Tattersalls’ second 2-year-olds in training auction of the year, the Guineas breeze-up sale, takes place Friday in Newmarket in England. The auction was held for a first time in 2007 and follows a record-breaking flagship Craven breeze-up sale at Tattersalls a fortnight ago.
Willie Browne’s County Tipperary, Ireland-based Mocklershill Stables, vendor of the 540,000-guinea Craven sale-topper, has the biggest Guineas breeze-up draft with 21 horses catalogued. These include a Johannesburgcolt out of Caramel Queen that cost $150,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in January 2007.
Also in the Guineas breeze-up auction is an Elusive Quality half-brother to Arkansas Derby (gr. II) winner Private Emblem that was a $170,000 buyback as a yearling at Keeneland last September, but cost $150,000 as a weanling. He is consigned by Gay O’Callaghan and family’s Yeomanstown Stud in County Kildare, Ireland, and had been offered from their Kentucky-based Woods Edge Farm as a yearling.
Other juveniles with smart pedigrees include a Dansili half-brother to Royal Lodge Stakes (Eng-II) winner Leo and an Elnadim half-sister to group II Lennox Stakes winner Tariq, offered from Gay O’Callaghan’s brother Tony’s Tally-Ho Stud.
"We’ve got a strong catalogue and there were some smart breezes yesterday morning," said Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George. "We hope to build on the foundations laid at the inaugural Guineas breeze-up sale and that the strong Craven breeze-up will have a positive impact today."
There are 163 horses cataloged.