Aussie Group 1-winning mare provides Craven Sale topper

Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls

Sale topping colt has Australian connections

Blandford Bloodstock agent Richard Brown played an ever-important role on day one of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale by spending over 1,185,000gns (AU$2.36 million) on four horses, which included the sale-topping Palace Pier colt at 450,000gns (AU$898,000), on an evening where the pre-sale jitters about the market hit home.

A number of notable buyers were missing on Tuesday and, not only was the selectivity of the market illustrated by the clearance rate falling by 7% on last year's figures to 78%, but 11 horses were also withdrawn close to the wire.

Brown was the only buyer to clear seven figures on a day where just 64 horses went through the ring. That represented a 16% drop on the 2025 day one offering and the 6,678,000gns (AU$13.3 million) turnover represented a 29% fall. The median was up by 6% to 96,500gns (AU$192,500) but the average fell by 10% to 133,560gns (AU$266,500).

A fine strong colt

“Fine, big, strong colt – very impressive, physically,” Brown commented on the Tally-Ho Stud-consigned Palace Pier sale topping colt, who had been purchased at Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale for 100,000gns (AU$199,500) by Hamish Macauley.

Brown continued, “I'm a big fan of the stallion; I think he's made a very good start. I actually loved him as a yearling and I didn't have anyone for him. Vetted him, did everything, so I was interested to see how he breezed. I haven't got the best memory but I remembered him, so I knew I really liked him.

“He's from a vendor that I've had so much success buying from over a long period of time. He did a tremendous breeze. He's a very powerful galloper. I don't think he enjoyed the course. If he's any good, I'd be very worried about coming back here – I think a flat track will suit him, maybe a track with some rising ground. He's a horse that I think we can go forward with. I know he's a big, strong horse – it's nice because I think we can try and get him to Ascot, but if he doesn't make it, we've got a horse for the future.”

The colt is out of dual Group 1 winner Majmu (Redoute’s Choice) who Arrowfield Stud sold to Shadwell Australia at the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $300,000. She did all her racing in South Africa, where she was Champion 2YO Filly and won the G1 Empress Club Stakes and G1 Cape Fillies Guineas.

Majmu has produced three winners led by stakes placed pair of Mujtaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Fakhama (Ire) (Kingman {GB}).

Fitzpatrick’s draft defies the market nerves

Mick Fitzpatrick proved something of an outlier, being one of the few consignors who left Park Paddocks on Tuesday evening in the green. The man behind Kilminfoyle House Stud revealed that there were a lot of nervous vendors on the complex after his Lope De Vega colt went the way of Richard Brown on behalf of Saeed Suhail for 400,000gns (AU$798,000) before Anthony Stroud paid 380,000gns (AU$758,000) for a Mehmas filly from the consignment. They were the second and third top lots of the day.

“All vendors are nervous here,” Fitzpatrick shared. “There's no real reason (we’ve done well). I probably just got lucky that I had good horses who stayed sound. You need an awful lot of stars to align.”

The Lope De Vega colt was bought as a foal by Fitzpatrick under the banner of JC Bloodstock for €150,000 (AU$248,000) and he became an important first breeze-up purchase by the Derby-winning owner Suhail.

Brown explained, “He is bred to be a 10-furlong horse. He is a great-moving horse and he showed plenty of speed in his breeze as well. He has a very fluent action and needs some time. He is the sort of horse that you will see, hopefully, in an August or September maiden. Lope De Vega is phenomenal and this horse is out of a Sea The Stars mare so it all adds up.

“He is not necessarily the typical type of breeze-up horse I usually buy here. But I just thought, the style of the horse and his action, and the fact that he did show speed against a lot of speedily-bred horses, I have always said that the good horses have speed. Hopefully this will stand him in good stead.”

He added, “Michael sold Believing here and a lot of good horses. He is a thorough professional, and it is a great nursery. Hopefully this horse is another good one to add to his roll of honour. He is for Saeed Suhail and we have never bought a breeze-up horse for him before. I said to him when I called, 'I have never rung you from a breeze-up sale before, but I love this horse.' The brief from him is to buy a horse that wants a mile plus. He has won the Derby twice, loves the race and I told him that I saw this horse who I think could be a smart mile-plus horse.”

The Lope De Vega colt lit the touch paper for what turned out to be a memorable day for Fitzpatrick. Just a few lots later, Anthony Stroud went to 380,000gns (AU$758,000) to secure a Mehmas filly from the handler who later completed a 895,000gns (AU$1.78 million) haul on three horses when Jamie Osborne and Pythia Sports went to 115,000gns (AU$229,000) on a Maxfield colt from the consignment.

Commenting on the Mehmas filly, Stroud said, “She's for Victorious Forever. She did a very good breeze and we were all impressed by her. Shaikh Khalid particularly liked her. She could be the next Believing.”

Chasing another Hotazhell

This sale has been a happy hunting ground for trainer Jessica Harrington given it was here two years ago when her son-in-law Richie Galway picked up subsequent Group 1 scorer Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot) on behalf of American owner Bonnie Hamilton of Silverton Hill.

That buying team will be hoping to repeat the trick with lot 40, a 200,000gns (AU$399,000) Nashville colt that was consigned by Powerstown Stud.

Galway said, “Delighted to get him. He is a nice horse who breezed well. He's for the Hamiltons, who have been great supporters of ours, and the fact that he was Kentucky bred is nice. We talked before the sale about how nice it would be to put the pressure on Jessie to try and get to Kentucky Downs later in the year!

"My pals in the States – Ben McElroy and Adrian Regan – are telling me that the Nashvilles look fast out there. We actually pinhooked a brother of his a couple of years ago so we have been keeping an eye on him. He was a very fast racehorse himself so we live in hope.”

Hong Kong buyer picks up Minzaal colt

Minzaal has yet to register a winner on the racetrack but the first-season sire made quite the splash, notably through Willie Browne's Mocklershill outfit selling a colt by the Group 1 winner for 300,000gns (AU$598,000) to Alistair Donald.

The bloodstock agent explained, “He has been bought for Hong Kong client Mr Siu, who has been very lucky at this sale and bought Stormy Antarctic here. It is to be decided whether the horse will race here first and go to Hong Kong later. I have been super impressed by the sire, his stock are very much a type and a Hong Kong type – they cover a bit of ground and have that fast ground conformation and seem to have very good minds.”