By Emma Berry
A six-figure average and top price of 850,000gns set the tone for a strong renewal of the Craven Breeze-up Sale 12 months ago and the general feeling among potential buyers at Park Paddocks on the eve of this year's sale is that Tattersalls could be set for another blockbuster edition.
A bright morning, with ground on the soft side, met the 120 juveniles asked to breeze for two furlongs of the Rowley Mile on Monday morning, and for many onlookers it was the first chance to see one of Frankel's offspring go through the gears. The chestnut colt, consigned as lot 72 through Malcolm Bastard, will be the second horse through the ring on Wednesday evening, and appeared to cope well both with his morning exertions and many shows throughout the afternoon.
“Plenty of people have been to look at him,” said Bastard of the March-born son of the listed-placed Noahs Ark (Ire) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}). “He still has to furnish a bit and looks like he'll want a bit of time but he's going to be a lovely horse.”
A daughter of Exceed And Excel led last week's Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-up Sale at Ascot and the Darley shuttler has seven juveniles to sell over the next two days, including lot 59, a half-sister to the German champion 3-year-old filly Mi Emma (Ger) (Silvano {Ger}), who is being offered by Tom Whelan of Church View Stables.
Exceed And Excel's Group 1-winning sons Excelebration (Ire) and Helmet (Aus) are two of 17 first-crop stallions to feature in the catalogue, including two American-based freshmen, Algorithms and The Factor, each of whom has one colt in the sale. Helmet, who, like Sir Prancealot (Ire), already has two winners on the board in Europe, is the best represented among the new boys with eight listed. Among them is lot 39, a good-moving son of American stakes winner Kathy's Rocket (Gold Legend) from the Bansha House draft. The prolific Kodiac (Ire) appears most frequently among the established sires, with 15 juveniles catalogued, while three of the four 2-year-olds by Zoffany in the sale all brought six-figure sums as yearlings, the most expensive being Grove Stud's half-brother to Italian listed winner Laguna Salada (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 17), who was bought for 175,000gns at Book 2 of last year's October Sale.
A new name on the vendors' list is the Warwickshire-based Far Westfield Farm, which is run by Roz Lloyd. Her bloodstock agent husband Jamie is a well-known face on the sales circuit but this is Roz's first foray into the breeze-up sales and, having withdrawn a Majestic Warrior colt, she will offer a filly by Zebedee out of the unraced Pivotal (GB) mare Lady Rohan (GB) (lot 41) later today.
“The filly didn't love the ground but she went well, nice and straight, and has come back in good shape,” said Roz.
Explaining her new venture, she continued, “The farm has evolved and it was a natural progression, really, from pre-training for a number of trainers. We didn't really aim to be consignors, especially with Jamie focusing on the buying side, but we had a few clients who asked us to consign horses for them so we decided to do it in our own name with me looking after the consigning side.”
The Lloyds have a wealth of experience and previously spent ten years working in the racing and breeding industry in California before moving into Far Westfield Farm in Moreton Morrell four years ago. Jamie was assistant trainer to Jim Cassidy and then Paddy Gallagher as well as eventually training in his own name, while Roz managed a farm for Southern Nevada Racing and worked as a veterinary technician.
Roz added, “It's been nice just to have the two to do for this sale, as it's breaking us in gently, but we'll be back here soon for the Guineas Sale with another six to sell. It's a steep learning curve but in many ways it's like being back in the training days again as it's so important to have everything just right for the day.”
Tattersalls has once again welcomed a diverse array of clients to Newmarket, and Marketing Director Jimmy George is hopeful of a bright start to the auction year with the company's first major sale of the calendar.
“This morning breeze went really smoothly and the ground appeared to be riding well, “ he commented. “The action this morning suggested we have some potentially smart sorts out there and the catalogue has certainly been well received. The Craven Sale produces top-class 2-year-olds year after year and hopefully that will be the case once again this year. The breeze was well attended and we're looking forward to a good sale.”
Selling commences at Tattersalls at 6pm after the first day of action from the Craven Meeting at the Rowley Mile.
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