From La Teste to Iffezheim – the Breeze Ups are just around the corner
- Julian Schaffelhofer
- Mar 20
- 4 min read
The new turf season has begun, and the first grass track racing days in Europe have already taken place at the weekend. In Saint-Cloud, the group season was heralded by the victory of MAP OF STARS (Sea the Stars). As always, it is never too early to start speculating when it comes to the Arc de Triomphe. The Jour de Galop already reported on MAP OF STARSas a possible Arc contender. It remains to be seen what the victory in the Prix Exbury on Sunday was worth and how much substance the as yet untested stallion could still have in the autumn.
In a few weeks, two-year-olds will once again be in demand at international auction houses. The Breeze-Ups are just around the corner and numerous international buyers are expected at the auctions. In Germany, the stopwatch is now a relic of the past, but at Breeze-Up auctions abroad, it is still of great importance. In fact, the auction houses are now discussing the introduction of an official timekeeping system, which I would very much welcome.
The first big Breeze-Up highlight will definitely be the CRAVEN Breeze Up Sale at Tattersalls Auction House in Newmarket. With Group 1 winners Hotazhell and Vandeek in recent years, the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale once again proves that it stands for first-class racehorses and offers outstanding quality from Europe's leading Breeze-Up consignor year after year.
Ireland's two-year-old auction season begins in a few days' time. Ireland's best two-year-olds will be presented at the Goffs Breeze Up Sale from 23 to 24 April. In the last nine years, an incredible ten Royal Ascot winners have been offered and sold at this auction. The 2025 catalogue comprises 206 lots.
The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale will take place from 22 to 23 May. The auction will be held over two days, with the horses galloping on the Fairyhouse racecourse. With a record sales rate in 2024, the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale was the most successful of its kind worldwide.
From 8 to 10 May, France's most important Breeze-Up auction will take place in Deauville at the Arqana auction house. In the past, high prices have been achieved here and highly successful racehorses have been purchased. Last year, the top seller Ruling Court from the Oak Tree Farm of Godolphin was auctioned for €2.3 million. Just over three weeks ago, the Justify son won a Listed race at Meydan. Ruling Court has been entered in the Grand Prix de Paris, the French Guineas and the French Derby, among other races.
Tattersalls Online is the next port of call for digital racing, with action at the Dundalk Stadium on the all-weather track on 28 May. The online auction will then take place from 4-5 June.
On 30 May, the action finally returns to Newmarket for Tattersalls and the Guineas Breeze Up Sale. In recent years, The Platinum Queen, Trueshan and the Shantisara group have all won group 1 at this auction. Group and list winners from Great Britain, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the USA are testament to the high quality of the auction.
However, there is a small fly in the ointment: the BBAG Spring Auction is also taking place in Iffezheim on 30 May. However, since there is likely to be little overlap in the buyers, it remains to be seen how this situation will develop.
The newly introduced Classic Breeze Up Sale during the Irish Derby at Goffs in Ireland will conclude the season. This auction is intended to fill existing gaps and will run from 23 June to 28 June. It begins with the two Breeze-Ups on 23 and 24 June in Naas and ends on Sunday, 28 June, with the auction, which has been perfectly integrated into the afternoon programme at the Curragh with the GI Pretty Polly Stakes. Numerous big names in the sport, such as Roderic Kavanagh, Willie Browne, Filip Zwicky and Oliver St. Lawrence, are supporting this newly introduced event.
OSARUS Breeze Up Sale
The OSARUS Breeze Up Sale is taking place on 9 April in La Teste with a very small selection of only 36 horses. It could almost be considered a private auction, as a whopping 15 horses will be presented by Hyde Park Stud. Due to the small catalogue, my short preview will be published as part of this article.A COTAI GLORY colt by M.C. Thoroughbreds will be presented under catalogue number 8. He comes from the family of the Group I mare Caffe Latte. DERNI CHOP, a son of MUHAARAR out of the family of the stallion GOKEN, who provided the winner of the first two-year-old race of the season in France last week, will be presented by CAJ Stables under catalogue number 13. Hyde Park Stud is presenting a Raven's Pass stallion in lot 27, whose dam is a half-sister to the German 1000 Guineas-placed Red Liaison (Selkirk). Lot 25, a Belardo mare out of a Group III-placed Polygon, who already has a Group II-placed offspring in show jumping, could also be of interest.
It remains to be seen how the auctions will develop over the course of the spring. A corresponding preview will appear here in the next few weeks.
J.S.
