Tattersalls' inaugural Guineas Breeze-Up Sale in Newmarket, England, on Friday saw 76 lots sell for 2.129 million guineas. The average pice was 28,013 guineas, and the median price was 23,000 guineas. Business was headed by two 90,000-guinea juveniles, a first-crop Clodovil filly and an Invincible Spirit colt. Both will join trainer Ed Dunlop.
The filly, a 15,000-euro purchase from Tattersalls Ireland in September, was bought by Dunlop from John Cullinan’s Horse Park Stud. Bill Gredley was underbidder. The filly is out of the Manila mare Tropical Paradise.
The colt, a half-brother to grade II winner Shanawi, was offered from Mark Dwyer’s Oaks Farm Stables and bought by agent Anthony Stroud, with Oliver Gaisford-St. Lawrence coming off second best. The colt is out of the Nishapour mare Shabarana.
The market was selective, with only a 60.8 per cent clearance rate.
"In the context of this year’s European breeze-up market, we would have to be satisfied with today’s sale," said Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony. "Two thousand and two was the first time that the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, which is Europe’s premier 2-year-olds-in-training sale, achieved an average in excess of 30,000 guineas, and today’s inaugural Guineas Breeze-Up has produced returns at a similar level with an average of 28,013 guineas and a top price of 90,000 guineas.
"In common with the earlier breeze-up sales, the market has again been selective," Mahony continued. "But, as usual, 2-year-olds that breezed well found a good cross-section of buyers at all levels, and we were encouraged to see new faces from throughout Europe, in particular a good number from Greece and Spain."