SO far this year, the breeze-up sales have been challenging for vendors, but there’s reason to suggest that they’ll find next week’s Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale an easier test.
The first Irish breeze-up sale of the year always attracts a wide range of international buyers, for whom Brexit has made British sales less appealing. Timing, too, works in the sale’s favour, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins explains.
“The sale falls at a great time of the year; the third week in May and just before the Irish Guineas,” he says. “In fairness to Goresbridge, it was their sale before; we took over the sale, so credit has to be given to Goresbridge.”
The sale achieved record figures 12 months ago, with turnover exceeding €11 million, and interest has been high again this year.
“The vibes are really, really good,” Kerins reports. “We have people coming from all over the world - clients from the UK, from Europe - Italians, Spanish, Eastern European. We have small numbers coming from the Middle East and Asia, and a number from the States as well. So it’s really positive and the marketing team do a very good job on promotion.
“Niamh, Mary and John make a huge number of phone calls from early on, even from last year. Fostering relationships with buyers, seeing how the graduates perform and following up, whether that be a little text or a phone call. Huge credit has to go to the marketing and bloodstock teams, because they do an enormous amount of work.”
Expectations always need to be managed in bloodstock, whether you’re buying, selling or hosting a sale, and Kerins isn’t dismissing the potential effect of wider influences.
Star graduates
“We’re cautiously optimistic; I think that’s a fair estimation of how we feel,” he surmises. “It’s hard to be negative about the sales, considering what’s going on in the world, and I suppose, we’re on the back of an incredible year last year in 2025, for all the breeze-ups sales, was extraordinary.
“We (Tattersalls Ireland) had a couple of nice winners last weekend. City Of Memphis is flying the flag and America Queen might run in the Irish 1000 Guineas. The two-year-olds from last year are coming back as three-year-olds and doing well.
“Nobody Knows is another one - I thought he looked good after his first two starts and he was only beaten recently in Sandown, but I think he looks a progressive type.”
As mentioned by Kerins, City Of Memphis justified favouritism in the Group 3 Mutamakina Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday and Paddy Twomey and Mark McStay’s €380,000 buy will now be aimed at the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes.
McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock previously purchased Purple Lilly from Chasefield Stables for the same connections at this sale and the €155,000 filly went on to finish second in the Salsabil Stakes and third in the Irish Oaks.
Last Saturday, sales graduate Caught U Sleeping landed the Oaks Trial at Naas; proving herself a bargain buy at €31,000 by Jones Bloodstock from Tally-Ho Stud. Last year’s sale also produced American stakes winner and Grade 3 performer Vasy, who was sold by Longways Stables to Osborne Lodge Racing for €115,000.
More, more, more
Some consignors must share Kerins’ ‘cautious optimism’, as 25 wildcards have been added to next week’s catalogue, bringing the total to 279 lots, just five more than last year. All leading consignors are represented, including British vendor Malcolm Bastard, who has four lots catalogued.
As with the consignors, the sale’s progression has attracted more fashionable pedigrees each year, and this year’s offering is no different, featuring 52 two-year-olds out of blacktype mares and 59 siblings to blacktype winners.
Among the in-demand sires represented in the catalogue are Australia, Dark Angel, Invincible Spirit, Justify, Kingman, New Bay, Siyouni Night Of Thunder, No Nay Never, Sands Of Mali, Sea The Stars, Sioux Nation, Starman, Starspangledbanner and Wootton Bassett.
Joining them are the first crop by Baaeed, Bayside Boy, Blackbeard, Golden Pal, Minzaal, Naval Crown, Perfect Power, Persian Force, Space Traveller and State Of Rest.
Buyers travelling from Scandinavia will be pleased to note that 72 lots are entered in the 2026 Swedish Derby and Oaks Series, while 10 two-year-olds are eligible for French owners’ premiums.
Lot 2: Blue Point colt out of a full-sister to Irish 1000 Guineas winner Just The Judge
Lot 37: Night Of Thunder colt out of a half-sister to Nassau Stakes heroine Al Husn
Lot 39: Cotai Glory half-brother to Flying Childers Stakes winner Aesterius
Lot 42: Naval Crown half-brother to dual Group 1 winner A Case Of You
Lot 43: Space Traveller half-brother to two group winners, including Lowther Stakes heroine and Queen Mary runner-up Relief Rally
Lot 48: Minzaal half-brother to Group 3 scorer Alparslan
Lot 49: Bayside Boy half-sister to group winners Brown Sugar and Burnt Sugar, as well as unbeaten three-year-old Westport
Lot 71: Lucky Vega half-brother to Lowther Stakes second America Queen, sold at last year’s sale
Lot 77: Night Of Thunder half-sister to Group 2 May Hill Stakes winner Polly Pott
Lot 94: Wootton Bassett half-sister to Group 2 second Serenity Prayer, out of a Group 3-winning full-sister to the top-class Love
Lot 116: Baaeed half-brother to Queen Anne Stakes victor Accidental Agent, out of a half-sister to Mohaather
Lot 130: Siyouni filly out of Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Shale
Lot 138: Mehmas filly out of a full-sister to dual stakes winner Glamorous Approach and a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Poetic Flare
Lot 189: Starspangledbanner colt is a grandson of German Oaks heroine Amarette, from a top German family
Lot 201: Hard Spun colt out of a half-sister to the top-class Makfi
Lot 215: St Mark’s Basilica half-brother to two stakes horses, out of a half-sister to three Group 1 performers
Lot 225: Nando Parrado half-sister to Group 3 winner Copacabana Sands, out of a half-sister to Fillies Mile winner Red Bloom
Lot 228: Havana Grey half-brother to dual stakes winner and group performer Liberty Lane
Lot 257: Havana Grey half-sister to a stakes horse, out of a Frankel half-sister to Arcano
Lot 265: Blackbeard half-sister to dual stakes winner and Prix Morny fourth Manhattan Jungle
Lot 267: Lope De Vega colt out of a listed winner
Lot 268: Mehmas half-brother to Grade 1-placed two-year-old Appraise