THE Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale ended on Wednesday evening with an 88% clearance rate over the two days, up from 83% last year despite a much bigger number of horses offered this year.

With 63% more horses offered for sale this year, it was not surprising that the amount spent during the two sessions rose by 57%.

Most encouragingly the median price rose by 11% this year, while the average price was down 9% compared to last year's more select offering.

Toppin day two was a Carvaggio colt consigned by the O'Callaghan family's Yeomanstown Stud. He was bought by agent Alastair Donald for 240,000gns and is bound for Hong Kong.

"He is for a new Hong Kong client, he will go out to Hong Kong at the end of the season," said Donald. "He will be pre-trained in England. He is a lovely big horse and he has a nice pedigree. He breezed well for a big horse and looks the type to do well in Hong Kong."

Of a "type" for Hong Kong Donald added: "They don't race in Hong Kong until they are three-year-olds, so you don't need a 'here and now' horse."

Of Caravaggio, Donald said: "The sire looks like he has got a very nice two-year-old already and this is the first I have bought by him, I did like the yearlings – they are particularly good walkers, and this horse's movement is also very good."

Yeomanstown Stud bought the colt as a foal spending 155,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. "We bought him back to Book 1, but it did not quite work out. He is a beautiful colt, breezed real well, he has a great attitude, I am very pleased," said David O'Callaghan. "He was always a lovely horse and he hasn't missed a day."

Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny, had an excellent day, selling two of his three-horse consignment for 185,000gns and 140,000gns.

The 185,000gns came for a colt by Union Rags which Whitehead had bought for $115,000. That horse is likely to head back to America to race.

Whitehead's 140,000gns horse, a colt by Practical Joke, will race in Ireland, having been bought by trainer Michael O'Callaghan, who was underbidder for the day's top lot.

Two Irish-consigned colts sold for 150,000gns on Wednesday. Roger O'Callaghan's Tally-Ho Stud sold a son of Aclaim to Opulence Thoroughbreds. Trainer Stuart Williams signed for this one but said he was not certain to train it.

Katie Walsh's Greenhills Farm sold a Showcasing colt for 150,000gns to agent Stephen Hillen. Walsh bought the horse for 65,000gns last year.

DAY TWO STATISTICS

Sale statistics: (+/- compared with 2020, to be confirmed)

Lots catalogued: 169 (154)

Lots offered: 137 (84)

Lots sold: 121 (70)

Aggregate: 10,393,500gns

Median: 68,000gns

Average: 86,897gns

% clearance: 88%

FULL SALE STATISTICS

CURRENT YEAR PREVIOUS YEAR CHANGE %

Catalogued 169 154 +10%

Withdrawn 32 70 -54%

Offered 137 84 +63%

Unsold 16 14 +14%

Sold 121 70 +73%

Aggregate (gns) 10,408,500 6,649,500 +57%

Median (gns) 68,000 61,000 +11%

Average (gns) 86,021 94,993 -9%

% offered lots sold 88% 83% +5%

MORE SALES AND BLOODSTOCK NEWS IN THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND