Kodiac filly reigns at 150,000gns at busy Guineas Breeze-Up Sale

A solitary six-figure lot headlined the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and Horses-in-Training Sale in Newmarket on Friday. However, while that total may compare unfavourably with last year's edition, when nine lots hit the 100,000gns mark or above, a markedly improved clearance rate of 86 per cent was reflected in a busy session of trade.

Leading the way, and by some margin, was the Kodiac filly offered by Oaks Farm Stables on behalf of Highbank Stud, with Daniel Creighton striking a winning bid of 150,000gns on behalf of John Dance from the seats to the left of the rostrum.

"For me, she was the nicest filly here," said Creighton. "Obviously she breezed very well and she's got a pedigree. She was very professional in her breeze and she did a good time, hopefully she'll be one we can kick on with. She'll go to Richard Fahey."

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The filly was pinhooked by Highbank Stud for €60,000 as a foal, but the owners chose to retain her at £48,000 when offered at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. She is out of Peace Palace, an Archipenko half-sister to Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Osaila and the Australian Group 3 winner Dawn Wall.

"It sometimes happens that you have to be patient," said Martin Wainwright of Highbank Stud. "We really believed in her and it's paid off today. She breezed well and did a good time - we'd have been upset if we'd not got a price like this today and we might have been tempted to keep and race her."

Creighton was busy throughout the session, and left Tattersalls having signed for four lots on behalf of Dance for a total outlay of 295,000gns. That number included a 55,000gns Kodiac filly bought out of the Yeomanstown Stud draft.

"She was cheap really," said Creighton. "It's not always about times at the breeze-ups, sometimes you have to take a chance. She flicked her ears a couple of times during her breeze and I think there'll be plenty of improvement in her. She's from a very good family and we're all about pedigrees."

The filly, who was pinhooked at €60,000 and retained at 75,000gns when offered at last year's Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale, is out of Dolphina, who is by Kingmambo and out of a daughter of Coronation and Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Chimes Of Freedom.

Brown doubles down on Sepoy

The only other lot to threaten to break into six-figure territory was Egmont Stud's Sepoy filly, who went the way of Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock for 95,000gns. The filly was making her second appearance in the Tattersalls ring, having failed to sell for 9,500gns at last year's Book 3.

"She's a very strong filly and she did an exceptional breeze," said Brown. "Most people don't like Sepoy, but I bought a good filly by him called Dabyah, she won the Fred Darling and was third in the Marcel Boussac, so I'm probably more pro-Sepoy than most. She'll go into training with Richard Hughes, she's been bought for a client of his."

Bred by Godolphin Management Company Limited, the filly is the first foal out of Rhythm Excel, an Exceed And Excel sister to Sha Tin Listed winner Rewarding Hero.

Brown also had an update on the breeding career of Dabyah, saying: "I actually saw Dabyah at Whatton Manor Stud recently, she's got an exceptional first foal by Ardad, who's another horse I bought for Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah."

Elwick and Elliott combine

Two lots fetched 75,000gns, including a filly by Mukhadram who went the way of Alex Elliott. The filly - offered by Longways Stables, who topped last week's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale with a £450,000 daughter of Siyouni - is a close relation to the Grade 3-winning Qaraaba, and a familiarity with the pedigree proved irresistible for Elliott.

"She's been bought for the Turnbulls [Geoff and Sandra], who own Elwick Stud," he said. "I thought she breezed extremely well for a big, backward filly who's going to be much more of a back-end two-year-old or even a three-year-old type.

"What really attracted me was her pedigree; Qaraaba was in California when I lived with Simon Callaghan and he always thought she was a Grade 1 filly, and she's by Shamardal so this filly is a three-parts sister to her."

Alex Elliott: 'She's the one filly I really set my target on'Credit: Laura Green

The youngster, whose further family includes the likes of Salsabil, was pinhooked by Ballinroon Stud, who parted with €24,000 for the March-born foal at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

Elliott added: "Qaraaba has already produced a Grade 2 winner so it's a family I think is going to really start happening. This filly just had that bit of magic about her and Mukhadram is starting to get plenty of winners.

"The filly hasn't been in prep that long, she's been with Mick Murphy, who's someone I trust - we tried to buy his Siyouni filly in Doncaster but were nowhere near the £450,000 mark!

"She'll probably have a bit of a break now, she's got a big, gorgeous frame to fill into. She's the one filly I really set my target on so I'm absolutely delighted to get her. She's a filly who could end up going to Mondialiste, who the Turnbulls stand, further down the line."

Bromley's bonanza

Also hitting the 75,000gns mark was a son of Lope De Vega offered by Meadowview Stables, with Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock striking the winning bid.

"I'm keen on the stallion and he's a big, strong horse," said Bromley, whose purchase will head into training with his long-time ally Alan King. "He comes from a good hotel and he was the one we'd been waiting for all day. I actually bought another Lope De Vega, Senza Limiti, for Simon [Munir] and Isaac [Souede] who'll go to the Dee Stakes on Thursday."

Despite Lope De Vega deservedly boasting a reputation as one of the best young stallions around, Five Star Bloodstock were able to pinhook this particular colt for just 10,000gns when he came under the hammer during Book 2.

"He was the very last lot in the ring through Book 2 on day three," said Willie Slattery of Meadowview Stables. "We loved him, he has been so straightforward and we're delighted with this sale."

Anthony Bromley: 'We don't worry about the times, it's all about the individual'Credit: Laura Green

Bromley and King were among the busiest buyers at Tattersalls on Friday, having signed for six lots at a total outlay of 289,000gns. The pair will be hoping to build on previous success stories that began at the Guineas Sale.

"We've done well at this sale before," added Bromley. "We bought Chatez, who won the Spring Cup at Newbury the other day, back in 2013, that was the first time we'd been to this sale. We've also had nice horses like Master Blueyes and Aweedram, who won at the Craven meeting.

"It's not just about buying jumpers, we're here buying Flat horses. We do like to buy a two-year-old who has some size and scope and a bit of stamina in the pedigree. We don't worry about the times, it's all about the individual and how they move."

Frisby connects with Cable colt

A host of first-season sires were represented in the catalogue, and Highclere Stud's Cable Bay notched a notable result when Richard Frisby parted with 72,000gns for another of Meadowview Stables' offerings.

"He did a very nice breeze and vetted well," said Frisby. "Cable Bay has started off well too and the mare is doing well from modest coverings. It's quite hard to buy a horse who's well made, does a reasonable time and has a bit of pedigree."

The colt is a half-brother to four winners, notably the Listed-placed Mayleaf Shine. He could also be in for a noteworthy pedigree update come Saturday, as his further family includes Kentucky Derby hopeful War Of Will.

Cable Bay has sired three winners who have struck in four races, including the dual scorer Electric Ladyland.

Seeing Stars

The resurgent Starspangledbanner has made a blistering start with his first crop of northern hemisphere two-year-olds since 2015, with his early winners including the promising trio Lady Kermit, Chasing Dreams and Firepower.

Among those to have been suitably impressed by the sire's record is Geoff Price, who runs the Happy Valley Racing syndicate, as he struck at 70,000gns for a colt offered by Morna McDowall to head trade as the session entered its latter stages.

"We spent too much!" joked Price. "But Stuart [Williams, trainer] kept saying 'go one more!'. I thought we had him at 60,000gns – and we were near the top of our budget then – but we're delighted to have him. He looks a real two-year-old type and is by a good two-year-old sire, let's hope he is lucky."

The colt is out of the Henrythenavigator mare Emerald Cutter, and was also bred by McDowall, who rode the colt herself during the breeze.

"The sire is doing so well at the moment," said McDowall. "This colt breezed very well, he's trained so well at home and he's going to be a really fun horse for the owners. I think they'll get a lot of value out of him and I'm delighted he's gone to Stuart Williams, I have a lot of respect for him."

Goff lands early Zoffany

The Leamore Horses team of Cormac Farrell and Anna Calder were among the vendors to land a sizeable tough on Friday when Tom Goff gave 62,000gns for the Zoffany filly presented by the couple, after the filly had been signed for as a yearling by Youngstars for just €6,000.

Goff said: "She's for trainer George Baker. She's a lovely, racey and shapely sort. She breezed well and George won't be waiting too long for her. She has a top back pedigree too."

The filly is out of Dashing, a Sadler's Wells half-sister to globe-trotting champion Alexander Goldrun.

Redvers reloads

Having reportedly clocked the fastest time during the pre-sale breeze, CAJ Stables' Ivawood filly was one of the talking horses of the sale, and she duly went the way of David Redvers for 45,000gns.

Redvers was accompanied by Ben Haslam, who trained Castle Hill Cassie to win two races for a partnership including the agent, and he will now get the chance to repeat that success with the Ivawood filly, who had been pinhooked by Cristiano Martins for £9,000.

"I've bought her with Ben, who did so well with Castle Hill Cassie for us," said Redvers. "If this filly can be half as good as Castle Hill Cassie we'll be absolutely delighted. She did a very good breeze and she'll be owned by a partnership of friends. I haven't actually spoken to my friends yet and maybe they won't want to be friends anymore once I do!

Redvers added: "Ivawood's made a reasonable start, there's a few nice ones about, and the mare has managed to produce a highly rated horse by Lilborne Lad. Castle Hill Cassie has been covered by Zoustar and will come back to Tweenhills this coming week to enjoy her retirement."

Durcan dominates horses-in-training

Headlining the horses-in-training session that kicked off the Guineas Sale was Executive Force, who went the way of Ted Durcan for 65,000gns. The five-year-old son of Sepoy has been in rude health on the all-weather this winter, winning six races for Michael Wigham, who sourced the horse for 32,000gns at the 2017 Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.

"He probably looks a bit exposed here but he's been bought to race on out in Saudi Arabia," said Durcan. "We think his running style and his versatility regarding trip will give him loads of options over there."

The gelding has won seven times from 31 starts, from 6f to 1m2f, for career earnings of £70,620. He boasts a career-high Racing Post Rating of 104.

"They're almost in their off season now, so he'll go out there and probably have the summer off and then come back with next year in mind," added Durcan.

Final figures

By the close of trade 237 lots had been offered, and with 205 finding a buyer the clearance rate stood at a healthy 86 per cent, up from 77 per cent in 2018, when 29 more lots were offered but one less horse sold.

However, other market metrics did not make for quite such positive reading. The aggregate was down by 15 per cent - albeit from a smaller offering - to 4,462,800gns, the average dropped by the same rate to 21,770gns, while the median slipped from 15,000gns to 14,000gns.

Edmond Mahony, Tattersalls chairman, said: "An abundance of overseas buyers from throughout Europe and the Gulf region, a significantly improved clearance rate of 86 per cent and a record turnover for the horses-in-training section of the fixture are all positives to take from the year's renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and Horses-in-Training Sale.

"Buyers from Italy, Greece, Poland, Scandinavia and Spain, as well as a strong contingent of buyers from Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar, have all contributed to a clearance rate that has only been bettered once since 2012, but the sector of the market that has not matched recent renewals is the top end and the decline in average and turnover reflects this aspect of the sale.

"As ever there have been some very pleasing pinhooking successes, but overall there has been a shortage of highlights and domestic buyers have been a little restrained in comparison with the sustained overseas demand.

"The horses-in-training section of the sale continues to be popular and turnover just shy of a million is a new high, as is the median and the 90 per cent clearance rate, which again demonstrates the enduring appeal of sales of this nature at Tattersalls. We will continue to work on attracting quality lots to this fixture, both breeze-up two-year-olds and horses-in-training, and look forward to seeing plenty of racecourse success from the sale throughout 2019."