Record Median at Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up finished with a flourish on the second day with twelve lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more, taking the two-day total to 17, compared with 13 at this sale last year. Trade on the second day was headed by a colt by THE FACTOR that made 350,000 guineas on a day that saw 41 lots sell for 5,094,000 guineas, at an average of 124,244 guineas and a median of 100,000 guineas. The two-day sale saw 78 lots sell for 8,641,500 guineas, at an average of 110,788 guineas and a median of 77,500 guineas. The average was up 8% and the median up 9% to a new record.

The top lot on the second day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the colt by THE FACTOR, the Grade 1 winning son of WAR FRONT. Consigned from Tony & Roger O’Callaghan’s Tally-Ho Stud, the son of the Listed winning DEPUTY COMMANDER mare SWEET BELLE was knocked down to Jamie McCalmont for 350,000 guineas after he saw off determined efforts from David Redvers and Shadwell Estates’ Angus Gold.

"He did a fabulous breeze, I don't think there is another here with a stride like him, and it was especially impressive as ground conditions weren't in his favour," said McCalmont, who bought the colt on behalf of a partnership between Coolmore and Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables.

"This horse is very much like those by the sire I have seen and he has a great constitution - he was still bucking in the pre-parade ring tonight! He goes back to the US to be trained.

"John Moynihan, bloodstock agent for Stonestreet, saw the video of the breeze and really liked the horse and got in touch - hence the partnership."

Late in the evening Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown secured the EXCHANGE RATE colt from Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud for 340,000 guineas with one bid. Charlie Gordon-Watson and trainer William Haggas went head-to-head to secure the colt and just when Haggas signaled he was done, Brown came in to secure the colt.

"He and yesterday's top lot were the two that I have really liked from this sale," said Brown.

"He is to go to Simon Crisford and is for an existing client. I love his physical, he is a straightforward colt and I think the sire is seriously under-rated."

The third lot to top 300,000 guineas for the day, and one of six at the sale was the MORE THAN READY colt out of RAINBOW LUCK consigned by John Collins’ Brown Island Stables.

Owner Clive Washbourn, sat with trainer David Menuisier, bid in animated style, raising the bidding in large increments, but he was unwilling to improve on Charlie Gordon-Watson’s bid of 300,000 guineas for what was undoubtedly the pinhook of the sale. The MORE THAN READY colt had been purchased as a yearling for just $17,000.

"He is a lovely horse, and is for a new client," said a delighted Gordon-Watson. "He goes into training with Ed Dunlop."

Consignor John Collins of Brown Island said: "He was a bit backward as a yearling and has done so well physically over the winter. He has always had a great mind, which has stood him well."

Another vendor who enjoyed a fantastic pinhooking success was Greenhills Farm’s Katie Walsh whose KYLLACHY filly out of REPRESENT was knocked down to trainer Simon Crisford for 210,000 guineas. Walsh, who rode Ballycasey in the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, bought the filly for just 23,000 guineas at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last autumn.

At the conclusion of the 2016 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented; 

“The feature of the 2016 Craven Breeze Up Sale has been the strength of demand at the top of the market. The sale is a proven consistent source of top class performers on the global stage and leading international buyers, most notably from the Gulf region and Hong Kong, have made a significant impact. This year’s Craven catalogue is numerically the smallest this century and understandably the turnover has not matched last year’s level, but there have been some outstanding pinhooking successes, more lots sold for 200,000 guineas and above than last year, a new record median and a sale average second only to the 2013 sale.

“Every year we reflect upon the professionalism of our Breeze Up consignors and this year is no exception. Yet again they have brought a magnificent collection of two year olds to the Craven Breeze Up and we confidently expect to see graduates of the sale performing at the highest level throughout 2016 and beyond. In the meantime we look forward to the forthcoming Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale and to sustaining the momentum established over the last two days."

The next sale at Tattersalls is the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale on April 28 – 29.