CAUTIOUS optimism appears to be the overriding feeling among breeze-up consignors after a record-breaking renewal of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale earlier this week. The turnover and average price reached new highs, aided by two record prices of 1.4million guineas and 1,750,000gns, with final bids supplied by the powerful Amo and Godolphin operations.

While it could appear to some that the bloodstock market was unaffected by concerns regarding the world economy and prize money woes, a number of vendors reported that the market remained selective.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Powerstown Stud’s Tom Whitehead said: “I thought the first day was more solid and I thought the second day wasn’t as strong, for whatever reason.

“Overall, it was a good sale but the middle market is still tight. My view was that it was very selective on times and I’d be bothered by the amount of withdrawals, especially on the second day (nine lots withdrawn on the day).”

Powerstown sold all four they sent through the ring, returning an average price of 133,750gns.

On the market’s focus on times, Whitehead continued: “If your horse didn’t clock there, it was fairly friendless. I think as the year goes on, the clock will get out of people’s heads, but I’d say Doncaster (Goffs UK) will be the same.

“Hopefully people will start to focus more on the horses as individuals and not as much on the clock, because if we all aim to get our horses in the top 15 or 20 times, it’s not good for the game long term.

“What chance has a Too Darn Hot of competing against a Havana Grey – it’s like a 100-metre sprinter running against Mo Farah. It’s not realistic; they’re not designed to do that.”

Like Whitehead, Roger Marley of Church Farm Stables is managing his expectations. On the upcoming Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, he said: “I would be a bit nervous going there.

“We really like two of our three, but no one goes to Doncaster expecting the sort of money you get at the Craven. But there’s no reason why the market shouldn’t hold up over the next four weeks, is there?”

Year on year

Marley gave the Craven Sale a positive review, reporting greater strength in depth to the market compared to 12 months ago. “We were very busy – one of our horses on the first day had 90 shows,” he said.

“We brought four horses and sold four horses, which was much better than last year. We sold one horse for 30 grand, one for 48, one for 125 and another for 360, so that would tell you that there were people there to buy the cheaper horses.”

On whether he’s hopeful of some big results at future sales, he said: “Absolutely. The record got broken twice at the Craven. It’s amazing how the top end has shot up in a short period of time. It is still very selective and there are probably only three people who buy the top lots.”

Eddie O’Leary shares the view that the breeze-up market is strong at the top, and often tough elsewhere. “There was good trade there if your horse ticked all the boxes, but it was very polarized,” he said of the Craven.

O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud finished fifth in the consignors’ table, having sold all six horses they brought to Tattersalls, peaking at 220,000gns and averaging 139,167gns.

He is maintaining an optimistic outlook going forward, he added: “I wouldn’t be worried – if you send up a good horse, you’ll get well paid. You have to take a lot of positives out of the Craven.”