By Brian Sheerin
Win, lose or draw at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale, Anna Barlow has already had a year to remember with a first foray into consigning her own horses under the banner of Byerley Stud.
The 22-year-old got off to a dream start by netting herself over €40,000 of a profit when selling a Starspangledbanner (Aus) filly to her boss Paddy Twomey for 65,000gns at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale last month.
Barlow will bid to keep the momentum going this week when offering lot 137, a Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) filly she sourced for just €6,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.
Lot 137: finished in the top 15% in the breeze | Brian Sheerin
“She only cost €6,000 back here at the September Yearling Sale but she's after breezing well and we're very happy with her,” Barlow said of the filly on Thursday. “She's the first foal out of a Dansili (GB) mare and is obviously by a first-season sire in Phoenix Of Spain.
“He's had a very good start to the season and has had his winners so we're hopeful. They seem to be running very well and trainers seem to like them. They are tough and hardy and this filly seems to be a nice type by him as well.”
Barlow's Phoenix Of Spain is the only other breezer she took on this year. Like the Starspangledbanner, she breezed well and ranked highly on the various time sheets circulated after the breeze.
But this wise head on young shoulders refused to get ahead of herself on the eve of the sale and remained hopeful rather than confident of securing another profit to round off a memorable year with her breezers.
“We were delighted with the Starspangledbanner so hopefully the Phoenix Of Spain can go well now as well. We bought the Starspangledbanner at Goffs for €22,000 and she made 65,000gns at Tattersalls so we couldn't have been happier with that.
“They are the only two horses I did this year. I work for Paddy Twomey full-time and these horses were based in Anthony Ryan's which is only just across the road from him. Paddy kindly let me use his gallop so it's worked out well. He has been some help to me now to be fair.”
She added, “I always worked the sales and the breeze-ups. I worked two seasons for Con Marnane, worked for Willie Browne and always had a couple of horses here and there but never did them myself.
“The Starspangledbanner was a lot earlier than this one so I said I'd give the Phoenix Of Spain a bit more time and aim her at the Goresbridge Sale. I didn't push her too early and did each horse individually.”
Barlow is one of many young guns who could play a star role at Tattersalls Ireland on Friday. This sale ground has provided a springboard for many a shrewd young operator in recent years, including Shane and Alex Power, who sold the Group 1-placed Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir) here 12 months ago.
Their Tradewinds Stud is now an established name and the expectation is that the Power brothers will once again be in the spotlight at Tattersalls Ireland given their Iffraaj (GB) filly (lot 70) and Profitable (Ire) (lot 253) colt shaped particularly well in the breeze.
But Barlow is the newest name in the breeze-up game and, should her Phoenix Of Spain filly secure a profit on Friday, it will pave the way for a bigger and better consignment next year–not to mention a holiday!
“I'll definitely go again next year,” she says without flinching. “I won't go mad, now–I won't spend it all–I need to keep some money for an auld holiday somewhere! But we'll definitely go again and keep the numbers small.”
The sale, which has produced Layfayette (Ire) (French Navy {GB}), Prince Of Pillo (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) and Coralillo (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}) in recent years, kicks off at 10am on Friday.
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