Preview: Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale
- Julian Schaffelhofer
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
As mentioned in the last blogpost, the Breeze Up season is now really taking off. OSARUS kicked things off at La Teste at the beginning of the week. With a rather mixed offering and a corresponding result. Of 32 horses, 22 were sold, with an average of 12,778 euros per sale. Certainly, the many offers were from Ireland, which of course cannot show a French premium authorisation. The top seller was the CITY LIGHT mare out of HIORT with the great name SUNLIGHT BELLE - this was knocked down for 37,000 euros to trainer Nicolas Perret. Breeze looked very good online.
But let's look ahead: Tattersalls is just around the corner! And the catalogue is really something, it makes you dream automatically. As always, a lot of emphasis is placed on the pedigree and, of course, on the respective Breeze. The corresponding times are relevant for me, but not as crucial as in the USA or Australia, for example. I also attach great importance to the behaviour before and after the gallop. Is the horse calm and relaxed, is it behaving professionally? How does it behave during saddling or warm-up? But even after the short gallop, I value a balanced, calm and professional horse. It's no use having a great breeze and a good time if the horse has been pushed to the limit and is actually already overstrained. All factors that are of course difficult to assess from a distance.
Even when these horses are already under saddle, they are still young horses and thus still an investment in the future of a future top athlete. The pedigree should also be taken into account when evaluating the canter. Some ‘sharper’ sprint pedigrees with a good stallion will of course be breezed quite differently than a later stayer or middle-distance horse. However, exceptions do not confirm the rule here either; see RULING COURT at last year's Arqana Breeze Up.
The catalogue includes 182 horses that will be galloping at Newmarket on Monday 14 April. On 15 April, the first 91 lots will be auctioned, followed by the second 91 on 16 April. Most of the horses I am interested in will be in the ring on the second day of the auction. In principle, hardly any lot can be crossed out of the catalogue for this auction. Nevertheless, I have picked out a few personal highlights that I would like to follow throughout their career.
Day I
LOT 39
Offered by Houghton Bloodstock, a son of Blue Point out of Deveron. His dam, DEVERON, won and was placed in the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1). She is a sister of WINDWARD ISLANDS (USA), who won GR II in America. She has also already proven herself as a broodmare and has several black-type horses on the track with LAMAR, HADDAF and CLOUDBREAKER. For me, the young stallion's overall package fits here and the pedigree seems very harmonious.
LOT 49
From a German point of view, this is certainly very interesting. A daughter of No Nay Never is entering the ring. The dam, EITHAAR, was placed in her only start as a two-year-old. I find not only the dam's family interesting, but also a certain SEA THE MOON son as a descendant. EAGLE EMBLEM, currently owned by Dr Berglar and trained by Waldemar Hickst, already attracted attention last year behind some group horses and was only beaten by Liberty Racing representative AQUAMAN in his season debut. Personally, I think EAGLE EMBLEM is a horse for Hamburg-Horn. The mare could soon present a big update here. All in all, the pedigree is very pleasing.
LOT 57 - Wottoon Bassett Mare by FLORA, who in turn is a sister to US ARMY RANGER
LOT 78 - PINATUBO Mare by JUST SO, dam line of MUKHADREAM
LOT 81 - BLUE POINT Mare by LADY MAURA, from the family of the stallion and GR 1 winner DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT.
Day II
Even though I am not a fan of first crop mares, I definitely fell for LOT 148 in the catalogue. The son of MEHMAS out of the Gleneagles mare SO I TOLD YOU which was placed at listed level. But the pedigree becomes more and more interesting when scrolling. For example, the second dam brought TYRRHENIAN SEA which regularly attracts attention at all-weather racecourses in England, both in terms of her performance and looks. But the highlight for me is the connection to the Nizza stud farm, because the third dam is none other than the great NEELE, who has already produced NYMPHEA, NUTAN, NAVARO GIRL, NASOMO, NORGE and NERIK.
I also find LOT 164 from Glending Stables incredibly interesting. With HELLO YOUMZAIN, an absolute rising stallion in France at the moment and with French premium status, he is actually interesting enough on his own. The dam TOSEN SHAUNA is already well known in Germany and has already achieved black type here. There was a big update on Tuesday in Deauville. Her son WOODSHAUNA (WOODED) has already achieved a listed placement. Admittedly, the entire pedigree of the dam's family is somewhat thin and inconstant. But I believe that TOSEN SHAUNA, in particular, in combination with a top French stallion, is capable of turning things around.
Mayfield Stables are offering a NEW BAY mare out of WROOD (USA) with LOT 180. The mare's papers are truly impressive. Her dam was a winner and has already produced 7 winners out of 7 offspring. These include GOING GLOBAL (Mehmas), who won an incredible 10 races, including the DEL MAR OAKS (GR I). But MITBAAHY (Profitable), who also reached GR II, has also given the dam a great update as well. As a NEW BAY fan, this is certainly interesting for me, especially with the strong dam line.
Another short excerpt from my watchlist:
LOT 82
The day starts off interesting with a son of ST. MARK'S BASILICA. In the family, you will not only find DANCETERIA and BLOSSOMTIME but also LADY VETTORI, the family of LOPE THE VEGA.
LOT 117
An interesting son of ST MARKS BASILICA out of the Blacktype Mare PEACE OF PARADISE
LOT 118
The champion sire DARK ANGEL is also represented. Egmont Stud is offering a colt out of PROM DRESS. The dam has already proven herself with the Blacktype success of THE WIZARD OF EYE.
LOT 131
could also be a real eye-catcher, a son of AMERICAN PHAROAH out of the group I mare SARAH LYNX from the Lynn Lodge Stud offering. The dam has also already proven herself with several black-type progeny.
LOT 177
Wootton Bassett son out of the unproven WILLOUGHBY. The dam had already produced a black-type horse by GLENARTLEY. The second dam is by the champion sire NATHANIEL.
My Picks:
Since the Breezes have not yet taken place and I am not at this auction, my picks should be treated with caution:
LOT 49 - possible update with EAGLE EMBLEM is a big plus for me, especially in view of future breeding ambitions
LOT 148 - pedigree with MEHMAS as a stallion seems like a breath of fresh air to me
LOT 164 - HELLO YOUMZAIN with the latest updates does a lot for me. Could also be available early this season.
LOT 180 - NEW BAY with an excellent damline
As always, it depends on the overall package of horses. Conformation, breeze, mental and physical qualities will certainly determine the purchase price for one or the other offer. Nevertheless, I am sure that this auction has it all and I dare to predict that we will have a later GR I winner in the offer again. Perhaps also a horse that has already been mentioned here.
- JS
(The entire catalogue was taken into account, without taking into account the updates to the withdrawn lots)
