Statement

At the conclusion of the 2023 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented;  

“The momentum from the recent record-breaking Craven Breeze Up Sale has been well and truly sustained at a second consecutive record breaking renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale. The combined turnover for the breeze up two year olds and horses in training has surpassed last year’s record of 6.7 million guineas, the key indicators of average and median have matched or exceeded last year’s impressive returns and thirteen two year olds have sold for 100,000 guineas or more which is another record breaking figure for the fixture.  

“Traditionally the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale attracts an abundance of overseas buyers and this year has been no exception with international demand, most notably from throughout Europe and the Gulf region, proving to be a feature of the sale which has also produced a combined clearance rate well in excess of 80%. Domestic buyers have as ever made a huge contribution to a successful sale and it is a tribute to the consignors that the breeze up sector continues to go from strength to strength. There is no doubt that the consistent ability of both the Tattersalls Craven and Guineas Breeze Up Sales to produce Classic and Group 1 winners has not gone unnoticed by the buyers and we look forward to seeing plenty more quality performers emerge from both sales in the coming months.”  

The next sale at Tattersalls is the July Sale which takes place from July 12th - 14th. Entries are currently open and can be made at www.tattersalls.com.