All eyes on Godolphin as blockbusting breeze-up buys make Thursday debuts

The sensational European breeze-up season rolls on to Tattersalls Ireland tomorrow and but clockers and consignors will have one eye on race results with two of the most expensive colts from the circuit set to debut in Britain on Thursday.

At Yarmouth (3.55), Silent Applause has his first start for Godolphin since selling for a whopping 1,400,000gns from Mocklershill at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale just six weeks ago.

For 24 hours the Acclamation colt held the record for the most expensive horse to come under the hammer at the auction and his price was a stunning improvement on the €70,000 he cost Willie Browne at the Goffs Orby Sale, where he was consigned by breeders Corduff Stud.

The Godolphin team will be hoping that they landed on the right one, having been underbidders on the sale-topping Celestial King who disappointed on debut at Ascot earlier this month.

At a Craven Sale record of 1,750,000gns Godolphin were outbid by Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing for the son of Havana Grey but he could only manage fourth behind Godolphin's homebred Wootton Bassett colt Military Code. Joorabchian and co had earlier been the underbidders on Silent Applause.

Speaking to reporters after signing the docket, Anthony Stroud commented: "He did a very good breeze, a very good gallop out. He’s a lovely horse, and it just shows you how vibrant the breeze-up sales are. There weren't just two people bidding, there were four or five in there."

“He’ll go into training with Charlie Appleby. The pressure goes to him, the poor man! There’s no-one who can do a better job though, he’s up there with the best around. It’s great for Willie Browne because he’s been doing it a long time. It’s lovely for him and keeps everything ticking over," Stroud added.

Maximised was briefly the most expensive horse sold at DoncasterCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Silent Applause will be ridden by Dougie Costello and is a full-brother to Viridian who won a handicap at Kempton last June, the only win in eight starts for the William Haggas-trained gelding. 

Their dam Blue Willow has produced two winners from three runners and is an Exceed And Excel half-sister to Group 3 winner and Irish 1,000 Guineas third Oh Goodness Me and Listed winner Braveheart. Another half-sister, Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up Colima, is the dam of Australian Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Brimham Rocks and Listed Gillies Stakes winner Chamade.

Among Silent Applause's rivals is Amorim, who cost 500,000gns at Book 1 and 250,000gns as a foal, and is a Havana Grey full-brother to Rumstar, winner of the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. From the first crop of his sire, Rumstar also won the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes as a juvenile. The George Boughey-trained Amorim carries the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.

Godolphin dominated the top-end of the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale at Doncaster a week later where Sheikh Mohammed's operation broke the record price twice and one of those Mehmas colts begins his racing career at Haydock (2.47).

At £720,000 Maximized is the second-most expensive horse ever sold at the Doncaster breeze-up where he was consigned by Tally-Ho Stud, who stand his sire Mehmas.

Anthony Stroud's expensive breeze-up buys for Godolphin are hitting the trackCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, he was unsold at 95,000gns from the draft of his breeders at Book 2 last October. He is a three-parts brother to Listed Cathedral Stakes winner Benefit, by Acclamation.

They are out of Boost, a winning daughter of Pivotal and Hooray, Europe's champion two-year-old filly of 2010 – the year she won the Cheveley Park, Lowther and Sirenia Stakes.

Commenting on the purchase at the time, Stroud said: “Tally-Ho have a good tradition of producing breeze-up horses. He did a good breeze, passed all the veterinary examinations, and just looked exactly like what he’s meant to be - a real two-year-old. We bought a few Mehmas yearlings for Godolphin last year, including the half-brother to Perfect Power from the same hotel [for 1,000,000gns]. He's a very nice horse.” 

Maximised is making his debut for Appleby having spent less time at Moulton Paddocks than yearling buy Wise Approach who had his first run on the last day of April this year, winning at Ascot over five furlongs but could only finish fourth, stepped up a furlong, at York last week.

David Probert is in the saddle for Maximised's debut with William Buick having chosen Godolphin homebred Dark Angel colt Time To Turn, the first foal out of Highland Dancer, who is a Galileo half-sister to Ivawood. 

Goffs London Sale 2025

More breeze-up sales news

Amo Racing secures $1.1 million top lot at record-breaking Fasig-Tipton May Sale