A proven source of G1 quality, Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale on May 25-26 will feature an array of high-class stock
Ireland: Great strides have been made by the European breeze-up sector in recent years, its current weight within the industry underlined by no fewer than three British and Irish Classic winners in 2022.
The Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale, set for May 25-26 on the eve of the Irish Guineas meeting at the company’s Fairyhouse complex, is one of the younger sales on the circuit but such was its early success that it didn’t take long to become entrenched in the calendar.
Today, in recognition of its place as a proven source of G1 performers, it remains a must-attend event for buyers from a range of jurisdictions, something that in turn prompts vendors to annually supply it with high-quality stock – indeed, it was no surprise to hear that it has once again been heavily oversubscribed with entries.
The end result is that Tattersalls Ireland have put together a catalogue of 245 lots – not including wild card entries – for this year’s renewal, among them those by leading sires such as Acclamation, Australia, Camelot, Dark Angel, Exceed And Excel, Kingman, Kodiac, Lope De Vega, Mehmas, New Bay, No Nay Never, Oasis Dream, Pivotal, Sea The Stars, Siyouni and Zarak.
In addition, a number of those first-crop sires represented are also already off the mark at the time of writing – including Darley’s Blue Point, whose rapid start has made him something of a sire-of-the-moment.
Kentucky heavyweights
It’s a who’s who of European sire power also complemented by a spread of international names that include the Kentucky heavyweights Bernardini, Candy Ride and Dialed In.
This is the only breeze-up sale hosted throughout the season in Ireland and that in itself brings its advantages, notably access to the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) inward buyer programme whereby overseas buyers can claim a contribution towards travel expenses (ranging from €200 for British-based buyers to €1,500 for those from Asia and Australasia).
The bonuses attached to Horse Racing Ireland’s IRE Incentive Scheme are also worth bearing in mind. To recap, the scheme awards a sales voucher of €10,000 to the owners of Irish-bred winners of selected races.
Qualified horses have to be nothing more than Irish-bred – in other words, carry the IRE suffix – and Foal Levy compliant. They are easily identifiable at the sales by a green ‘IRE incentive’ hip sticker and are also noted as 'IRE Qualified' on the sales catalogue page.
Hugely appealing incentive
In return, connections have the option of over 200 scheduled races on the calendar this year in Britain and Ireland. So far, over €2.5 million has been awarded to over 250 winners. It’s a hugely appealing incentive against the backdrop of an industry wrestling with the seemingly never-ending issue of prize-money.
Even so, a sale still needs to perform for buyers to travel there with confidence. Last season’s action once again put the sale’s name in lights, notably the achievements of the New Bay colts New Energy, who ran second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, and Claymore, winner of the G3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Neither cost the earth. New Energy was bought by Ted Durcan and his trainer Sheila Lavery for £65,000 from Ballylinch Stud while Claymore was bought for Mutlaq Menahi Almutairi from Ardglas Stables for a mere £10,000.
Another talented graduate, G1 Fillies’ Mile third Bright Diamond, was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock for €52,000 from Tradewinds Stud last spring on the same day that the fast Listed-winning two-year-old Prince Of Pillo was picked up for €38,000 by Middleham Park Racing from Harristown Stables.
Strength to strength
The popular Layfayette also goes from strength to strength for Noel Meade as the winner of seven of 26 starts – and counting. The son of French Navy, a €54,000 purchase by his trainer from San Antone Lodge, hit a career highlight last year as winner of the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes and recently came close to doubling up when second to Visualisation in this year’s edition.
Then there are the two durable North American performers who have flown the Goresbridge flag with aplomb in recent years. True Valour, who was sold by Tally-Ho Stud to David Redvers for €100,000, was a G3 winner in Ireland for Johnny Murtagh before switching to the US, where he landed the G2 City Of Mile Stakes. The son of Kodiac was still going strong at the age of eight last year for Graham Motion, for whom he was placed in the G1 Jaipur Stakes.
Another hardy campaigner, Hunt, was also purchased by David Redvers, in his case from Blacalahan
e Stakes for €78,000. A top-class stalwart on the Californian turf circuit, he went on to amass nearly a million dollars in earnings thanks to a career topped by a win in the G1 Shoemaker Mile.
“The sale has had a great time on the track, especially recently with the likes of Claymore, New Energy and Prince Of Pillo,” says Tattersalls Ireland chief executive officer Simon Kerins. “It’s a sale where there is something for everyone and the date works – it’s a great time of year.
“It had two years in Newmarket during Covid so it was good to get it back in Ireland at Fairyhouse last year. There’s been strong demand for places in it this year and there’s definitely a better quality of horse coming through.”
He adds: “I’m always blown away by the level and depth of buyer participation. It has a large international following and the likes of Rabbah Bloodstock and Blandford Bloodstock have been very good supporters. We’re expecting another good international spread this year – we’ve already had interest from buyers in America, the Middle East, France, Italy and Spain in addition to the UK and Ireland.”
New heights
Last year’s sale reached new heights when Katie Walsh sold a Saxon Warrior filly for a record €520,000 to Kevin Ryan and Stephen Hillen.
As that figure shows, this is a sale on the ascent and, while it is too early to wonder whether it will be threatened this time around, the 2023 catalogue offers a depth of quality that would match up on paper to any breeze-up sale worldwide.
For instance, one of the first through the ring is an Advertise colt from Ballybush Stables (Lot 11), who is not only a half-brother to the G3 winner Desert Icon but also recent G3 Prix Penelope runner-up Sea Of Roses.
Speaking of current form, Lot 62 is out of a half-sister to Classic hopeful Alder, the winner of a competitive Cork conditions event since the publication of the catalogue. The Galileo Gold filly is offered by Tally-Ho Stud, whose draft also includes an Inns Of Court half-brother to G2 Flying Childers Stakes winner and successful sire Ardad (Lot 155) and a Kodiac half-brother to the popular Listed winner Gabrial (Lot 156).
Others with good pedigree updates include Lot 225, an Inns Of Court half-brother to recent Listed scorer Believing from G. S. Bloodstock, Lot 195, a well-related Lope De Vega half-brother to the wide-margin Redcar scorer Dubai Crystal from Egmont Stud, and Lot 144, a Blue Point half-brother to Jim Bolger’s recent Leopardstown winner Fleetfoot from Innishannon Valley Stud.
Fleetfoot still holds various Classic entries for his connections, all of which should enhance the appeal of his younger sibling.
“I knew they liked Fleetfoot before he ran the other day,” says Innishannon Valley’s Darragh Lordan. “He went and won well, and after that the dream is still alive for me.
“My lad was a bit immature when I bought him but he’s done fierce well. He’s not going to be the sharpest of the Blue Points but he’ll make into a nice horse. We like him and he does everything nicely.”
Lordan has strong racing connections as a brother to leading Irish jockey Wayne and has already enjoyed success at a high level himself thanks to the recent G3 Prix Sigy winner Marshman, one of five breezers sold by Innishannon Valley Stud last year. The fledgling consignor sends four to Goresbridge including a well-regarded Sioux Nation colt (Lot 128) out of Dotada.
“I picked him up at Fairyhouse for €25,000,” he says. “He’s a big, strong horse who goes really well. Wayne [Lordan] loves him and [breeze-up jockey] Pierce Gallagher really likes him too. The sire is flat to the boards with winners and this is fabulous horse who is a great pull-out as well.”
Church Farm and Horse Park Stud, meanwhile, are represented by a draft of six two-year-olds including the only lot catalogued by Kingman, a colt related to Footstepsinthesand (Lot 19).
“He’s a well-bred horse who looks sharp,” says the stud’s John Cullinan, who also manages the Breeze-Up Consignors Association. “We also have an imposing Dialed In colt who goes well (Lot 228) and a well-bred Magna Grecia filly (Lot 10) with a lot of quality. There is also a Siyouni colt (Lot 83) who is more of a three-year-old but a lovely type.
‘Something for every order’
“There’s something at that sale for every order. You have the turf horses and those with dirt appeal, horses to suit instant action and then the more long-term jobs.
“The Scandinavians are also a big part of it,” he goes on. “It’s a great sale, one that started from a modest base and we were very honoured to sell its first G1 winner Music Show [winner of the Falmouth Stakes].
“It’s gone from strength to strength with some significant sums spent there in recent years. Just as importantly, there’s been a terrific clearance rate, thanks in part to the efforts of ITM and Tattersalls Ireland.”
Other entries to catch the eye on paper include a Le Brivido half-brother to Dubai World Cup winner Prince Bishop (Lot 243; offered by Bansha House Stables), an Exceed And Excel half-brother to G2 winner Yellow And Green (Lot 156; Ard Erin Stud) and a New Bay half-sister to high-class miler Dream Eater (Lot 186; Kildallan Farm).
There is obviously plenty of residual value when it comes to Lot 186 and the same can be said for M.C. Thoroughbreds’ Eqtidaar filly out of Riva Royale (Lot 24). She is a half-sister to four stakes horses led by Listed scorer Stormbringer.
“She’s a filly who has done well since she’s come in,” says M. C. Thoroughbreds’ Micky Cleere. “She’s a great mover, well-balanced with a good attitude.
“You have to send a faster one there,” he says. “I also have a quick U S Navy Flag (Lot 245) colt who is a real strong War Front type. I’d imagine he’ll clock well. The Camacho colt (Lot 187) is a big, strong horse, a good mover with plenty of boot. And of the fillies, there’s a Magna Grecia (Lot 37) who goes ok and a Raven’s Pass (Lot 100) who is built like a colt and goes well. I also like the Mohaymen filly (Lot 162). I bought her at Fasig-Tipton and she’s a quick filly who does it easily.”
He adds: “I’ve had good luck selling nice horses at Goresbridge before. It’s a good sale that gets lots of winners. People like buying there – they do a brilliant job getting the people in and at all levels. And when they get there, there’s something for everyone.”
• Visit the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up 2023 website and the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing website
IRE Incentive scheme a major bonus for owners of Irish-breds
Class and value: why Irish yearling auctions are an attractive option – year after year
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires