Breeze-up buyers on the hunt for Group 1 winners at a sale with rich history

Two large wooden placards bearing a lengthy list of Group 1-winning graduates greet visitors as they make their way up the staircase that leads to the Goffs UK sales ring in Doncaster.

Among the high achievers whose names are etched into the history books are the likes of Speciosa, Dream Ahead, My Dream Boat and Quiet Reflection, all of whom were unearthed at the Doncaster breeze-up sale before going on to score at the highest level.

This year's renewal of the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale takes place on Thursday, with selling beginning at 10am, and with less than 24 hours to go prospective purchasers were busy inspecting the 150 or so two-year-olds who will soon bid to add their name to the list of Group 1 winners sold in Doncaster.

The sires' index in the catalogue provides further black and white evidence of the talent that this sale has produced in the past, with Ardad and Prince Of Lir, who shared top lot honours in 2017 when they fetched £170,000 apiece, both represented by the lots on offer.

Among those selling a two-year-old by Ardad, who has made a blistering start to his stud career with four winners, is Longways Stables. The operation, which is based in Ardo, where County Waterford meets the Irish Sea, consigns the filly out of Ghalyah, a daughter of Ecurie des Monceaux's famed producer Platonic, meaning the page also features the likes of Chicquita, English King and Magic Wand (lot 71).

"I think she'll take a little bit of time but she's got a very good pedigree so there's residual value with her too and she'll have her fans," said Mick Murphy, who runs Longways with his wife, Sarah O'Connell. "Ardad has had a brilliant start at stud too."

It has been two years since the Longways Stables name was added to the Doncaster record book, when they sold subsequent Group 3 winner Al Raya to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for £450,000, the highest price ever registered at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale.

Having breezed particularly well, Al Raya was well touted before she sold in 2019, and this year's Longways draft contains another horse who was subject to plenty of sales ground chatter on Wednesday in the shape of the Kodi Bear filly out of Dream Applause (51).

Mick Murphy of Longways Stables: hoping for a good sale on ThursdayCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

"We'd two fillies who breezed very well, the Kodi Bear, who was second-fastest on the clock, and we were very happy with the Profitable filly too," said Murphy. "They're both early types who can kick on right away. Al Raya was actually the second-fastest when we breezed her as well, so hopefully we can do well with this filly too."

He added: "We have a Cotai Glory colt I like a good bit as well (6), he breezed a bit green, I thought he'd breeze a bit better, but he's a very attractive horse and he seems to be well liked."

Murphy expressed guarded optimism when asked about his expectations for trade on Thursday, but noted this year's European breeze-up circuit got off on a positive footing at Tattersalls last week.

"I thought there was good depth to the Craven Sale, the middle market held up well even if the top end was back a bit," he said. "The clearance rate was high too; we had six there and they all sold so we were very happy.

"We're in a worldwide pandemic and that seems like it has to have an impact at some point, but I think there'll always be someone there when you have nice horses."

Those sentiments were echoed by Goffs UK's managing director Tim Kent, who said: "We were very happy with the standard of horse when we put the catalogue together and we felt vendors had really got behind us. Ultimately you never really know until the horses do it on the day, but the weather was good yesterday, the horses seemed to skip up the racecourse on Town Moor, and there was a great number of people watching the breeze.

"There's been a good flow of people since and vendors are cautiously optimistic. There's definitely the potential for some good results if things fall together. We're keeping everything crossed and tomorrow will be a big day, but so far things are looking good."

Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent: 'definitely potential for good results'Credit: Sarah Farnsworth

With Goffs UK having introduced a dedicated showing day in between breezing and selling, inspections were ticking over at a more leisurely pace than is often the case, although plenty on the grounds felt the additional time could only be of benefit to horses and buyers alike.

"Some of the feedback we had from agents, especially those buying for overseas clients, was that they could do with a bit more time between breezing and selling," said Kent. "People wanted time to get through the videos and the vetting, and then look at the horses.

"There was a bit of scepticism when the catalogue came out and at the time some people rather wished we hadn't added the extra day, but, as things stand, I wouldn't have changed it and it seems to have been a help."

Kent added that he expected the online bidding platform would be busy on Thursday, particularly with overseas parties, with Goffs UK's network of international agents having been helping those who have been unable to travel to Doncaster because of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

"There are people on their way up this afternoon and some people with decent orders are coming up for the day on Thursday," he said. "If everything turns out like we hope it will, we'll be in a good place."

Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale fact-file

Where Goffs UK sales complex, Doncaster

When Selling starts on Thursday at 10am

Last year's figures From 99 offered lots, 89 sold (90 per cent) for turnover of £3,975,400, an average price of £44,665 (down two per cent year-on-year) and a median of £28,000 (up eight per cent)

Notable graduates A'Ali (sold by Star Bloodstock, bought by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for £135,000); Quiet Reflection (sold by Powerstown Stud, bought by Karl Burke for £44,000); Steel Bull (sold by Kilbrew Stables, bought by Michael O'Callaghan for £28,000)

View full Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale catalogue

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Micky Cleere back on the breeze-up trail

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