IRISH consignors dominated Wednesday’s inaugural Dubai Breeze-Up Sale in association with Goffs, which saw 52 two-years-old sold for €8.2 million, and an average price of €157,700. The sale’s median equated to €104,128.

The sale was conducted in the winner’s enclosure at Meydan, just days before the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday. Sheikh Mohammed was among those in attendance, adding his imprimatur to the event.

It was somewhat fitting that a son of Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner Curlin topped a vibrant first sale. Offered by Tom Whitehead’s Powerstown Stud in Co Kilkenny, the colt is the first produce of two-time winner Saucy Dame and was purchased by Mohammed Al Subousi for €619,808 (AED 2,500,000). Whitehead bought the colt for $150,000 at Keeneland last September and his now owner will hope to recoup some of the purchase price when his Eastern World contests today’s Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Nugent-bred

A little earlier Frankel’s half-brother to stakes winners and Group 1 placed Lily’s Angel and Zurigha proved to be the next highest priced breezer, and will head to Japan having been purchased by Hirokazu Okada of Big Red Farm for €520,638 (AED 2,100,000). Bred by Nick and Alice Nugent, this colt was sold as a foal for €360,000 and retained as a yearling for 300,000gns. He was consigned by Roger Marley and John Cullinan’s Church Farm and Horse Park Stud.

Among the draft from Robson Aguiar was a son of Kingman out of Raskutani, whose seven winners from seven runners include Group 3 winner and Group 1 Irish St Leger runner-up Agent Murphy, as well as Global Heat who is multiple group-placed in the UAE. The colt sold to Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for €495,846 (AED 2,000,000). Aguiar and Amo Racing bought the colt as a yearling for 110,000gns. Ross Doyle was unable to reveal details of the colt’s new owner or trainer, but he will head to England.

Another popular member of the sale-topping Powerstown Stud consignment was a Mo Town colt who was knocked down to Prince Fasil Khalid bin Abdulaziz for €495,846 (AED 2,000,000). He was a $110,000 Keeneland purchase last September and is a half-brother to three winners.

Stylish opening

The sale opened in style with a Gun Runner colt out of dual Grade 2 winner Bank Audit selling for €347,092 (AED 1,400,000) to Fitri Hay and Alex Cole, and he will remain in Dubai to be trained by Bhupat Seemar. Hay and Cole also went to €396,677 (AED 1,600,000) late in the evening for a filly by Into Mischief out of Group 2 winner Ageless.

Both lots were offered by Micky Cleere’s MC Thoroughbreds. The Gun Runner had failed to sell in America as a yearling when bidding reached $70,000, while the Into Mischief filly fetched $45,000 at Keeneland.

The sole entry for the sale by Dubawi was Malcolm Bastard’s daughter of the listed winner and Group 2 Oaks d’Italia runner-up Joyful Hope, and she sold for €347,092 (AED 1,400,000) to Yousuf Salem Saeed Saqer Al Kaabi. Two lots sold for €272,715 (AED 1,100,000) and they included the most expensive of six lots purchased by BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohue, a son of Kitten’s Joy who was sourced at Keeneland for $125,000 by Avenue Bloodstock. The colt’s dam is a half-sister to Kitten’s Joy’s Group 1 winning son Hawkbill.

Solid foundation

Goffs’ CEO Henry Beeby said: “The first Dubai Breeze-Up Sale has laid the most solid foundations for future evolution following a vibrant evening in the winner’s enclosure at the iconic Meydan racecourse. Goffs would like to thank the Dubai Racing Club for the trust and confidence placed in our service and we salute the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed in adding the sale to this amazing weekend of racing.

“The Dubai World Cup is the focal point of the racing and bloodstock world this weekend and the global appeal of Dubai was clearly reflected in the international nature of the list of buyers who literally travelled from every corner of the world.

“We have learned a huge amount in our first year and look forward to growing the sale in future years with the Dubai Racing Club. It was some evening, some privilege, and some atmosphere”.