Exceed and Excel Filly Sets New Ascot Breeze-Up Record

With a catalogue almost double the size of last year, the Ascot Breeze-up Sale kick-started the European 2-year-old sales season with a new record price of £180,000 for a daughter of Exceed And Excel (Aus).

The filly (lot 38), pinhooked by John Cullinane and Roger Marley for 30,000gns at Tattersalls last October and offered through Church Farm Stables, is a half-sister to G2 Veuve Clicquot Vintage S. winner Chandlery (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}). Her eye-catching breeze prompted a three-way bidding war between Stephen Hillen, Dermot Cantillon and Tom Malone, with the latter having the final say to secure the March-born filly on behalf of owner Charles Wentworth.

“She came very highly recommended and she'll be trained by Eddie Lynam,” said Malone, who bought the subsequent multiple Group winner Caspar Netscher (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) for Wentworth for 65,000gns at the 2011 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up.

He continued, “She looks a real bullet and hopefully she'll prove to be a bullet over a trip in due course.”

The sale may have been conducted under a mixture of sun, rain, wind and hail on testing turf at the royal racecourse but that didn't stop an encouraging set of figures, with an increase in average to £32,449 from £24,371. The clearance rate dropped from 76% in 2015 to 69%, but with 85 juveniles offered compared to last year's 46, the aggregate was bound to improve and duly went well beyond the previous high of £853,000 to £1,914,500 for 59 sold. The median improved slightly to £22,000 from £20,000.

The third of three six-figure lots of the sale came late in the session for Kilminfoyle House Stud's Lonhro (Aus) colt (lot 79) out of the unraced Wild Idle (Seeking the Gold). A $30,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton last October when bought by Michael Fitzpatrick, the grandson of the champion 2-year-old Storm Song (Summer Squall) shot up in price to £170,000 after stretching out professionally on the turf earlier in the day. Jono Mills conducted the bidding for the colt who was signed for in the name of fellow Godolphin representative Dick O'Gorman.

Newsells Park Stud's Equiano (Fr) enjoyed a terrific run with his 2-year-olds in 2015, and his 25 individual juvenile winners didn't escape the attention of the buyers at Ascot with two of his sons being among the top three colts of the day. These included Grove Stud's sole Ascot offering (lot 41) out of the three-time winner Miss Rimex (Ire) (Ezzoud {GB}). Stephen Hillen has had plenty of success buying from Brendan Holland's operation in the past, with purchases including the Kevin Ryan-trained Group 1-winning duo of The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus) and he was the successful bidder for the half-brother to Hong Kong listed winner Flaming Lamborghini (GB) (Compton Place {GB}). This colt, however, will be trained in Lambourn by Joseph Tuite. A €30,000 yearling purchase at Tattersalls Ireland's September Sale, he was bought for Tony Byrne, the owner of last year's valuable Ebor H. winner Litigant (GB) (Sinndar {Ire}).

The trainer said, “We liked this colt last year at Fairyhouse and we should have bought him then. We hope to get him out racing soon and to be back here [at Royal Ascot]. I like the hotel we bought him from.”

He may have been outdone on the day's top lot, but Dermot Cantillon struck lucky when the hammer came down in his favour for lot 36, the Equiano colt out of the G3 Prix Corrida winner Majoune (Fr) (Take Risks {Fr}). The half-brother to German Group 3 winner Majounes Song (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and listed-placed Marias Magic (GB) (Mtoto {GB}) was bought for £78,000 from Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud, which consigned G1 Darley Prix Morny winner The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) at this sale two years ago.

“He did a really nice breeze and has a lovely pedigree. He's been bought for someone who asked me to find him a couple of nice horses but would like to remain anonymous,” reported Cantillon, who kept his bidding boots on right until the end of the sale and also signed for the last juvenile through the ring at £95,000 after outlasting under-bidder Mark Gittins.

The bay Pivotal (GB) filly out of Cheveley Park Stud's listed winner Coy (Ire) (Danehill) (lot 101) is a full-sister to multiple winner Resolute (GB) and fetched 23,000gns as a foal when bought by Joanna Morgan. She was subsequently selected as a yearling by Katie Walsh for €30,000 and sold on through her Greenhills Farm operation.

It didn't take long for the action to heat up in the ring, with lot 3, a Jan. 3-foaled colt by Kyllachy (GB) from the family of Sakhee, knocked down to a bid of £75,000 from David Phelan.

“He's a really smart colt by a rock-solid stallion and he's been bought for owners with Gary Moore. He comes from a really good vendor who has recommended good horses to us before,” said Phelan of the first foal of the twice-placed Act One (GB) mare Director's Dream (Ire) who was offered for sale by Johnny Collins of Brown Island Stables.

The sum of £75,000 was matched by Jono Mills for lot 11, a first-crop son of Juddmonte's Bated Breath (GB). The half-brother to Irish listed winner Argentero (GB)–by last year's champion freshman Zoffany (Ire)–will race for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum and is to be trained in Newmarket by James Tate, who said, “We saw a lot of Bated Breath yearlings last year but I think this is the nicest we've seen. Sheikh Rashid loved him and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do.”

Consigned by Mocklershill, the son of the unraced Pivotal (GB) mare Frabjous (GB) was bought from Book 2 of the October Sale for 30,000gns.

Commenting on the sale, Richard Pugh, Director of Horses in Training Sales at Tattersalls Ireland commented, “To more than double the turnover and to sell three horses for over £100,000 in year one of Tattersalls Ireland taking stewardship of the sale is very satisfying. The sale witnessed an influx of purchasers competing actively at all levels and to observe the purchaser profile throughout the sale was to see a real cross section of leading players from the industry.”

The breeze-up action continues next week in Newmarket, with juveniles taking to the Rowley Mile on Monday morning ahead of two sales sessions at Tattersalls' Park Paddocks on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings after racing.