Anthony Stroud

Deauville, FRANCE-The breeze-up circus rolls onto Arqana this week and, following the breeze on Thursday, where 162 of some of the best-bred horses in Europe were put through their paces, a number of key industry stakeholders weighed in on what might come to fruition this week.  From market predictions, to revealing their highs and lows of the breeze-up season thus far, heavyweights Roger O'Callaghan, Roderic Kavanagh, Tessa Greatrex, Valfredo Valiani and Matt Coleman have answered some of the key questions ahead of what promises to be another blockbuster sale on...

Legendary handler Willie Browne lit the touch paper for a barnstorming Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale by netting a cool 1.4 million gns from Godolphin for an Acclamation (GB) colt that he sourced for just €70,000 the previous autumn. That sale was the headline act on a day where 15 horses sold for 200,000gns or more and all of the key figures were dramatically up on last year's corresponding day of trade. Arguably the most encouraging metric to jump was the clearance rate, up 18% on last year to 84%. The...

Lot 894 was the second horse to break the 500,000gns-mark at Tattersalls on Friday when selling to Anthony Stroud for 650,000gns on behalf of Godolphin. Consigned by West Blagdon Stud, the son of Camelot (GB) is a half-brother to Lope De Vega (Ire)'s duo of GII Royal North Stakes second Sweet Enough (GB) and the listed-placed Enfjaar (Ire). Bred by James Wigan, the colt is a grandson of a full-sister to dual Grade I winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). His third dam Theann (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) is...

If there is one criticism about this bloodstock game of ours, it's the fact that we never seem to need a second invitation for a backslap and oftentimes we can portray things as being rosey in the garden when the opposite may well be true. Not at Goffs on Wednesday where the highest-ever turnover, average and median was achieved at the November Foal Sale.  Even the biggest of hitters in this business, like Coolmore's MV Magnier and Baroda Stud boss David Cox, admitted to being genuinely bowled over not only...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin A memorable Book 2 session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale that instilled some much-needed confidence in the bloodstock business culminated with Anthony Stroud going to 1 million gns to secure a colt by Tweenhills stallion Kameko on behalf of Godolphin. The 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko has enjoyed a hugely respectable start at stud with nine individual winners and 12 wins all told in Britain and Ireland. The top lot of the entire Book 2 session hails from a family Godolphin knows well, being...

Godolphin set a strong pace from start to finish on day two of the Book 1 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and completed an 11,050,000gns spend on Wednesday by adding a Dubawi (Ire) colt out of G1 Prix du Cadran winner Molly Malone (Fr) (Lomitas {GB}) to the team for 1,500,000 gns.  Consigned by Baroda Stud, it was Anthony Stroud bidding on behalf of Godolphin who held off Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown for lot 297.  Molly Malone has already proved herself as a producer, with Morgan Le Faye (GB) (Shamardal) carrying...

Godolphin continued their run of big-money purchases during Wednesday's session at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when parting with 1,500,000gns for Croom House Stud's Too Darn Hot (GB) colt out of the winning Galileo (Ire) mare Knocknagree (Ire). Anthony Stroud struck the winning bid on behalf of Godolphin, who have now bought seven lots on the day for a total of 7,550,000gns. Lot 236 is a half-brother to the Grade 2-placed Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Knocknagree is herself a half-sister to the G1 Phoenix Stakes...

Anthony Stroud signed for the first lot to make a million during Wednesday's second session of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, with Grangemore Stud's Dark Angel (Ire) full-sister to the G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois winner Charyn (Ire) selling for 2,900,000gns. Stroud bought the filly on behalf of Godolphin, with Amo Racing, who made three seven-figure purchases on Tuesday, filling the role of underbidder. Lot 183 is out of the Listed-placed Kodiac (GB) mare Futoon (Ire), who is also responsible for the...

"A victory for small breeders!" That was the emphatic verdict from an emotional Muriel Knox after her family had topped Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale with their homebred Havana Grey (GB) filly for £240,000. Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock struck the winning bid on behalf of Skara Glen Stables. Lot 157 might have been consigned by Sarah Fanning Sales, but it's fair to say that this was a Knox filly through and through with Miss Mercy (Ire) (Law Society) as her fourth dam, a mare...

This past week the racing has come a distant second in the minds of many when set against the tragedy that has befallen the family of racing commentator John Hunt. Such an appalling act of cruelty is impossible to contemplate, especially when it concerns someone who is so popular and respected. In any workplace there are divisions and squabbles. What unites the racing press room in Britain is the unquestionable fact that John is not only a talented professional but a thoroughly decent man; a friend to so many.  He...

Norman Williamson set a new record for the highest-priced horse sold at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale when his Justify colt was knocked down to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin for €2.3 million on what was a banner day for the stallion.  The result came less than an hour after Eddie O'Leary broke his own personal record for the highest priced achieved at a breeze-up sale when his Lynn Lodge Stud-consigned Justify colt went the way of Alex Elliott on behalf of Amo Racing for €1 million before the same...

DONCASTER, UK--Royal Ascot dreams abound for the connections of Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who not only have that unbeaten star to look forward to, but a host of high-class two-year-old prospects as well after Anthony Stroud snapped up speedy fillies by Havana Grey (GB) and Sioux Nation (lot 119) to the tune of £720,000 on behalf of the ownership group at the Goffs Breeze-Up Sale. But Doncaster was dominated by the Derryconnor Stud-drafted diamond by Havana Grey, who led the way at £420,000 to provide top consignor Katie McGivern...