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Record Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale Sustains Momentum
14/04/05

The Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale concluded on Thursday late evening with records across the board as a further nine two-year-olds sold for six-figure prices.

Trade on the second day saw 58 lots sold for 2,905,000 guineas, taking the two day figures to 124 lots for 6,333,000 guineas, at an average of 51,073 guineas and a median of 35,000 guineas. They represented rises of 4%, 9% and 13% respectively on last year's record results.

Sheikh Mohammed's son, Sheikh Rashid, whose seven purchases yesterday included the top two lots, was again prominent on the second day of the Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale. His top priced acquisition of the day was Lot 147, a colt by RED RANSOM out of the Listed-placed KNOWN FACT mare LOGICIEL whose price of 270,000 guineas was the equal-second highest at a European breeze up.

As was the case with Sheikh Rashid's two top purchases yesterday, Shunsuke Yoshida of Northern Farm in Japan was again the underbidder.. Consigned from agent Jamie Railton, the half-brother to Group 2 winner TALLOIRES was another pinhooking triumph, having been purchased as a foal for $100,000.

At this sale last year BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper purchased a MONTJEU colt for 270,000 guineas for Michael Tabor who as WALK IN THE PARK was third in the 2004 Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud for trainer John Hammond. The same connections struck a year on as Cooper purchased Lot 159, a colt by GIANT'S CAUSEWAY for 150,000 guineas. The colt out of the Group 1 winning THEATRICAL mare PHARMA was consigned from Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables, who also consigned WALK IN THE PARK last year. Cooper also purchased Lot 186, a MONTJEU colt from Con Marnane's Bansha House Stables, for 105,000 guineas for the same connections later in the evening.

The stallion most in demand this week at Tattersalls has been Darley Stud's RED RANSOM with three of his five lots selling for six figure sums. The last of the trio was Lot 179, the half-sister to Grade 1 placed COOL ASHLEE, out of the winning COPELAN mare IDEAL INDEX. Named PERFECT ORDER and consigned by agent Jamie Railton, the filly whose eyecatching breeze on Tuesday had not gone unnoticed, was knocked down for 200,000 guineas to owner John Livock after he fought off the efforts of Sheikh Rashid. Livock indicated that the filly would join trainer Neville Callaghan at his Rathmoy Stables in Newmarket.

At the conclusion of the 2005 Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented: “In 2004 this Sale produced sensational figures with both average and turnover climbing more than 45%, a runaway new sale record of 500,000 guineas and a median that rose by 24%. Going in to this week we felt that such figures would be a hard act to follow, but the vendors presented us with a catalogue widely regarded as the strongest ever assembled for a European breeze up sale, and have been rewarded with a sale which has broken records across the board.

“The average, turnover and median all broke new ground and although trade was selective at times there have been more six figure lots than ever before at this sale, with 19 at 100,000 guineas or more, four breaking 200,000 guineas, and the SWAIN filly out of ROBUST from Mocklershill Stables equalling last year_s European breeze up record price for a filly of 240,000 guineas. The success of recent graduates of the Breeze Up has without doubt made a huge contribution to the strong demand over the last two days, with three Group 1 two year olds coming from the 2004 Sale including the unbeaten Group 1 winner PAITA, MONTGOMERY’S ARCH and possible Vodafone Derby contender WALK IN THE PARK.

“The connections of all three have been active this week, as have Darley buying for Sheikh Rashid, new participants from Japan, North America and throughout Europe, and to set new records for turnover, average and median is a tribute to the quality of horses and the professionalism of the consignors.”

RECORD START TO TATTERSALLS BREEZE UP SALE

The Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale got off to a strong start at Park Paddocks on Wednesday evening with a total of 62 two-year-olds selling for 3,428,000 guineas, at an average of 51,939 guineas and a median of 38,000 guineas.

The session compared favourably with last year's opening session with 10 lots selling for 100,000 guineas or more compared with five at last year's session that included the 500,000 guineas European record priced two-year-old. The average increased by 3% whilst the median rose by 17%.

Sheikh Mohammed's son Sheikh Rashid set the pace on the opening day buying seven lots for a total of 849,000 guineas including the two highest priced lots of the evening. The most expensive of these at 240,000 guineas was Lot 72, a chesnut filly by SWAIN out of the CONQUISTADOR CIELO mare ROBUST, a three-parts sister to the Group 1 Belmont Stakes winner DANZIG CONNECTION and the Group 2 winner ROI DANZIG.

Consigned from Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables, the filly who breezed beautifully was only secured by Sheikh Rashid after a prolonged battle with Shunsuke Yoshida, son of Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida who was making his first visit to a European breeze up sale. The sale, which represents a record for a filly at a European breeze up, provided a massive return for Browne who purchased the filly for $45,000 last year.

Sheikh Rashid also purchased the second highest priced lot for the evening, Lot 45, a FANTASTIC LIGHT colt out of the MR PROSPECTOR mare OBSCURA, a three-parts sister to Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner GAY GALLANTA. The half-brother to the Listed-placed SEMARANG was in high demand following an impressive breeze, and as the price passed 100,000 guineas, it was Northern Farm's Shunsuke Yoshida setting the pace before Sheikh Rashid, standing alongside bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud took over. Irish-based bloodstock agent Bobby O'Ryan then joined the fray but he was not able to match Sheikh Rashid's bid of 220,000 guineas. The sale was a triumph for consignor Malcolm Bastard who acquired the colt for 140,000 as a yearling.

Having been unsuccessful on the two top lots of the evening, Shunsuke Yoshida was to prove more successful with Lot 54, a magnificent colt by the 2000 Guineas winner KING'S BEST, out of the Group 3 winning mare AMINATA. The half-brother to the Listed-winning pair of SWIFT GULLIVER and ABDERIAN was consigned from Derek Veitch's Friarstown Stud and purchased by Yoshida for 150,000 guineas. Yoshida indicated that the colt will return to the his family's pre-training cente at their Northern Farm in Hokkaido, Japan.