Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale Surges

Robust trade at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training sale saw turnover surge into record territory for the third consecutive time at Tattersalls in 2017.

A total of 36 lots sold for 50,000 guineas or more during the breeze up section, up from 17 last year, with 11 lots breaking the six-figure barrier. The breezers realized 5,497,700 guineas, a record for the category at this sale, taking turnover for the whole sale to 6,152,800 guineas for the 204 lots sold.

The day started with the horses in training section with Steve Rogers topping proceedings at 105,000 guineas, the third highest price for a horse in training in the sale’s short history.

The top lot came late in the evening when Stephen Hillen secured lot 298, the Kodiac colt out of the Green Desert mare Greenflash for 240,000 guineas.

"He's been bought for Pat Gallagher and goes to Richard Hughes," said Hillen.

"He breezed tremendously well and really attacked the hill—that's what we want to see, horses finishing out their breezes well. We tried hard on the Dawn Approach earlier today, but we are delighted with this purchase."

The sale proved to be a massive pinhook success for Knockanglass Stables’ Thomond O’Mara who secured him for £28,000 (US$36,781) as a yearling via Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock.

"I am delighted," said O'Mara. "It's been a good season for us, but it is not over yet, we've still got around 20 to sell."

The horses in training section of the sale saw 51 lots sell for 655,100 guineas.

The Roger Varian-trained Steve Rogers, a 6-year-old son of Montjeu with an official rating of 105, was knocked down to fellow Newmarket trainer Michael Bell.

"He is for Ed Ware of 32-Red," Bell said. "Ed found him in the catalogue and was looking for a good Saturday horse and a horse to run at Ascot. This horse is very consistent. He has been in good hands and all the lads in Roger's yard liked him, which is always a good sign.

"He should be a lot of fun and has relatively low mileage for a 6-year-old. At Ascot he could be one for the Queen Alexandra Stakes and then further down the line for the Ebor."

"The extraordinary trade at the recent record-breaking Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up (sale) demonstrated the global demand for quality breeze up 2-year-olds and it has been encouraging to see the momentum sustained at the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training sale," said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. "We welcomed buyers from throughout Europe and further afield to today’s sale and they have combined with strong domestic representation to produce increases in turnover, average, and median, as well as a record number of six-figure transactions and lots selling for 50,000 guineas or more.

"The key to the popularity of both the Craven and Guineas breeze up sales is the combination of supremely professional consignors and consistent top level success on racecourses around the world. Both elements play a major part in today’s sale with some spectacular pinhooking triumphs paying tribute to the horsemanship of the consignors and Sunday’s QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) second favourite Daban, the highest-priced filly at last year’s sale, providing yet another reminder of the outstanding quality to be found every year at this fixture.

"In addition to positive returns for the breeze up 2-year-olds, the popular horses in training section also achieved increases across the board and served as another reminder of the uniquely global audience consistently drawn to bloodstock sales at Tattersalls."

The next sale at Tattersalls is the July Sale that takes place from July 11-14. Entries are open and can be made online at www.tattersalls.com.