Tack malfunction cannot stop Williamson's Invincible colt working the bullet

Breezing is a high-stakes game, with one false step, one change of lead or any residual greenness during the pre-sale show resulting in a slower time that could potentially wipe a huge sum off a horse's value.

So imagine Norman Williamson's dismay when the Invincible Spirit colt he is consigning at the Tattersalls Craven Sale came loping up the Rowley Mile at little more than a steady canter with one end of the near side rein in the rider's hands and the other hanging loose.

"At the furlong pole my thought was 'what's wrong? Why isn't he going?'" said Williamson, who operates under the banner of Oak Tree Farm. "But when he came by the line I saw the reins hanging loose. They broke right in the middle, which was a bit of a surprise."

While there may have been a degree of panic for connections seeing a horse who had been pinhooked for €90,000 doing a steady canter up the Rowley Mile, there was no such worry for the horse himself, as he showed considerable professionalism despite the tack malfunction. The colt pulled up without incident and both he and his rider, Gary Halpin, were perfectly unharmed.

Norman Williamson's Invincible Spirit colt pulls up under Gary Halpin with his damaged rein hanging looseCredit: Laura Green

"Thankfully the horse was very sensible, so he didn't do a lot of work the first time up," said Williamson. "We left him for about an hour and he was as happy as larry. Tattersalls were kind enough to let him go again, which was great of them."

Things went considerably smoother when the Invincible Spirit colt was put through his paces again later in the morning, as he caught the eye of many an onlooker with an arrow-straight breeze that reportedly came in among the quicker performances of the day.

"They say he was the third or fourth fastest, which is amazing considering what happened," said Williamson. "To have the mind to do that says a lot, and he's in great form this morning too."

Lot 122: the Invincible Spirit colt strides out up the Rowley MileCredit: Laura Green

Even before the impressive breeze the colt, catalogued as lot 122, rated an exciting prospect. He is out of Mare Nostrum, a daughter of Caerleon who landed the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux as well as reaching the places in the Prix Saint-Alary and the Prix Vermeille.

Mare Nostrum is arguably an even more talented broodmare than she was a racehorse, having produced Group and Grade 1 winner Erupt and the Listed-winning Marie De Medici.

Her Invincible Spirit colt was bred by the Niarchos family, whose horses Williamson has enjoyed success with before having sold Kentucky Derby hopeful War Of Will at last year's Arqana breeze-up.

"He's a lovely horse and by a great stallion in Invincible Spirit, he's the only one by him in the sale and he's a very well-bred horse too," added Williamson.

View full Tattersalls Craven Sale catalogue

Williamson's Oak Tree Farm will consign four other lots at the Craven Sale, namely two by Kodiac, one colt and a filly, as well as sons of Dark Angel and Farhh.

"We're very happy with how things have gone so far and all the horses are in good shape, there's no more we can do now really. We've been busy yesterday and so far today, so fingers crossed," he said.

More breeze-up stories:

Leamore Horses returns to breezing with lessons learned from faltering first try

Stormin' Norman applying a jumping man's eye to the art of the breeze-ups