By Emma Berry
NEWMARKET, UK–Officially the breeze-ups in Europe are no time test, but unofficially most people with a desire to buy a 2-year-old from these auctions avail themselves of a list of times, or time the breezes themselves, and usually speed sells.
Appropriately enough then, it was a colt by one of the current buzz sires, Time Test (GB), who lived up to his father's name when put through his paces on the Rowley Mile on Tuesday morning before topping the sale at 160,000gns.
Michael O'Callaghan is a regular buyer of breezers and though he has slightly adjusted his strategy this season he has still signed for seven so far, including Lot 145, the first foal out of Luna Mare (Ire), a winning daughter of Galileo (Ire).
“He did one of the better breezes and is a lovely looking horse,” said O'Callaghan. “I may aim him towards a seven-furlong maiden, but he is forward enough, he could start in three or four weeks.”
He added, “He's the seventh breeze-up horse I've bought this year; we had a few more bought at this point last year but we keep tipping away, trying to get the number of 2-year-olds up. I bought more of a spread of horses last year, but I am trying to buy more of a quality horse this year.”
Bought for 65,000gns as a yearling from Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale, the colt was consigned by Tally-Ho Stud, the consignor which provided the same trainer with last year's G3 Cornwallis S. winner Twilight Jet (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}), who was bought from the Goffs UK Breeze-up Sale. With eight horses sold for 403,000gns, Tally-Ho Stud was the sale's leading vendor on a day in which record turnover was achieved for both the breeze-up and horses-in-training sections.
“Significant increases in average, median and turnover are the mark of a very solid renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale, especially when combined with a highly creditable clearance rate in excess of 80%,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony at the close of play.
“The domestic British and Irish demand at all levels of the market has been matched by diverse international participation which has become the hallmark of this fixture. European buyers, particularly from Italy and Spain, have made a major contribution and they have been joined by buyers from South East Asia and the customary strong contingent of buyers from the Gulf region.”
That record turnover for Guineas breezers rose to 5,599,000gns for 158 sold from 185 offered (85%). The median, at 30,000gns, was up by 22%, and the average by 18% to 35,437gns.
The 71 horses in training sold on the day brought a further 1,090,000gns and a clearance rate of 91%.
???? @HoStud continue their good run @BrzUps Sales with lot 145 at the #TattsGuineas Sale selling for 160,000gns to @MDOCallaghan. This colt is by Time Test @NatStudStallion. pic.twitter.com/BUQx4sc9xt
— TDN (@theTDN) April 28, 2022
Something Special For Marconi
Italian agent Alessandro Marconi signed for two juveniles for a client in Dubai, including the most expensive filly of the session, Lot 239, at 150,000gns. The daughter of Mehmas (Ire) was one of two fillies consigned by breeder John Nolan, and according to Marconi she has “something special”.
He said, “For me she was the pick of the sale. She did a really good breeze and for now will be staying in England. We really like these speed sires, like Mehmas and Sioux Nation. The under-bidder Michael O'Callaghan is very shrewd and has done very well buying horses at the breeze-up sales.”
Out of the winning juvenile What About Me (Ire) (Bertolini) and a half-sister to two winners, the filly was returned to her vendor when unsold at €16,000 at the Goffs Sportsman's Sale.
Marconi was previously responsible for buying the Marco Botti-trained Tatsumaki (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}), who was unbeaten in three starts last season, including the Tattersalls October Auction S., before being sold on lucratively to Hong Kong.
Powerstown's Hot Touch
While many agents were recovering from the aftermath of a hotel fire which disrupted a day of viewing during last season's BBAG Yearling Sale, breeze-up pinhooker Tom Whitehead stole a march on his rivals when deciding to sign up a colt by veteran German-based sire Soldier Hollow (GB) for €28,000. It proved a sound investment as, reoffering the colt through his Powerstown Stud draft, Whitehead was rewarded with a 130,000gns bid for Lot 143, who will now head back to Ireland to be trained by Joseph O'Brien.
“He is a gorgeous individual and was bought very well at the BBAG Yearling Sale by Tom Whitehead,” said agent Stuart Boman, who signed for the son of the dual winner Loyalty (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) for an undisclosed client.
“It was actually the day everyone got stuck in the hotel due to the fire the night before. I had to come back and buy the horse this year. He breezed very well and is very quick for a stayer as he really is bred to get a mile and a half.”
Bred by Gestut Hof Ittlingen, the March-born colt's dam is a half-sister to the G1 Deutsches Derby and GIII American St Leger winner Lucky Speed (Ire) (Silvano {Ger}).
Reeling With Success
Trainer David Loughnane is flying high after his stable star Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) returned a a winner on his seasonal debut in the G3 Pavilion S., a trial for the G1 Commonwealth Cup, at Ascot on Wednesday. The 3-year-old was recruited from last year's Craven Breeze-up, and the trainer is going home with one of the leading lots from the Guineas Sale after Micheal Orlandi went to 125,000gns on his behalf for Lot 190. The filly was the only 2-year-old by Coolmore's globetrotter Highland Reel (Ire) in the catalogue and had been bought by Robson Aguiar for €16,000 from the Goffs November Sale.
“Dave came here after racing at Ascot yesterday, saw her this morning and liked her. She came highly recommended,” said Orlandi.
“Dave has one by Highland Reel that he likes a lot, that gave him a lot of confidence for this filly. Highland Reel was such a good racehorse.”
Go Bears Go, a 150,000gns purchase also from Aguiar, won last season's G2 Railway S. at The Curragh as well as finishing runner-up in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He heads next to Royal Ascot in June.
Smith-Bernal Seals Good Week With Zoffany Colt
Graham Smith-Bernal hit the headlines last year when buying Newsells Park Stud from the Jacobs family, and he subsequently recently launched a racing syndicate in association with his friend and footballing legend Ossie Ardiles.
Smith-Bernal's racing venture began with horses in training with John Ryan, and the Newmarket trainer will be the recipient of a Zoffany (Ire) colt bought for the owner by agent Jamie Piggott.
Consigned as Lot 170 by Mayfield Stables, the colt is out of the unraced Pivotal (GB) mare Pivotal Era (GB), a half-sister to Group 2-winning sprinter Danehurst (GB) (Danehill) and G3 Prix Penelope victrix Humouresque (GB), also by Pivotal.
“We bought a nice Ardad (Ire) at the Craven Sale and I think this horse matches up nicely,” said Piggott, who also rides out in Newmarket for Ryan. “He has a bit of scope, vetted as clean as a whistle and was the third-fastest according to our timings. You can't ask for any more than that.”
He added, “No doubt John will do well with him. He has had a lot of success over the years for Graham, and I am really grateful Graham is still supporting us.”
Smith-Bernal, who enjoyed a winner in the Newsells Park Stud colours at Lingfield on Monday with Sassi Neri (GB), by resident stallion Nathaniel (Ire), followed by the success of Espressoo (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at Ayr 24 hours later for the Ossie Ardiles Syndicate, added, “I'd still like to run a few in my own name and John has trained some nice winners for me.”
A good week was made even better for Smith-Bernal and the team at Newsells Park when Group 2 winner Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) foaled a filly by Kingman (GB) on Wednesday night. The half-sister to Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was retained by the stud when they bought out their partners at 2.2 million gns at the December Sale last year.
Nation's Wide Appeal
Sioux Nation currently shares the lead in the first-season sires' table with Havana Grey (GB), with each of them having been represented by three winners to date. Another member of his first crop who could be seen out soon is the filly consigned by Shanaville Stables (Lot 177) and bought for 110,000gns by agent James Delahooke. Previously a €16,000 Goffs Autumn Yearling, the filly will race in the colours of Bob and Pauline Scott of Parks Farm Stud.
“They are planning to send her to trainer George Boughey,” Delahooke noted. “He already trains a nice filly for them who came out of the Craven Sale last year and who won this week.”
That filly, Mystic Wells (Kitten's Joy), was also bought for the Scotts by Delahooke, and has now won twice in six starts.
The agent added of his most recent signing, “This filly was my pick of the sale, she catches the eye. If she can run, she will be a breeding prospect for the farm. Sioux Nation has had some winners and there was a lot of competition for her.”
A grand-daughter of Scat Daddy, the February-foaled filly also has an American dam-line as she is out of the 3-year-old winner Qamarain, a daughter of Hard Spun from the further family of GI Metropolitan H. winner Corinthian (Pulpit).
Mills And Boon
Pinhook of the sale goes to Robbie Mills of RMM Bloodstock, who bought an Awtaad (Ire) filly from Shadwell's dispersal draft at the December Yearling Sale for 2,000gns. A little over four months later the daughter of G3 Cumberland Lodge S. winner Hawaafez (GB) (Nayef) has blossomed into a 110,000gns breezer (Lot 315), and will now go into training with Richard Spencer for Rebel Racing.
“Everything has just gone nicely,” said the quietly spoken Mills, who some years ago was charged with being the daily exercise rider of California Chrome during his stay in Newmarket.
He added, “We got a good update, she breezed nicely and showed nicely. We couldn't be happier. She was a nice specimen and she has just blossomed and matured and done everything perfectly. She always had a walk but she has matured though her prep and in the last few weeks she has just turned herself inside out.”
The update could not have been better timed with this sale in mind, when last Sunday the filly's 3-year-old half-sister Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) made a flawless debut for Tom Clover, winning by a length and a half at Wetherby.
Also reaching the six-figure mark was Glending Stables' colt by first-crop sire Harry Angel (Ire) (Lot 233), who too was the beneficiary of a recent update thanks to his half-sister Maritot (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who won in south of France earlier this month. The son of the Dalakhani (Ire) mare Totsiyah (Ire) is from the family of 2000 Guineas winner and sire Footstepsinthesand (GB) and will go into training in Yorkshire with Ed Bethell after being bought by agent Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock for 100,000gns.
The horses-in-training section of the Guineas Sale was topped by stayer Halimi (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 104), who will continue his career in Italy under the care of trainer Bruno Grizzetti after being bought for 80,000gns by Marco Bozzi. Formerly trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the Godolphin-bred 6-year-old won for the fifth time off a mark of 93 earlier this month at Wolverhampton.
Edmond Mahony concluded, “Eight 2-year-olds selling for 100,000gns or more and a record sale turnover reflect the strong demand at the top of the market and, as ever, there have been some notable pinhooking triumphs, but the most pleasing aspect of the sale has been the record equalling median which demonstrates real depth to the trade from start to finish.
“The consignors have supported the Guineas Breeze-up Sale strongly and it has been great to see the buyers respond accordingly, clearly encouraged by the sale's reputation as a consistent source of Group 1 winners. The horses in training section of the sale also continues to thrive and the record turnover, huge rises in average and median and a clearance rate in excess of 90% have contributed to unprecedented combined turnover for the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up and Horses-in-Training Sale.”
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