Metrics surge at Tattersalls Craven Sale, Godolphin make a big splash

By Brian Sheerin, TDN Europe

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Legendary handler Willie Browne lit the touch paper for a barnstorming Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale by netting a cool 1.4 million gns (AU$3.06 million) from Godolphin for an Acclamation (GB) colt that he sourced for just €70,000 (AU$125,000) the previous autumn. That sale was the headline act on a day where 15 horses sold for 200,000gns (AU$438,000) or more and all of the key figures were dramatically up on last year's corresponding day of trade. The two-day sale continues tomorrow.

Arguably the most encouraging metric to jump was the clearance rate, up 18 per cent on last year to 84 per cent. The turnover climbed a whopping 69 per cent to 9,454,000gns (AU$20.7 million), the average was up 40 per cent to 147,719gns (AU$322,000) and the median climbed 18 per cent to 91,000gns (AU$200,000).

Godolphin’s big splash of a purchase

The Acclamation was sourced at last year's Goffs Orby Sale and Browne, who has sold his share of top-class horses at the breeze-up sales down through the years, admitted to being astounded by the sum the colt fetched.

He beamed, “Oh my God! I thought it would be good but I can't believe it was anything like that. Listen, he is a special horse. I believed he'd breeze very well and he didn't let me down. He's never been in the stable over the past two days–he'd 14 vets. I still thought (he'd make) 500,000 or 600,000. It's crazy!”

The sale represented the best-ever result for Browne in the ring. His previous best came for a War Front (USA) colt who sold to Jamie McCalmont for 1,150,000gns (AU$2.5 million) at this sale a decade back.

Browne added, “From February 1, when we started to do a bit of work, straight away (he showed ability). For such a big, heavy horse, that ground yesterday was probably quick enough for him. But he has been so sound and so easy to train–he's got a great mind. I do believe that he's a very special horse.”

The Acclamation was one of two colts that Stroud signed for on behalf of Godolphin and he was confirmed to be joining trainer Charlie Appleby, who was present at the sale and labelled as the best in the business by Stroud.

“I did not think we'd have to go to that–I definitely did not. He did a very good breeze, he did a very good gallop out and he is a lovely horse. It just shows how vibrant the breeze-up sales are. There were so many people on him–not just two. I think there were four or five. It just shows the appetite to buy horses at this sale,” Stroud said.

“I thought this sale would be strong but I did not think this horse would be so expensive. We have a few on the list and he was one of them. It also shows the appetite Godolphin has for wanting horses. He goes to Charlie Appleby and no one does a better job–he is the best.”

Australians join in with First Light purchase

Australia’s First Light Racing, along with David Skelly and Blandford Bloodstock, spent 175,000 gns (AU$384,000) on a Blue Point (Ire) colt from Mocklershill Ireland. He is out of G2 Meydan Balanchine Stakes-placed Anahita (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}) whose first three foals are all winners. Anahita is a half-sister to G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil winner Djo Francais (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), and Listed Grand Prix de Bordeaux winner Shutterbug (Fr) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}), and is a full sister to Kiera (Fr), the dam of G2 Deauville Prix Hocquart winner Port Guillaume (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) who has also won twice in Australia for the Hayes brothers.

Shane McGrath Bloodstock purchased a Sioux Nation (Ire) colt for 70,000 gns (AU$153,000) from Ireland’s Meadowview Stables. The colt is out of Easter Orchid (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and is from the family of Group 3 winner Hebridean (Ire) (Bach {Ire}).

Amo Racing makes strong contribution

Amo Racing picked up from where it left off at the yearling and breeding stock sales by spending 1.4 million gns (AU$3.06 million) on four lots, headed by the Grangeclare-consigned St Mark's Basilica (Fr) colt at 750,000gns (AU$1.65 million).

The Amo contribution to the market didn't end there, as Kia Joorabchian, standing alongside Alex Elliott, tried hard to buy the day one sale-topper by Acclamation. Elliott admitted to being 'blown away' by the strength of the market on the whole and revealed that the St Mark's Basilica would be put into training with Raphael Freire.

“He is a horse we honed in on very early. Robson Aguiar actually rode him in his breeze and he breezed very well. He carried his speed very evenly throughout the breeze and you'd like to think he'd probably start at seven furlongs, go a mile and maybe stay a bit further. He carried his speed very evenly, which I always like to see, and Robson was a huge fan of the horse,” Elliot said.

“He was beautifully-presented by Joey Logan of Grangeclare and the word seems to be quite good on St Mark's Basilica. He was an exceptional racehorse and we paid a lot of money (600,000gns) for a St Mark's Basilica filly in Book 2 along with Al Shaqab. She's doing well with Karl Burke. For us, there were a lot of fast horses here and he was the horse who could carry his speed a bit further. He's going to go to Freemason to be trained by Raphael Freire and we are keen to support the operation. Very happy.”

Amo Racing's spend was completed by a pair of Invincible Spirit (Ire) fillies for 170,000gns (AU$372,000) and 120,000 (AU$263,000) respectively and a Havana Grey (GB) filly for 55,000gns (AU$121,000).

Gallery: Two-year-olds that Amo Racing bought at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale, images courtesy of Tattersalls

On the market, Elliott concluded, “In a nutshell, I thought there was a lot of money. I didn't see some horses make what they have made and I think it's a great sign. Everyone is ready to go for the new breeze-up season and the breeze-up results speak for themselves. I think it's carrying over from where we were in the autumn and it's a hell of a sign. It has blown me away a bit. We underbid the Acclamation. It's been a fantastic sale.”

Mighty day for the Marnanes sith 650k Havana Grey

A pretty frenetic tempo was set from the outset with Con Marnane's Havana Grey colt (Lot 5) going the way of Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin for 650,000gns (AU$1.4 million).

It was a fitting result given Stroud can lay claim to buying Vandeek (GB), the best son of Havana Grey who will shuttle to Arrowfield this season, at this very sale two years ago and Marnane was left in little doubt that the leading agent had bagged himself a potential top-notcher.

“I think Anthony has bought six individual Group 1 winners off me–hopefully this will be the seventh,” Marnane said.

The Havana Grey colt charted a pretty interesting path to the Craven. Having been purchased by Marnane's daughter Amy for €46,000 (AU$82,000) at the Goffs February Sale, he returned home to Bansha House Stables when he failed to sell at the Somerville Sale last autumn. As the old saying goes, what's for you won't pass you, and it proved to be for luck that the Havana Grey colt out of Dutch Art (GB) mare All Back To Mine (GB) went down the breeze-up route.

“He has turned into an absolutely smashing horse,” Marnane said. “Amy bought him at the Goffs February Sale for €46,000 and then we brought him to the Somerville Sale here and we couldn't raffle him. And he's a gorgeous horse.”

Along with Vandeek, Stroud has bought the talented Arabian Dusk (GB) at this sale, and that Simon and Ed Crisford-trained filly made a promising start to her campaign at Newmarket on Tuesday when running fourth in the G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes.

“Havana Grey has been a great stallion for us with Vandeek and Arabian Dusk,” Stroud said. “This is a really, really nice horse. He did a good time in his breeze and he moves very well. Con has a great track record and we are delighted to have bought him. I think he matches up to the previous Havana Greys I have purchased before. The results from the Craven Sale have been very good and there are a lot of people here.”

Best ever result for Tradewinds

The big results for Havana Grey didn't end there as Tradewinds Stud was another outfit enjoying their best day ever in a sale ring courtesy of the sire when a filly went the way of Stroud for 375,000gns (AU$702,000). That sale represented a remarkable jump from the 51,000 gns (AU$96,200) that the Power brothers (Shane and Alex) paid for the filly at Book 1 last year.

An overjoyed Shane Power said afterwards, “Anthony Stroud bought two yearlings off us last year so we are delighted to have him back and hopefully we have sold him a good one now. Obviously Havana Grey has been a very lucky sire for him and hopefully she can go on and do similar things to Arabian Dusk and Vandeek.

“The stallion is just phenomenal–we had two in the yard by him this year and they never missed a day's work. It's great to hit the back of the net like this in the first breeze-up sale of the season. Great start and hopefully she goes on now for connections.”

Power continued, “Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir) came from the first crop of yearlings that we bought for this job. In fairness to Richard Brown, he bought Bright Diamond and then he came back and bought Beautiful Diamond (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) off us. He has been a great supporter of ours. We've had a bit of luck with grey fillies!”

He added, “This is our best result by 5,000gns—we got 370,000gns for a Teofilo (Ire) from Federico Barberini on behalf of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum at Book 1 here a couple of years ago. He's (Raafedd {Ire}) entered in a good race at Newmarket on Thursday and he's entered in the 2,000gns as well. The breeze-ups can be a very enjoyable process but it can also be quite ruthless as everyone knows. If you don't stack up well on the data analysis it can be a ruthless place. It's just a big relief to get one on the board and hopefully everything else stacks into place.”

Golden touch for a strong pinhook

With such high figures floating through the air throughout the evening, it would have been easy to lose sense of reality, but Shanaville Stables boss Eoin McDonagh wasn't complaining when his 30,000gns (AU$56,000) yearling purchase by Starspangledbanner rocked into 200,000gns (AU$374,000) to Badgers Bloodstock on behalf of Stanley Chan. The colt was bought by McDonagh at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale from Whatton Manor Stud.

McDonagh said of lot 14, “It's a savage result–30,000gns into 200,000gns. He breezed very well and it's just a dream start to the breeze-up season for us. We're delighted.”