Ireland's only breeze-up set to switch to Fairyhouse as companies join forces

Tattersalls Ireland and Goresbridge Horse Sales are to join forces in staging Ireland's only breeze-up sale from next year.

Both companies plan to build on the progress made by Goresbridge Horse Sales in establishing the sale as a key date in the European breeze-up calendar and the sale is expected to relocate to Tattersalls Ireland's Fairyhouse venue next year.

The collaboration between Tattersalls, which stages the successful Craven breeze-up in Newmarket, and Goresbridge Horse Sales will allow Ireland's only breeze-up sale to strengthen further with the combined promotional and operational resources of both companies.

Tattersalls Ireland CEO Matt Mitchell said: "We're delighted to announce this new partnership with Goresbridge.

"The enormous strides that Goresbridge has made in establishing their breeze-up as a major player on the European breeze-up circuit is a testament to Martin and Mary Francis Donohoe and their team.

"We look forward to working with the Goresbridge team and to building on their success in establishing the fixture as one of Ireland's most international bloodstock sales. This will commence with inspections in January 2019 and it would be our intention to catalogue around 225 horses for the 2019 renewal."

Goresbridge Horse Sales managing director Martin Donohoe commented on the announcement: "Joining forces with Tattersalls Ireland will give us an opportunity to build on the huge progress we've made with Ireland's only breeze-up Sale.

"The sale we believe has not yet achieved its maximum potential and with the enhanced resources of both companies that potential can absolutely be achieved. I'm confident that together with Tattersalls Ireland we can augment the customer experience significantly for both vendors and purchasers and continue to develop the sale as one of the premier fixtures in the European sales calendar."

Previous graduates of the Goresbridge breeze-up include Group/Grade 1 winners Fiesolana, Hunt and Music Show, while the likes of Barefoot Lady, Dutch Masterpiece and Shadow Hunter were also sourced at the venue.

A new record price was established at this year's renewal when Katie Walsh's Greenhill Farm sold a Frankel filly to Stephen Hillen for €315,000.

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing chief executive Charles O'Neill added a further strong endorsement of the new partnership, saying: "We have enjoyed working with the Goresbridge team in the promotion of their breeze-up sale and we share their pride in having seen it emerge as a sale of real significance.

"The new partnership between Tattersalls Ireland and Goresbridge Horse Sales can take the sale to new heights and we look forward to working with them all to achieve further success."

News from this year's Goresbridge breeze-up...

'Landshark could have gone anywhere but we chose Goresbridge'

Katie Walsh riding high as her Frankel filly smashes sale record