Lot 134:
Durcan Bloodstock spends 55,000gns on Montezuma, a three-year-old gelding by Blue Point and from the Godolphin draft.
He ran twice last autumn at Kempton over 7f and Newmarket over 6f, finishing fifth on both starts. He is out of a half-sister to the dam of the Group 3 winner Zibelina, the dam of the Group 3 winners Royal Fleet and Royal Crusade.
Third dam is the Sun Chariot Stakes (G2) winner Talented, dam of Carlton House, winner of the Group 2 Dante Stakes, runner-up in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) and the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and third placed in the Group 1 Derby Stakes.
(12:31)
Lot 114:
Veblen Good is sold online for 110,000gns by Consign Ltd – goes back toKarl Burke, who has been training the gelding.
The son of Starspangledbanner has had three career starts. He finished second over 5f on his debut at Sandown last September before winning at Wolverhampton over 5f in October.
He has had one start this season at the beginning of April when second at Pontefract over 6f, beaten just a head by Commonwealth Cup (G1) entry Strong Warrior.
"He ran great on his last start and is a real progressive sort," said Burke. "Hopefully, he can step up to some black-type and the plan is to go to Newbury in a couple of weeks for a Listed race. "
Homebred by Mountarmstrong Stud & Alexander B/Stock, Veblem Good is a half-brother to Noche Magica, who finished second in the Mable Hill Stakes (G3), while his second dam is Lady Alexander, dam of the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) winner and the Group 1 runner-up Anthem Alexander and Dandy Man, winner of the Palace House Stakes (G3) and Group 1 third in the Nunthorpe Stakes.
(11:59)
Lot 71:
the three-year-old filly Zabeel Rain is bought by Roderic Kavanagh for Kildaragh Stud as a breeding prospect for 40,000gns.
"She is for Dad – he is in the air at the moment and on his way over here," reported Kavanagh Jnr, adding; "He likes her paper work. She might go back into training and see if we can get her head in front, Charlie Johnson did recommend her, but ultimately she is for the paddocks."
By the Derby winner Masar, Zabeel Rain's "paper work" includes the half-brother Western Aristocrat (Mr Greeley), who is a US Grade 1 winner, and the half-sister and Grade 2 winner Zindaya (More Than Ready).
She is dam of the Chad Brown-trained Carl Spackler (Lope De Vega), recent winner of the Maker's Mark Mile (G1), and last year's winner of the Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1) and the Fourstardave Handicap (G1).
(11:04)
Lot 52:
Without Burlington, a three-year-old son of Without Parole, is sold by Jamie Railton to KPF Bloodstock for 30,000gns.
The colt has run just twice – at Redcar on his second start and on his Turf debut over 1m2f, he finished third behind previous winner Convergent and Asmen Warrior who finished second again this week.
(10:45)
Lot 26:
the three-year-old Close Envoy (Lope De Vega), sold by Barton Sales, is bought by Middleham Park Racing with Karl Burke for 65,000gns.
The gelding has run once so far, when he made a very promising debut at Doncaster over 6f last Friday when finishing a close fifth.
"He ran a great race on his first start," said Burke. "It was a really hot maiden with four previous winners ahead of him and two behind him. He is by a great sire and we trained the dam [Living In The Past] to win the Lowther Stakes. He is from a great family and he will run in the Middleham Park colours."
(10:30)
Lot 23:
Houndsworth, offered by Jamie Railton, is bought by County Sligo-based trainer Mark McNiff for 21,000gns.
The three-year-old son of Kameko finished a good third at the beginning of the month at Kempton
(10:22)
What a beautiful morning!
Welcome to a very sunny Park Paddocks for the Guineas Breeze Up and Horses In Training Sale.
Selling for the HIT session starts at 9.30 with 163 catalogued lots, the breeze up session will follow immediately.
It will be hot work today – remember to keep hydrated!
(09:18)
Chairman's statement:
“The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale has enjoyed a remarkable run of success over the last three years with five individual Group 1 winners, including two Classic winners and this year’s Classic prospect, Hotazhell. They have provided the perfect advertisement for the Craven Breeze Up Sale and this year’s renewal has attracted international buyers in abundance, all of whom have contributed to a record turnover and average along with the two highest prices in the sale’s history.
“Year after year, consignors continue to support the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up with many of the finest breeze-up two-year-olds in Europe, and it has been fantastic to see their professionalism and confidence in the sale rewarded over the past two days. Special mention must go to Willie Browne and Malcolm Bastard whose Acclamation and Havana Grey colts sold for 1,400,000 guineas and 1,750,000 guineas respectively.
"The pair are pioneers of the European breeze-up scene and it was wonderful to see them so well rewarded.
“As always, we’ve been delighted to welcome a wide-ranging and international group of buyers to Park Paddocks, including representation from Australia, China, Hong Kong, and the Gulf region. Their interest reflects the exceptional results achieved by graduates of the sale at the highest level of competition.
“We now turn our attention to the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale, which has also delivered outstanding racecourse success in recent years with 42 individual Group/Listed winners since 2022.”
(23:33)
Sale statistics:
(+/- compared to last year)
Catalogued: 182 (180)
Offered: 143 (147)
Sold: 119 (106)
Turnover: 18,804,000gns (+29%)**
Median: 100,000gns (+25%)
Average: 158,017gns (+15%)**
% Sold: 83% (72%)
** record
Leading consignors (by agg): 1. Mocklershill, 2. Mr Malcolm Bastard, 3. Tally-Ho Stud
Leading purchasers (by agg): 1. Amo Racing, 2. Godolphin, 3. Blandford Bloodstock
Leading sires (by agg): 1. Havana Grey, 2. Acclamation, 3. Too Darn Hot
Leading sires (by av, two or more sold): 1. St Mark's Basilica, 2. Acclamation, 3. Havana Grey
Top five
Lot
143: Havana Grey (GB) / Show Stealer (GB) B./Gr. C. >> Mr Malcolm Bastard >> Amo Racing >> 1,750,000gns
Lot
17: Acclamation (GB) / Blue Willow (GB) B.C. (IRE) >> Mocklershill, Ireland >> Godolphin >> 1,400,000gns
Lot
82: St Mark's Basilica (FR) / Layaleena (IRE) B.C. (IRE) >> Grangeclare, Ireland >> Amo Racing >> 750,000gns
Lot
5: Havana Grey (GB) / All Back To Mine (GB) B.C. (GB) >> Bansha House Stables, Ireland >> Godolphin >> 650,000gns
Lot
107: Too Darn Hot (GB) / Morningtide (IRE) B.C. (GB) Brown Island Stables, Ireland >> Dullingham >> 550,000gns
(23:05)
Day 2 statistics:
(+/- compared to last year)
Catalogued: 90 (91)
Offered: 67 (72)
Sold: 55 (53)
Turnover: 9,350,000gns (+4%)
Median: 100,000 gns (+0%)
Average: 170,000gns (+0%)
% Sold: 82% (74%)
(21:20)
Lot 170:
another by Too Darn Hot is in demand – this colt sells for 500,000gns, bought by Jamie McCalmont and sold by Leamore Horses.
The colt is out of the US Grade 3 winner Valiant Girl (Lemom Drop Kid), the dam of five winners and an own-sister to Bronze Cannon, winner of the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) and the Jockey Club Stakes (G2), and a half-sister to Across The Stars, winner of the King Edward VII Stakes (G2).
"I am a massive fan of the stallion, the horse did a very nice breeze but it was the last part of the breeze that was particularly good, he galloped out very strong," said McCalmont. "I really like the horse and he is from a very good breeder and an Oppenheimer family. It is Anna's only horse in the sale and a nice result for her."
He added: "The results from these sales over the last six years have been so good, especially when you think that in the US 25 per cent of yearlings are sold at two-year-old sales, here it is only something like eight per cent, and yet how many good horses have come from the sale?
"You have to give a lot of credit to the people who are purchasing and producing these horses. It is a risky business, fair play to them when they get a home run as there are plenty of bad days. It is proper high-end poker."
It is, in fact, a very good result for Leamore Horses as it is the highest price achieved in sale ring and Anna Calder said: "He was bought in partnership with New Zealand's Go Racing, bought in Book 2. I am very grateful that they decided to partner with me.
"And, honestly, he has been the most straightforward horse I have had to deal with. When I was updating the owners, it seemed so boring as he is so simple. I would love to have a yard full of horses like that. All his work had been outstanding, and I knew that if he breezed as well as that, we would be ok."
He cost 90,000gns at last year's October Book 2 Sale, purchased with Blandford Bloodstock and Calder said: "He was an athlete and powerful and his attitude when he went around the ring, he just looked like he wanted to do it and I loved him."
(20:52)
Lot 143:
another evening at the Craven Sale 2025, another record broken – this colt by Havana Grey sells for 1,750,000gns and becomes a new best-ever for the sale, taking over from the record created last night by the Mocklershill-sold Acclamation colt who fetched 1,400,000gns., bought tby Stroud Coleman.
Today's big purchase was made by Amo Racing, with Anthony Stroud as underbidder, reversing last night's big sale finish positions.
The bidding very quickly narrowed down to the two main protagonists, with Anthony Stroud and David Loder by the door, Kia Joorabchian and Alex Elliott in their usual position in the bidders.
"I felt them [Stroud and Loder] slow at 1,500,000gns," said Elliott after the purchase. "I felt them think about it, usually it is bang, bang, bang with them. I said to Kia then that they were thinking ... and then they really did think about it!"
Of this horse he added: "Malcolm will say that he is first and foremost a pre-trainer and that he is not chasing times, and so when he has one who rocks up as number one on the [times] list, well, there was a queue at his door! He all had to get an alloted time to see the horse!
"Malcolm has been doing this a long time, and he is brilliant at his job and pre-trains some of the best horses in Europe. This horse was produced beautifully, and, to do what he did for Malcolm, when he does not particularly train them for a speed time, tells you have a good horse. And Havana Grey needs no explaining.
"It is a performance-based sale and when a horse performs, it will get a premium. And the Acclamation making that sum last night, well everyone had to realign. Acclamation was a superstar sire, but Havana Grey is new and he is fresh. I did not think this horse would make this, but when the horse performs, the guys get paid."
Of plans he added: "I don't know who will train him, all the horses bought this week so far have gone to Raphael [Freire], it is the team's base, we have got the Camelot filly there, who cost 2.9 million. The team is doing a great job and Raphael is too, so Kia is keen to support."
Malcolm Bastard took the evening's sale in his stride and when asked of his heart rate as he watched the bidding progress, he said: "It was steady, it takes a lot to excite me!"
Of this horse's back story he outlined: "He was with me two weeks before Christmas, he has been very straightforward. He has been pre-trained and has only been away twice to have a spin, just to see what he was like in a different environment. He is just a very nice and classy horse, he has a very good head, and he is a lovely mover.
"I have had Havana Greys before but not like him – he is very, very nice. He is easy to train, and that is how it is with Havana Greys, they are pacey, quality, and have good minds, you can feed them and train them."
The Whitsbury Manor sire has had seven sell here so far (Lot
171 remaining) for an aggregate of 3,370,000gns and an average price of 481,429gns.
(20:15)
Lot 109:
Yulong strikes again – the team, signing again as Dullingham, spends 500,000gns on this Mehmas colt from Tally-Ho Stud.
Yulong's European representative Paul Curran said: "Mr Zhang came here looking to pick up one or two, both are two nice, early and precocious types, which is what you are trying to do here. The Too Darn Hot will go to Jessica Harrington, which makes sense with Hotazhell, and we are making plans for this Mehmas colt."
The colt is out of the unraced Invincible Spirit mare Navette, dam of Lady Of Spain (Phoenix Of Spain) winner of the Prix Petite Etoile (L) and a half-sister to Real World, winner of the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) and runner-up in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes and the Lockinge Stakes (G1).
It is the direct family of the two-time Group 1 winners Librettist, Dubai Destination and Agnes World.
The colt was a €50,000 yearling purchase from Ennell Lodge Stud and Roger O'Callaghan said: "That was a great result. We’ve always liked him, he’s a good representation of the sire, and he came here and did a very good breeze. Best of luck to Yulong with him – we’re delighted he’s gone to such a good operation.”
Mehmas has had an excellent spring – his five-year-old daughter Believing won the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on Dubai World Cup night, her first and a well-deserved top-level victory. She is a Craven Sale graduate, bought at this sale in 2022 by Highclere for 115,000gns. She was sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale last year for 3,000,000gns bought by MV Magnier.
(19:39)
Lot 107:
the bay colt by Too Darn Hot and sold by Johnny Collins' Brown Island Stables, is bought for 550,000gns by Yulong, with Zhang Yuesheng at Park Paddocks. The docket was signed under the Dullingham banner.
Collins had paid 90,000gns for the April-born colt at last year's Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale and he said: "I am absolutely delighted with that. I thought coming here that he stacked up well and he didn’t let me down at the breeze. He’s obviously by an exceptional sire – I actually underbid Hotazhell as a yearling and so I was keen to get a Too Darn Hot last year if I could.
"This lad has a fair bit of Shamardal about him as well and he came well prepared from Blue Diamond Stud out of Book 2. He’s been straightforward all the way through, he’s very sound, hasn’t missed a day and has a great mind on him. I’m delighted he’s going to such a good home and I wish them all the best with him."
The colt is out of the young mare Morningtide (Shamardal), a daughter of the Sadler's Wells Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) winner New Morning, a daughter of the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) winner Hellenic and an own-sister to the champions Islington and Greek Dance, and a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Mountain High (Danehill).
(19:05)
Lot 105:
the Union Rags colt is bought by Jamie Osborne, the trainer sat and bidding from the top of the stairs by the bidders and alongside owner Jim Byrce, whose Heart of Honor finished second by a nose in the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night.
Tonight's acquisition, a grandson of the Grade 1 winner Lady Tak, cost the new connections 220,000gns and plans are for the colt to follow the older horse's path and ply his trade on the Dirt surface in the Middle East.
"The route will be much the same as the last horse – we will go look to run in a maiden here in the autumn before shipping to Dubai," said Osborne, adding: "He can learn his trade then at Meydan through December and the early part of the year, then, hopefully, we can run in the Derby and go a nose better!"
Osborne's daughter Saffie Osborne, with the pair in the Tattersalls sale ring and who rode Heart of Honor to that agonisingly close second place in the Group 2, raised the tantalising prospect that the dream scenario for the team would be this horse running in the Derby and Heart Of Honor taking his chance in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
The colt was sold by Ballybush Stables, which also sold Lot
104, a colt by Invincible Spirit out of the Group 3 third-placed Mollly Dolly (Exceed And Excel), to Pythia Sports / Quinn for 100,000gns.
(18:48)
Lot 101:
the Kilminfoyle House Stud-consigned chesnut filly by Lope Y Fernandez sells for 180,000gns. It is an upward projection of 125,000gns on her yearling valuation of 55,000gns, which was made at the Tattersalls Somerville Sale when bought by JC Bloodstock.
The March-born filly is out of the Bahamian Bounty three-time-winning mare, dam of four winners, including Alwasmiya, a Listed winner of the Bosra Sham Stakes, and a half-sister to the Group 3 Flying Five Stakes winner Dutch Masterpiece.
It is the further family of the speedy Branston Abby.
First-season sire Lope Y Fernandez, who stands at the National Stud, has had one winner so far.
(18:06)
Day 1 statistics:
(+/- compared to last year)
Catalogued: 334 (379)
Offered: 91 (90)
Sold: 64 (53)
Turnover: 9,454,000gns (+69%)
Median: 91,000 gns (+18%)
Average: 147,719gns (+40%)
% Sold: 84% (71%)
Leading consignors (by agg): 1. Mocklershill, 2. Grangeclare, 3. Bansha House Stables
Leading purchasers (by agg): 1. Godolphin, 2. Amo Racing , 3. BBA Ireland
Leading sires (by agg): 1. Havana Grey, 2. Acclamation, 3. St Mark's Basilica
Leading sires (by av, two or more sold): 1. Acclamation, 2. Havana Grey, 3. Too Darn Hot
Top five
Lot
17: Acclamation (GB) / Blue Willow (GB) B.C. (IRE) >> Mocklershill, Ireland >> Godolphin >> 1,400,000gns
Lot
82: St Mark's Basilica (FR) / Layaleena (IRE) B.C. (IRE) >> Grangeclare, Ireland >> Amo Racing >> 750,000gns
Lot
5: Havana Grey (GB) / All Back To Mine (GB) B.C. (GB) >> Bansha House Stables, Ireland >> Godolphin >> 650,000gns
Lot
65: Havana Grey (GB) / Greach (IRE) Gr.F. (GB) >> Tradewinds Stud, Ireland >> Stroud Coleman Bloodstock >> 375,000gns
Lot
58: Too Darn Hot (GB) / Fly (GB) B.C. (GB) >> Lackendarra Stables, Ireland >> Highflyer Bloodstock / A King >> 280,000gns
(22:10)
Lot 82:
this colt by St Mark's Basilica, who has first-crop runners this season, sells for 750,000gns, bought by Amo Racing. Underbidder was Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock.
Alex Elliott, who was with Kia Joorabchian in the bidders, said: "We honed in on this horse very early. Robson Aguiar actually rode him in the breeze, he breezed very well and carried his speed very evenly in his breeze, particularly well for a horse who is going to want 7f, a mile and maybe a bit further. I do like to see an even breeze, and Robson is a huge fan of the horse."
Elliott added: "He was beautifully presented by Joey Logan and the word seems to be quite good on St Mark's Basilica, his horses have breezed well here, and he was an exceptional racehorse. With Al Shaqab we gave 600,000gns for a filly by him in Book 2, and she is doing well with Karl Burke.
"There are a lot of fast horses here, but, for me, this horse will carry his speed a bit further and he is the best of this type over the two days. He goes to Freemason to be trained by Raphael [Freire], and Kia is keen to support that operation."
Of today's trade Elliott said: "There are a lot of people here, everyone is ready for the new season, and this sale has had some great results.
"It is carrying over from where we were in the autumn, I think it is a good sign. I think it has blown me away a bit, we were underbidders on the Acclamation and I did not see him going for anything like that. It is a fantastic start."
It is a first substantial draft of breeze-up horses sold by the successful consignor Joey Logan of Grangeclare, who is perhaps better known for his involvement with top-level jumps horses than Flat breeze-up types.
"We are over the moon, he breezed well and we were very happy with him, he really clocked it, he vetted very well, and we have enjoyed this experience," reported Logan of this horses, adding: "We have put in a new gallop and we have some great staff, and they do a fantastic job, it has been good to do. We have been big in National Hunt, but we are going to mix it up a bit now and the plan was always to buy quality.
"He was beautiful individual when I saw him as a yearling, a good mover and walker and a real man of the horse, by first-season sire and out of Sea The Stars mare and ticked all the boxes. You will see the best of him over 7f, a mile or even 1m2f, what he did the other day was unbelievable for a big horse. Hopefully, he will be very good for Amo Racing."
When asked to compare the experience of producing and selling a breeze-up horse as against a jumps horse, he said: "It is great buzz to sell any good horse, hopefully he goes on now to do it on the racetrack. It has been a big difference than doing the jumps horses, but the jumping game has been very good to us, we have produced a lot of good horses and, hopefully, we will continue to do so, but we get a good kick out of this! We are meeting good people and, when you have the right horse at this game, it [the price] can end up anywhere."
Logan, who has 17 horses in total to breeze, paid 200,000gns for this colt, who is from the family of Lope De Vega, at the Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale.
(21:27)
Lot 65:
the Havana Grey filly out of Greach is sold by Shane and Alex Power of Tradewinds Stud to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 375,000gns.
It is the highest-price achieved so far by the Power brothers in the Tattersalls sale ring, and is a great return on the filly's 51,000gns Book 1 yearling purchase price.
Greach was a juvenile Listed winner and is dam of two juvenile winners from two runners.
Shane Power said: "It is a huge result, it is our first horse sold this year, just to get that in the back of the netnow takes the pressure off for the rest of the sale and going forward. We have to thank Anthony Stroud who also bought two yearlings from us in Book 2 last autumn, and again here.
"It is nice to have the pressure with the good ones. She did a very good breeze yesterday, her sire looks exceptional and Anthony had had a lot of luck buying horses by the sire at this sale."
He added: "She did not take much imagination; she did a very fast breeze and she is out of a Gregorian mare, who won a Listed race as a two-year-old so it all made sense."
Alex Power added: "We have to work closely together, you don't get results like that without a good cohesion, and importantly, you need a filly like that. Anyone here would get a similar result – you need the horse first, you need to look after them and they will do the rest for you. All the credit really goes to our youngest cousin Daragh who rode her every day."
(21:20)
Lot 71:
the first of only two listed in this year's Craven Sale by Munnings, the sire of six Grade 1 winners, is bought by the Libyan-based and regular Tattersalls purchaser Omar Ghrghar for 240,000gns.
The colt's dam Intentonseduction (Street Sense) only ran once, but she is a half-sister to two Grade 2 winners and Grade 1-placed runners Family Tree, dam of the Grade 3 winner Heroic Move, and Liora.
His granddam Gold Mover (Giant's Causeway) won 13 races, including six times at Grade 2 and Grade 3 level. She was also three-times Grade 1 placed.
(20:41)
Lot 58:
another best-ever result – Eddie Linehan sells this colt by Too Darn Hot for 280,000gns, the consignor's highest return in the sale ring for Lackendarra Stables. The March-born juvenile was bought by Anthony Bromley's Highflyer Bloodstock with trainer Alan King.
"Big time!" said Linehan. "He is a very straightforward colt, he is the second one by the sire we have had and he took it so well here. He is obviously bred for a mile plus, so we were taking a bit of a chance and it has worked out really well. I was expecting a good price, but not that much!
"It was a big throw for him when we paid 95,000gns here at Book 2, but we knew the sire and he was progressing, so obviously it is great and he has gone to a really good home."
Bromley said: "It is a first purchase for owner Martin Tedham, who has jumping horses, and this is a first Flat horse with Alan. As Alan has done well with his Flat horses and breeze-up purchases, it has created a bit of interest from other people.
"This horse has got a nice bit of middle-distance family to him, Too Darn Hot needs no introduction, we loved the horse as an individual, we were both very keen to get him. He was one of two colts we put up to the client. It took a bit of buying, but we are delighted to get a nice horse by Too Darn Hot."
King outlined the plans for the colt: "He will go Jamie Magee for a couple of weeks, and chill a bit. He is a later type and probably won't be out until September time."
The March-born colt is of a three-time-winning Pastoral Pursuits mare Fly, the dam of two runners by Sea The Stars – the multiple winner and well-rated Parachute, and the three-year-old Accentuate, who was placed on his only start as a juvenile last year.
Fly is a half-sister to Seal Of Approval (Authorized), winner of the Group 1 British Champions Fillies/Mares Stakes and the Listed winner Gale Force, who is dam of Hurricane Fly, the European champion three-year-old stayer of 2021, winner of the Group 1 Irish Derby, the Group 1 St Leger Stakes, the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) and the Dante Stakes (G2), and Sweet William, winner of the Doncaster Cup (G2) and Group 1-placed in the Goodwood Cup and the Ascot Gold Cup.
(20:04)
Lot 20:
this colt by the US-based sire Not This Time, sold today by Lynn Lodge Stud, is bought by Bhupat Seemar for 220,000gns.
The April-born two-year-old, purchased as a yearling in the US by Mags O'Toole for $50,000, is out of the black-type Medaglia D'Oro mare Browse, dam of two winners, including Pipit, winner of a Listed race in Canada.
Second dam Daydreaming (A.P. Indy) was a Grade 2 winner and Grade 1 placed, and dam of Imagining. He won the Grade 1 Man O'War Stakes, was a multiple Grade 1 placed runner, and by Giant's Causeway, sire of Not This Time.
Not This Time is sire of seven Grade 1 winners and 23 graded race winners.
(19:32)
Lot 17:
breaks the Craven Sale record price – this Acclamation colt bought by Godolphin for 1,400,000gns.
The colt was sold by Willie Browne's Mocklershill, who also sold the Craven Sale previous best-ever – a War Front colt bought by Jamie McCalmont for 1,150,000gns in 2014.
Successful bidder Anthony Stroud had to see off challenges from McCalmont, standing in the gangway, and Alex Elliott, who was in the bidders with Kia Joorabchian and was the final underbidder.
Browne, who has now sold six lots at the Craven Sale for 625,000gns and above, said: "I can't believe it! He is a special horse this. He has hardly been in his stable since he was here, he has had 13 or 14 vets. I believed he would sell well, I thought he might get to 500,000gns or 600,000gns.
"He was a beautiful yearling, I paid €70,000 for him."
Of the colt's development, he outlined: "On the 1st February when we started doing a bit of work, straightaway he started to stand out, but he is also so sound, so easy to train, he has a great mind. I do believe he is a very special horse."
Stroud, reflecting on the purchase price, said: "I did not think we'd have to get to that, I definitely did not. He did a very good breeze, he did a very good gallop out, he is a lovely horse.
"It just shows how vibrant the breeze-up sale, there were so many people on him – not just two, I think there were four or five. It just shows the appetite to buy horses at this sale."
He continued: "I thought this sale would be strong, but I did not think this horse would be so expensive. We have a few on the list and he was one of them – it shows the appetite Godolphin has for wanting horses. He goes to Charlie Appleby and no one does a better job, he is the best."
Stroud concluded: "It is great for Willie Browne, he has been doing the job for a long time. It is lovely for him."
(19:08)
Lot 11:
Highflyer Bloodstock and Phil Cunningham spend 260,000gns on this filly by first-season sire Starman, sold by Tally-Ho Stud.
She is out of a seven-time placed two-year-old Beignet (Canford Cliffs), a daughter of the Listed juvenile winner Cake and Cornwallis Stakes (G3) third-placed. She is dam of the Listed Empress Stakes winner Fig Roll, who is in turn is dam of the Prix d'Arenberg (G3) winner Al Raya.
Starman is the sire of two winners so far, both fillies, including Lady Imran, who was bred by Tally-Ho Stud. Starman, winner of the Group 1 July Cup and the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes, stands at the County Westneath-based farm.
Highflyer's Anthony Bromley said: "I bought the filly for Phil Cunningham to go to Richard Spencer. I bought 15 colts last year and Phil decided he should have a filly and asked me which was the nicest filly here, we put a couple of fillies up to Richard and we both loved her.
"She was early enough in the sale, but two Starman fillies have already won. I am keen on the stallion, this is a very athletic filly she clocked a good time, and she looks like she is ready to roll. We will see how she will settle into Newmarket life, but you would hope she will be out reasonably soon."
Bromley added that he bought three colts by the sire last year and the trainers "seem to like them".
(19:00)
Lot 5:
Con and Amy Marnane turn a €46,000 purchase into a 650,000gns sale – this colt by Havana Grey sold by Bansha House to Anthony Stroud, who signed for Godolphin, the underbidder was Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock.
"I think Anthony has bought six individual Group 1 winners from me, I hope this is the seventh!" smiled a delighted Con Marnane. "This has turned into a smasher, he is a gorgeous horse. Amy bought him as a yearling."
Of the price, the best result for Bansha House in the Tattersalls sale ring, he laughed: "I was pleased at 100,000gns and this is a great result."
Stroud said: "Havana Grey has been a great stallion for us with Vandeek and Arabian Dusk. This is a really, really nice horse, he did a good time in his breeze and he moves very well. Con has a great track record, and we are delighted to have bought him.
"I think he matches up to the previous Havana Greys I have purchased before," he said, adding: "The results from the Craven Sale have been very good and there are a lot of people here."
Stroud bought Vandeek at the Craven Sale in 2023 for a joint sale-topping price of 625,000gns. The colt went on to win the Group 1 Prix Morny and the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes.
Arabian Dusk, purchased by Stroud at this sale last year for 525,000gns, finished fourth in today's Nell Gwyn Stakes (G3), third in last autumn's Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and won the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.
(18:40)
Lot 2:
this colt by Invincible Spirit out of Flaming Princess, sold by Grangeclare Stud, is bought by Robin O'Ryan and Richard Fahey, for 220,000gns.
The January-born colt, an own-brother to last year's Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes winner Spirit D'Or, had been purchased as a yearling by Joey Logan and Alan Harte for €100,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Sale.
(18:40)
Welcome to the first
session of the Craven Breeze-Up Sale 2025, selling starts at 5.45pm
(17:29)