Breeze-up dates rescheduled in response to revised racecourse fixtures

New dates have been announced for the Tattersalls Craven and Ascot Breeze-up Sale and the Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-up in response to revised racing fixtures at Newmarket and Doncaster.

The combined Tattersalls Craven and Ascot Breeze-up Sale is now set to take place in Newmarket on June 25 with the breeze on June 22. The Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-up will revert to Doncaster racecourse on June 28, with the sale taking place at the Doncaster Sales Complex on July 1.

The race fixtures on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile from June 18-20 prevented the Tattersalls Craven and Ascot Breeze-up from taking place on an appropriate day for the previously scheduled June 23 sale date. The combined Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-up encountered similar issues and their change in dates are in response to the recently announced fixture at Doncaster on June 26.

The change in venue back to Doncaster for the Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-up – provisionally planned to take place in Ireland – was made after close consultation between Tattersalls, Goffs and Arqana.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, attendance will be restricted to those attending in a professional capacity. Full details will be circulated to purchasers and vendors in the coming days by Tattersalls and Goffs UK/Arqana.

To acknowledge one of the significant differences between Goffs UK and Arqana’s payment and billing conditions, a five per cent agents levy will be deducted from the sale proceeds of each lot sold from the Goffs UK and Arqana Breeze-up catalogues and paid to the purchasing agent. Full details will be available in the modified conditions of sale, which will be made available closer to the sale. The modified conditions will apply to both catalogues to ensure all lots are sold on the same basis and include the standard Goffs commission rates for both sales.

In response to the restrictions, new measures have been introduced to assist buyers. Tattersalls and Goffs UK/Arqana have given purchasers an extended time to view the horses prior to the sale and have also introduced an online facility. Bids can be taken in person, via telephone or via the internet. The three sales companies have also commissioned pre-sale video conformation footage of each lot, which is now available to view online.

Commenting on the changes, Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said: “It is unfortunate that we have had to make yet another change to the dates, but we are all constantly having to respond to events outside our control. These dates now look set in stone and have been agreed in full consultation with Goffs UK and Arqana, whose breeze-up sale date had been similarly affected.”

Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said: “The teams at Arqana and Goffs UK are doing everything we can to stage successful breeze-up sales, so holding them in Doncaster will make logistics far simpler. We're taking every precaution to make the sale as safe as possible and so we ask that all prospective buyers contact Goffs UK and/or Arqana to register their interest in attending."

Arqana executive director Freddy Powell said: “The current context requires agility and co-operation, and this is what we are trying to deliver along with Goffs UK and Tattersalls. By holding all European breeze-ups in the same country, utilising an online platform and providing a choice of bidding options, we are hoping to make buyers and vendors’ lives easier and give the sale every chance to succeed.”

Revised sales dates

Tattersalls Craven & Ascot Breezes June 22

Tattersalls Craven & Ascot Breeze-up Sale June 25

Goffs UK/Arqana Breezes June 28

Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-up Sale July 1

First winner for top-rated juvenile Shalaa

First-season sire Shalaa landed his first winner on Thursday when €250,000 yearling Cherie Amour, a three-parts sister to Group 1-winning juvenile National Defense, built on her debut effort to win the Prix des Colonnes Morris over seven furlongs at Clairefontaine.

Shalaa achieved a rating of 121 for wins in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes for John Gosden, and was rated the best British-trained juvenile in 2015.

Retired to Haras de Bouquetot, he received a full book of mares in his first season and has 118 juveniles to race for him this season. By Invincible Spirit, Shalaa’s yearlings have made up to €600,000.

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