'I love our Shalaa filly going to the Arqana sale, I think she's very smart'

Mark Grant, 40, retired as a jump jockey last month after a 23-year career to focus on his burgeoning breaking and pre-training business in Lambourn, which includes preparing yearlings for the breeze-up sales.

How many horses are you consigning at this year's breeze-up sales and which are you most excited by?
I had ten horses to consign this year — I have two left and I think these are the best two I have had this year. One is a gorgeous big Night Of Thunder colt (lot 226) going to Goresbridge, I think he has a very exciting future.

I also have a Shalaa filly going to the Arqana sale (162), I love this filly, I think she's very smart. We sold a smashing Mehmas filly at Doncaster and I'm really looking forward to seeing her run.

How did you find restocking at last year's yearling sales? Did you invest to the same level as before in terms of numbers/outlay or did you feel the need to adjust in reaction to 2020's breeze-ups?
We're still a relatively new operation and are trying to build and establish our name in the game, therefore we thought it was important to invest at the same level as last year to keep rolling. The strategy changed slightly in so far as last year we had seven, this year we had ten, spending the same amount of money.

We also wanted to be able to offer horses at all levels of the market. I think that is important — we want to be known for selling winners at all levels.

How have you found the build-up to this year's sales in comparison to last year?
This year has certainly been a lot more straightforward and smoother than last year. Last year, when the sales were supposed to take place but were postponed, we had to ease off our horses and then get them ready again, in the hope that a sale would go ahead! We were in the lucky position that all the sales were moved to the UK, so it made logistics a lot easier for us.

This year has been relatively smooth, I think we all expected that a sale date or venue would have to be moved, and I think Covid has taught everyone to be flexible and to hopefully work together a bit better.

Tattersalls introduced the Royal Ascot/Group 1 bonus this year. How big an incentive do you feel that is for buyers?
I'm not sure how much of an incentive it is, but it certainly isn’t a hindrance and I suppose any kind of bonus has to be a positive. I guess if there are a few winners of the bonus this year, it may be more of an incentive for buyers next year.

Which first-season sires have impressed you most so far, either with horses you're selling or runners you've seen on the track?
We sold a lovely Caravaggio colt at the Craven Sale, he is a gorgeous horse and I think both he and the stallion are going to do very well. I have also been really impressed with Profitable. I sold a nice filly by him at the Guineas Sale and have been very taken by his runners to date.

Although I didn’t have an Ardad this year, they seem to be sharp and precocious and I'm looking forward to seeing his yearlings this year. I'm also a fan of Churchill, they are gorgeous looking horses. I have a few in the yard to break for clients and have really liked their attitudes.

What are your expectations for the state of trade at the remaining breeze-up sales?
Look, we have to be realistic, we're in a global pandemic, however, racing and bloodstock always seem to hold their own no matter what is going on in the rest of the world. While there is a lot of economic uncertainty, at least we all know where we stand as regards Covid, and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

There is a lot of positivity with restrictions easing, and now we have owners back at racecourses. I hope the same positivity will be reflected in the sales ring for the two remaining sales.

Richard Johnson presents fellow jockey Mark Grant with a bottle of champagne at Newton Abbot in April before announcing his own retirement later the same dayCredit: Fiona Crawford

Last year's breeze-up season proved particularly challenging. What lessons did you learn during 2020?
I think all vendors learnt to be flexible last year. I also learnt about the importance of marketing, the media and social media. We really raised our profile last year, partly because we had increased our numbers, quality and our spend at the yearling sales, but also due to the amount of media and social media coverage we had during the delay period to the sales. I had a number of agents and trainers in advance of the sales down to look at my horses — that hadn’t happened in previous years.

We also changed our buying strategy, increasing our numbers but spending the same amount, whilst trying to maintain and improve the quality. In order to achieve this I did a lot more pre-yearling sale homework, and now I've retired from race-riding I'll be working even harder on my pre-sale work this year.

Talking of which, any pangs of regret or are you missing the weighing room buzz? Also, we’ve got to ask, did you know your brother-in-law Richard Johnson was going to announce his retirement the same day?!
I still loved riding as much as I did when I started out, but unfortunately life has to move on and breeze-up consigning, pre-training and breaking horses is our business and the riding was just getting in the way. Any day I was racing, I was always under pressure. I was at the Orby sale last year and I went to the sale in the morning and then hot-footed it to Uttoxeter to ride in the afternoon; it is not professional to run things like that. I don't have any regrets or pangs, it was the right time to move on. I do miss the weighing room and the buzz, but then I get a great buzz at the sales!

And yes, Richard and I both knew we were calling it a day that day. Everyone was jokingly saying our wives planned it or there was a family meeting, but it just happened that we ended up finishing at the same time. I am delighted we both got out in one piece, and it's onwards and upwards with our next chapters.

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