Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale Shatters Records for Sixth Consecutive Year
The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale broke its own records for a sixth successive year, once again setting new record highs across the statistical spectrum.
The session aggregate topped €9.5 million for the first time with a turnover of €9,599,500, while the new record average price is now €43,634.
The enthusiastic bidding at all levels from the numerous international and domestic buyers, at Fairyhouse racecourse for Thursday’s breeze and on the sale ground throughout the one-day session, produced an incredible record breaking 90 per cent clearance rate, the strongest performance of all the European-based Flat breeze up sales held in 2024.
The 21 lots sold for six-figure sums and the six to fetch €200,000 or more also broke new ground for the sale.
The session’s top lot, yet again supplied by Katie Walsh’s Greenhills Farm, was a daughter of Sioux Nation (Lot 83) sold by Walsh for €370,000, the third-best price ever achieved at the sale and the second-best price given for a filly.
The filly was bought by Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock in partnership with trainer Paddy Twomey. The pair are hoping to repeat their success at this sale last year when they purchased a colt by the same sire and also from Greenhills Farm. He was named Letsbefrankaboutit and won the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes.
Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock said: "The filly speaks for herself as she is by Sioux Nation. She came highly recommended and did an outstanding breeze. We had to dig very deep to get her, but there are no regrets – I am delighted and she looks like she is one who can rock on fairly soon."
McStay praised the work done by Greenhills Farm: "Katie is one of the best in the business, her recommendations stand for an awful lot. The filly was extremely well produced, she did a superb breeze.”
Of the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale, he added: "Every year this sale produces – the timing is good, it gives the consignors a little bit of extra time and they can take on a later horse."
David Spratt of Gaelic Bloodstock had to settle as underbidder on the top lot, but at €300,000 got recompensed as the successful buyer of Lot 97, a colt by first-season sire Earthlight, out of the winning, winner-producing Lawman mare Elusive Laurence, and sold by former jockey Conor Hoban’s Beechlea Bloodstock.
"He has been sold for breeder Rathcairn Stud,” said Hoban. “We got him before Christmas, and he has just kept progressing. He is a big horse and I thought he did a lovely breeze yesterday, he finished out really well. He is an exciting horse going forward and I wish his new owners all the best.”
Beechlea Bloodstock, which has been consigning for two years, has produced nine horses this spring and all have sold, and Hoban said: "This colt’s sale is the best result we have had – it is credit for the team at home and the work they have done. It has been a good season for us, and we are looking forward to getting back involved for next year.
"A lot of credit has to go to Tattersalls Ireland for today – there is great turn out, plenty of horses are getting sold and this is definitely the strongest sale we have been at this spring."
Lot 73 and Lot 114 were both purchased for €270,000 apiece by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, the session’s leading buyer by aggregate spend.
The first, a filly by Sioux Nation out of the Fast Company mare Coto, was sold by the County Tipperary-based Lacka House Stables for neighbour Matty Tynan, breeder of the filly and trainer of her dam, the Fast Company mare Coto.
"We were going to either breeze her or race her ourselves,” explained Tynan, adding: “I'd love to have raced her, but if you can get a hand of money you need to take it.”
Ryan Conran, who works alongside partner Pamela O'Rouke at Lacka House Stables, said: "Matty bought the filly’s dam Coto at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland September Sale for €8,000, she won her two-year-old maiden, then went onto run in the Queen Mary, and pick up fourth-placed black-type, she was very quick.
"This filly came to me in October and she has been brilliant ever since and we are delighted to have the opportunity to sell her for our neighbours and good friends. This is by far our best result, I am very grateful for the Tynan family for giving us this chance.”
"She is by a proven sire and out of a mare who was pretty smart herself. In my opinion Sioux Nation is upgrading his mares – the mare could run anyway and she has thrown a filly with plenty of talent judging by the way she breezed.”
It was also the speedy pedigree and breeze performance put in by Lot 114, the Profitable colt sold by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill, the sale’s leading consignor, that proved attractive to Coleman.
"He is bred to be quick – he is by Profitable and out of Dandy Man mare, both proven speed sires, and he certainly looked to be quick,” said Coleman. “It is also a fast family further back, too. He is a very good-looking horse, he did everything he needed to in the breeze yesterday and then vetted very cleanly.
"He is a big, strong type who should be ready to rock and roll and, hopefully, he will be fast as a two-year-old. He also has plenty of size and scope so he should be more than just a two-year-old."
It was a family affair for Mocklershill, which achieved one of the pinhook results of the sale – the colt was purchased for just €6,000 as a yearling by JB Bloodstock, which is named after Browne's son Jamie.
"We bought the colt as a yearling because we’d had the dam Fleeting Princess,” said Browne, adding: “She was very fast and we liked her. My partner Tracey [Kearney] spotted the pedigree, and it is a complete family job – Tracey, me and my son Jamie. We are over the moon."
Mocklershill also sold the wildcard entry Lot 275, a colt by Twirling Candy, for €190,0000 to Dr Khaled Salami.
Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins commented:
“The Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale continues to exceed expectations, and today's outstanding results are a testament to its growing reputation. The closing statistics, a record turnover, average, and a barely believable clearance rate of 90% is remarkable and demonstrates the confidence vendors and purchasers have in this sale, which has grown year on year, fuelled by the outstanding achievements of our graduates. From the outset, we had strong demand for entries, allowing us to formulate a catalogue that appeals to all levels of the market.
"I want to express our thanks to the vendors who entrusted us with their exceptional two-year-olds. Their unwavering support and confidence in our sale are truly appreciated, and we are excited to see our new graduates reach their full potential in the coming years.
"Prior to the sale, we had a phenomenal amount of interest from purchasers around the world, and they came in their droves, reflecting the depth of quality through the catalogue. This success demonstrates that when we get the right horses into the catalogue, we spare no effort in attracting buyers. We welcomed purchasers from over 18 different countries including the USA, Scandinavia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Hong Kong, the UK, Poland, Germany, Italy, and, of course, our valued Irish clients.
"I would like to acknowledge the incredible work by Charles O’Neill and the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing team for their vital role in drawing buyers to the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale. We are indebted to the purchasers who believe in the quality of the Tattersalls Ireland product.
"Additionally, I would like to recognise the tireless work completed by Peter Roe and his team at Fairyhouse Racecourse, who worked day and night to ensure the track was in perfect condition for the breeze. Staging a Breeze Up sale is a significant task, requiring careful coordination across two venues. The proximity of the Tattersalls Ireland sales complex to Fairyhouse Racecourse enhances the movement between the two venues, offering a major advantage to our clients.
"As we look forward to the September Yearling Sale, with entries closing in early July, we are encouraged by the impressive 170 two-year-old winners recorded last year by this sale. Strong graduate results increase interest and demand, and we’re confident this will be reflected in the September Yearling Sale.
"Once again, my sincere thanks to everyone involved."