Tamayuz Filly Tops Guineas Breeze-Up

Few sires in the world, standing for the same kind of money, are as upwardly mobile as Tamayuz (GB) (Nayef), whose stock has been building on his own excellent pedigree and racing career both on the track and in the ring. And the Derrinstown stallion, standing at only €12,500 despite two elite winners in 2017 in Blond Me (Ire) and Precieuse (Ire), yesterday gained another feather in his cap with the top lot at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale.

The breeders of lot 189 had persevered with her after she stalled at €140,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale. Again consigned by Lynn Lodge Stud, this time she brought 200,000gns for Alastair Donald. Like Blond Me, she will be trained by Andrew Balding.

“She's a lovely filly with a great attitude,” the agent said. “She breezed great, put her head down and showed a lovely action. But it's also a lovely pedigree for the sale, and she'll make a very nice broodmare down the line.”

Her dam Ziria (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) won two Group 3 races in France and has already bred four stakes winners.

Her sale contributed to an aggregate turnover of 4,697,300gns, down 15% from 5,502,200gns last year despite a larger catalogue. That duly produced a decline of 8% in the average to 32,848gns, from 35,729gns, but the median held firm at 24,000gns (narrowly down from 25,000gns last year).

The big issue for the sector this spring has been clearance rates, which have declined in tandem with a series of inflated catalogues. Here the 143 lots sold of 194 offered inevitably shrank, at 74%, from the exceptional rate of 86% achieved last year.

On the face of it, that represents another significant dip. But it should be kept in mind that last year's clearance rate represented a real spike, following record-breaking spending both at Doncaster and at the Craven Sale. In terms of clearance rate, this sale had actually outperformed the sector in the two previous years as well, at just over 78% in both. And the same actually holds true this time round, the four previous sales on the European circuit having achieved an overall clearance rate of just 64.4% (down from 74.5% last year).

The purchaser of the top lot reiterated the message from the previous sales. “It's all about the top 10 lots,” Donald said. “The rest are struggling. I think an extra 400 horses this year [in the sector overall] means we need a bit more UK demand.”

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony acknowledged the prevailing trends. “The recurring theme running through the 2018 European Breeze Up season has been the increased selectivity, especially in comparison with last year's record-breaking sales, and it would be fair to say that today's Guineas Breeze Up has not been immune,” he said. “This year's Guineas Breeze Up catalogue is the largest ever by some margin and the greater numbers have without doubt had an impact. While there has been healthy demand for the most coveted lots, the clearance rate, in line with all the other 2018 British breeze-up sales, has failed to match last year's record levels.”

“The turnover for the Guineas Breeze Up has only been bettered once by last year's extraordinary sale and the average and median have both held up well, with a diverse crowd of overseas buyers contributing at all levels of the market for the breeze up 2-year-olds and for the horses in training. Nevertheless, the balance between supply and demand is a delicate one and it is apparent that, looking ahead, this is an area we must all concentrate on.”

The last embers of the sale were stoked into life when lot 331, the third last through the ring, was secured by Matt Coleman for 155,000gns. The Shamardal filly, bought in for 70,000gns here in Book 1 last October, is out of listed winner Mount Elbrus (GB) (Barathea {Ire})-who has already produced seven winners including Group 1-placed Strobilus (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}). More significantly her dam is a half-sister to the mighty Rafha.

“Obviously there aren't many Shamardal fillies left to buy,” said Coleman, who was representing a longstanding client. “And not only has he been a great sire, but he's a wonderful broodmare sire. This filly will obviously have great paddock value when she has finished racing. She breezed well and was well recommended by the vendor [Houghton Bloodstock].”

The respective records of Brendan Holland as consignor and Stephen Hillen as buyer must augur well for the prospects of lot 161, a Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal) half-brother to G3 Sceptre S. winner Nargys (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Bought for €66,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale, here he raised 140,000gns from the partnership of Hillen and Kevin Ryan, who have previously found Group 1 winners Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus) and The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) at the breeze-ups. The latter pair were also graduates of Holland's Grove Stud.

“I thought he was the best horse here,” Hillen explained. “I've seen him a couple of times this spring and he's a lovely horse with a good pedigree and did a stylish breeze. He'll need a bit of time, you won't see him for two or three months, but he could be one for York in August.”

That meeting already figures resonantly on his page: the third dam is Relatively Special (GB) (Alzao), a Classic-placed half-sister to Meon Valley Stud's Juddmonte International winner One So Wonderful (GB) (Nashwan).

Church Farm & Horse Park Stud had a profitable few minutes towards the end of the sale. First a Dutch Art colt, bought in for €75,000 at Arqana last August, raised 130,000gns from Charlie Gordon-Watson on behalf of Dr Johnny Hon as lot 305. He will be trained by Gay Kelleway, who enthused: “The owner has three big trainers but I've known him for a long time and he's backing me: he wants me to dine at the top table. And this horse was a stand-out.”

The colt is out of G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Lady Darshaan (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Total Gallery (Ire) (Namid GB}) and already responsible for a stakes winner from her only starter.

A few minutes later lot 317, a colt from the last crop of the great Scat Daddy unsold for $75,000 at Keeneland last September, raised 120,000gns from Michael Donohoe on behalf of Yulong Investments.

The perspicacity of the breeze-up consignors is such that anybody surprised to find a €7,000 son of Derby winner Ruler Of The World out of a half-sister to St Leger winner Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) in this catalogue should not be surprised to see him turned round to 90,000gns as lot 152.

“Very simple,” said consignor Ger Kennedy of Sherbourne Lodge, when asked what had qualified the Fairyhouse yearling as a breeze-up candidate. “He was a very good racehorse, and this is out of an Exceed And Excel mare out of a Pivotal mare. He's so quick, so natural, it's unbelievable. It was my sister Yvonne who picked him out, and the horse has been a gent throughout.”

The colt was signed for by Federico Barberini and Appletree Stud, whose representative Robert Thornton explained: “We loved everything about him, except he had to spend a little more than we wanted! He did a real sharp breeze, and looks ready to go-which is what we wanted. He'll be joining Archie Watson.”

Another impressive pinhook was achieved by Thomond O'Mara's Knockanglass Stables with lot 177, a Raven's Pass (Elusive Quality) colt bought out of Book 3 here last autumn by Howson & Houldsworth for just 8,000gns. He was reputed to have clocked a very brisk time in the under-tack show the previous morning, and duly graduated to 85,000gns to Mouse O'Ryan for Middleham Park Racing.

With Bobby O'Ryan also in the vicinity, you could be sure that the colt had more in his favour than a quick time. Be that as it may, Tim Palin of Middleham Park was stressing that angle. “We sent the fastest breezer at this sale last year to Richard Fahey, and he's running at Thirsk on Monday,” Palin said. “This one will also go to Richard. We were impressed watching his breeze on television and when we pulled him out we liked him the second we saw him.”

The colt is backed up by an interesting page. By an under-rated sire, he has a bedrock of Aga Khan blood: his dam is out of a half-sister to dual Grade 1 winner Manndar (Ire) (Doyoun {GB}) and the dam of triple Group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}). All in all, a smart pinhook.

Others in that category included lot 254, a colt by the great-and now, sadly, late-Giant's Causeway who was exported from Keeneland last Septemberby Justin Rea of Fairgreen Stables for just $15,000. Ultimately from the family of those exceptional juveniles, Flanders (Seeking The Gold) and Air Force Blue (War Front), here he realised 90,000gns from Rabbah Bloodstock.

And Matt Whyte of Bushypark Stables likewise excelled in turning round lot 249, a Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) colt picked out of Book 2 here for 18,000gns, at 105,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock.

The first six-figure transaction of the day concerned lot 137, a Havana Gold (Ire) (Teofilo (Ire) colt whose third dam is a half-sister to Coup De Folie (Halo), the blue hen who gave us-among others-those magnificent Mr Prospector siblings Machiavellian and Coup de Genie.

Found here for 42,000gns last autumn out of Book 3 by Mags O'Toole, he was upgraded to 105,000gns by Norman Williamson of Oak Tree Farm. The docket was signed by Ross Doyle, who said the colt will proceed to Jim Boyle.

“We thought him a bit of a standout, physically,” the agent said. “I have known the horse for a time because I help the breeder [Denis Barry of Glebe Farm Stud] with the matings so it's nice it's worked out like this. He did a very good breeze and he's from a very good producer. He's a gorgeous horse by a very good stallion with a nice pedigree on the dam side. So fingers crossed!”

Two that made exactly 100,000gns, five minutes apart, were lot 223-a Slade Power (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}) filly bought in here for 37,000gns last autumn, consigned by Charnwood Stables, and purchased by Anthony Stroud for Simon Crisford's patron Sheikh Duaji Al Khalifa-and lot 228, a Kyllachy (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) colt from Mocklershill. His dam is out of a full sister to none other than Danehill and he was bought in for 85,000gns here in Book 2 last October.

He was signed for by Robert Moss, sitting with his trainer Simon Dow. “Hopefully he'll get to Royal Ascot,” the Epsom trainer said. “He looks a very forward, imposing and precocious colt.”

The morning had been devoted to a low-key catalogue of older Horses In Training, topped by the solitary wild card Ventura Dragon (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}), a winner at the Lincoln meeting for Richard Fahey.

The Malton trainer himself signed for the gelding at 62,000gns, explaining: “The horse has been bought for a different owner. He's a jumping man, but the horse will come back to me before going on to Oliver Sherwood.”