Middleham Park Racing were on the mark with a big-money brace during a solid renewal of the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale May 1. The double was initiated by the Calyx filly from Albany Stud who led the market at 155,000 guineas (US$216,095, 1 guinea=US$1.38).
"She's got a lot of size and substance to her," the syndicate's Tom Palin said. "She timed very well. We probably had to stretch a bit more than we wanted but it's been hard going this sales season, so you've got to be that bit punchier on the ones you really want.
"I hate the clichés, but she was a bit of a queen. She was a standout here physically and she heads to Richard Fahey, who's had success for us before with Calyx. She was sold by Albany Stud, and hopefully that's the race she ends up running in!"
The six-figure transaction was the culmination of a long-range play by the family run Albany Stud, who identified the homebred as a likely breeze-up prospect early in her development.
"She was always easygoing," said a delighted Paul Commins, who was on duty in Newmarket with his father, Don. "She was never entered in the foal or yearling sales, we were always going breezing. From the minute she was broken everything has come easy to her. We've never got her off the bridle at home. Not once. We brought her back from the breeze yesterday (April 30) and she beat me through the stable door to get to her food! She's so laid-back that you wouldn't think she's a sprinter."
The Middleham Park team completed the six-figure pair just two lots later with the 100,000-guinea acquisition of the Havana Grey half sister to dual Australian group 3 scorer Future History. The Ballynure Park Stud-consigned youngster was secured in tandem with David Easterby.
In this end-of-sale statement, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “The momentum from the recent, record-breaking Craven Breeze Up Sale has been well and truly carried into the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale, which has seen a record number of 50,000-guinea lots and a record-equaling median for the breeze-up section. Buyers continue to be drawn to a sale whose recent results include three individual group/grade 1 winners and 42 group or listed performers since 2022—arguably making it the best value breeze-up sale in Europe."
Turnover for the one-day sale was 5,046,500 guineas (US$7,035,647), with an average of 39,488 guineas (US$55,052), and a median of 30,000 guineas (US$41,825). The clearance rate was 78%.
“We have welcomed a diverse and international group of buyers to Tattersalls—a hallmark of our sales at Park Paddocks," Mahony added. "This follows promotional visits in recent months to America, Australia, Bahrain, Dubai, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Sweden in conjunction with our extensive network of overseas representatives.
“We now look forward to the Tattersalls July Sale, Europe’s leading midsummer sale, which offers buyers an enticing mix of top-class horses in training and high-quality breeding stock on the eve of the July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse.”
