'It's the first horse I've bought!' - Alan King's daughter Georgia plays impromptu role in purchase of 240,000gns Minzaal colt

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For much of Thursday’s Tattersalls Guineas Sale it appeared as if the gripping theatre in Newmarket would have to wait until the Rowley Mile this weekend as the anticipated sedate trade prevailed until the early evening.

This is not an event which tends to raise the eye-catching prices of last month’s Craven Sale, or indeed the equivalent event in Arqana next Saturday, and sizeable pinhooking profits had been thin on the ground.

With twilight arriving, however, there was a sudden flurry of the sort of results worth waiting for with a Minzaal colt who topped the pile at 240,000gns appearing just five lots from the close of play.

Representing Eddie Linehan’s Lackendarra Stables, the February 9-born bay has a sharp pedigree as he’s out of the Middlebrook family's Listed Firth Of Clyde Stakes winner Distinctive and was bought privately for £30,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale.

The unexpected signee of the docket was Georgia King, daughter of leading trainer Alan but who is working for the Newmarket-based Richard Spencer.

The Minzaal colt during his 240,000gns sale to Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley at the Tattersalls Guineas SaleCredit: Tattersalls/Laura Green

“It’s for a new partnership within Rebel Racing, Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley, to be trained by Richard Spencer,” she explained. “We’re delighted to get him and the aim’s to hopefully have him run at Royal Ascot.

“Richard and I came this morning to look at him. He was away at Kempton today, seeing Wild Thoughts win again [in the 5.45], so I was left to do this, the first horse I’ve ever bought! It was quite nerve-wracking but Richard and Phil were on the other end of the phone. I’ve recently started working with them and it’s a great yard, so we’re all delighted.”

Linehan, who bought the colt in a partnership with Mick Murphy of Longways Stables, added: “I’ve been very strong on this horse for a while. The last six weeks since we started stepping him up he’s been very impressive and we’ve just been trying to mind him. 

“Hopefully he’ll be lucky now for new connections. We tightened things up this year a bit, yearlings were so dear and the lack of help, we halved the numbers really but it’s worked out well. We’ll try to keep the thing rolling with the next horses next week.”

There had only just been another big result with leading bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud coming to the rescue.

A Ten Sovereigns colt, bought by Kevin Blake for just €12,000 at Goffs Orby Book 2 and prepared to the minute by Colin and Ausra Bargary of Drummona House, attracted the interest of some of Flat’s big hitters as the hammer came down at an impressive 200,000gns.

The February 26-born individual’s dam, By Request, is a half-sister to Denford Stud's outstanding Group 1 mare Coronet and has produced the 650,000gns yearling and reasonably useful performer UAE Prince

“He’s an extremely nice horse and he did a very good breeze,” Stroud said. “He has a pedigree, you’ve got Giant’s Causeway there which is always useful, so very pleased.”

Stroud said the purchase was for a “long-established client” but further details needed to be finalised. 

Colin Bargary had a connection with Blake from ten years spent working for Joseph O’Brien, to whom the television pundit is an advisor.

Lot 334, Drummona House’s Ten Sovereigns colt, produced a fine profit in his 200,000gns saleCredit: Alisha Meeder

“It’s an absolutely fantastic result for the whole team,” Bargary said. “It’s not often this happens. He took everything in his stride and did everything right when we brought him here, jumped through all the hoops.”

Bargary, the brother of jump jockey Jamie, began the Drummona operation seven years ago, breaking in yearlings and pre-training.

“We picked up the breezers, we got bigger year-on-year and were doing okay and this has kind of topped it,” he said. “You’re riding out in the rain and the wind during the winter and you’re always dreaming of this but you never think it would be you. It’s just absolute magic.

“It’s a tough year for everyone but that’s just the nature of the beast. We’re lucky today and hopefully it’ll be someone else next week. That’s the way it goes isn’t it. A sale-topper is a really big thing, very special.”

At the close of a tough day of trade, Tattersalls reported 116 lots sold at a clearance of 74 per cent. The aggregate dropped to 3,827,000gns, a 23 per cent drop year-on-year, while the average finished at 32,990gns, down 16 per cent. The median fell 33 per cent to 20,000gns. 

American dream as Boman takes 125,000gns colt

For the most part of a session which continued late into the evening the leader on the board was another with a connection to Joseph O’Brien with Blandford Bloodstock's Stuart Boman signing for a 125,000gns American Pharoah colt on behalf of the trainer.

O’Brien has supplied one of the Japan-based Triple Crown hero’s nine top-level winners in Above The Curve and should have plenty of fun with the chestnut supplied by Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud.

"We've had luck buying from Tom at this sale before with [Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle winner] Lark In The Mornin," said Boman. "He's going to Joseph and is the type of horse we like to target.

"He's got loads of quality, very good breeze, I rated him my number one in the sale and we're just happy to get him. He's also Chesham eligible – I'm not saying he's going to go there – we've got a few ideas in mind."

There has been an air of resignation among vendors since the beginning of the breeze-up season, particularly with evidence of reduced participation from owners in the Gulf. Many are simply trying to scrape through with the hope the landscape looks different by reinvestment time in the autumn.

The American Pharoah colt during his 125,000gns sale to Blandford BloodstockCredit: Tattersalls/Laura Green

Whitehead is a regular importer of yearling talent from US sales and this colt was a $50,000 Fasig-Tipton arrival who is the first foal out of a half-sister to Criterium International scorer Zafisio.

The result – along with several six-figure turns at the Craven Sale – has been welcome, although there will be more battles to come with his drafts at other sales this spring.

"The market is tough, very selective," Whitehead said. "He will make a lovely middle-distance horse. I haven't brought one here for a few years, but he's a May 10 foal and it's a nice sale to bring a horse who'll take a little bit more time."

Boman did not begrudge the price either.

"I think it's fair enough," he said. "You've got to get rewarded for these horses, it's hard to get them to do everything we want them to do. Uncompromising market and a tough time, people deserve to get well paid.

"Being on the selling side as much as I am as well, it's been an interesting start to the market. I kind of feel like people are starting to realise the world's not ending and a lot of people have made money in these times. It's more a lack of confidence and I can see things changing quick enough, but there are obviously concerning times."

Those concerning times were reflected in the final figures, with 117 horses selling for 3,832,000gns. The average 32,752gns had dipped 17 per cent and the median of 20,000gns was down 33 per cent year-on-year. The clearance rate was down to 75 per cent from 82.

Power-packed start for Costello brothers

There was at least an uplifting story for two fresh faces at Park Paddocks as Aaron Costello, 21, and his 17-year-old brother Darragh succeeded in their first attempt at producing a breezer under their own steam and their banner of Whitehouse Stud. 

With their Unfortunately colt bringing in a final bid of 75,000gns from Jono Mills of Rabbah Bloodstock after their initial outlay of €21,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, it could hardly have been a better start.

They might boast a famous racing surname, but the Costellos are not related to any National Hunt royalty. Their father is a builder, while the family has a strong involvement in showjumping.

Their connection, and a big leg-up with the sport, comes from first cousins Shane and Alex Power, the bright young talents behind Tradewinds Stud who sold Listed winner and Lowther Stakes third Staya for 375,000gns at last year’s Craven Sale off the back of an initial outlay of 51,000gns.

Aaron and Darragh Costello are interviewed after their stellar resultCredit: Tattersalls/Laura Green

“He was just so relaxed when we saw him at the sales and a lovely strong horse,” Aaron Costello said of the grandson of Jeff Smith’s multiple Listed winner Opera Gal. Sharing the celebrations were Tommy Halford, son of trainer Michael, who had also been involved in the venture.

The modest Aaron Costello insisted that credit should be shared. 

“Shane [Power] has been so helpful this week, introducing us to people and I’ve been asking him about everything. I went and spent a year with them for experience, I learned so much about it, and Darragh has just done the same. We owe them a lot.”

It seems likely that the Costellos won’t get ahead of themselves. Darragh must complete his Leaving Certificate before deciding about his future, while Aaron is studying to be a quantity surveyor with a year left on his course.

“We’ve got one more, a Harry Angel colt in the Fairyhouse sale,” Aaron said. “I always ride this one and Darragh rides the other one so we’ll hope for the best with him too.

”We’ve been doing it all ourselves, riding them out before school and college. We made a deal that if we pass our exams, Mum will muck out for us. I’ve an exam tomorrow at 12 o’clock so I’m under big pressure!”

Stuart Williams has an exciting weekend ahead as he saddles his Nell Gwyn winner Azleet in Sunday's Betfred 1,000 Guineas.

The local trainer can welcome a new resident to his yard with Tom Morley, a long-term supporter, teaming up with the Middleham Park syndicate for a 90,000gns Churchill filly sold by GET.

"We’ve owned horses together before and we’ve been in contact over the breezes to see if any of our lists match," Morley said. "They did with her! All the stars aligned and I think she is the first horse for Middleham Park with Stuart."

Morley owns Williams' fine sprinter Quinault, who goes in Saturday's Palace House Stakes. Of Azleet's challenge, he said: "I am biased, but Stuart does a fantastic job and let's hope he can be competitive against some of the biggest organisations in the business."

Exotic plans for Purple Moon

Vendors in the preceding horses in training section found the going no easier.

The 65,000gns top lot came late in the piece with Purple Moon. Not the Melbourne Cup runner-up and majestic retrained racehorse ambassador, but a four-year-old who won his second start at Gowran Park for Pat O'Rourke nearly a month ago.

This Purple Moon, who was owned and bred by O'Rourke's Wexford-based Belmont Stud, was 80-1 that day as he beat the 86-rated Mano Chicago by nearly six lengths.

Purple Moon: sold to Highflyer and George Baker for 65,000gnsCredit: Tattersalls/Laura Green

The chestnut is joining George Baker's Epsom yard after he was signed up by Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock for 65,000gns.

"Hopefully he's the kind of horse who could go on the snow at St Moritz or maybe across to Bahrain," said Baker's wife Candida. "He's been bought for Paul Bowden, who owned the St Moritz winner Wargrave as well as Lucander, who won in Bahrain."

In total 97 lots changed hands for an aggregate of 1,324,500gns, an eight per cent decline year-on-year. The average dropped 18 per cent to 13,655gns, while the median fell 2.8 per cent to 8,750gns.

Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior concluded: “The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up and Horses in Training Sale has historically attracted a broad cross-section of both domestic and international buyers, drawn by the mix of proven horses and commercial ‘breezers’, from a sale that consistently produces a significant number of Group and Listed performers.

“While demand for horses in training remains resilient, prevailing economic conditions and uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East have had a marked impact on the breeze-up sector. In particular, domestic demand continues to contract, reflecting ongoing pressure on UK businesses, with the impact of current government's fiscal policy increasingly evident.

"Consequently, results at the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale followed the trend of earlier sales, with a lower clearance rate, while turnover fell to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, it was pleasing to welcome a strong international buying bench to Park Paddocks, with Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Middle East all represented, and good competition for the standout two-year-olds on the day.

"It was also pleasing to see Eddie Linehan so well rewarded for his efforts, with his Lackendarra consignment producing the top price of 240,000 gns, the equal highest price at this sale since 2016."

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