Buyers at the recent Craven and Goffs UK breeze-up sales are likely to have come away dreaming of Royal Ascot.
The same may well be true after the Tattersalls Guineas Sale, which takes place April 28 from 9:30 a.m. (local time), but rather than thinking of races like the Coventry Stakes (G2) and Queen Mary Stakes (G2) as they dust off their top hat and tails, those shopping in Newmarket this week are likely to have slightly longer-term aims.
This is the sale from which the brilliant Trueshan graduated before the son of Planteur developed into a group 1-winning stayer for Alan King, with his 11 career victories headed by successes in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (G1) and Qatar Prix du Cadran (G1).
The 31,000 guineas (US$44,181) buy was offered by Knockanglass Stables and signed for by Highflyer Bloodstock's Anthony Bromley, who reflected on the purchase by saying: "Alan and I tend to look for dual-purpose types at the Guineas Sale and Trueshan certainly ticked the boxes for that job.
"David Hill (part-owner with the Singula Partnership) was keen to buy another Planteur as we had already bought him a 3-year-old in the yard that we liked from the previous year's sale."
Despite the heights, Trueshan has gone on to scale, which in turn have brought some lofty future targets into view, Bromley recalled that connections initially had some much less exciting plans in mind.
"To be fair we all rather thought he was as likely to be a 3-year-old bumper horse as much as a flat one, but we got a bit lucky and he just kept progressing," he said.
"Alan has done an amazing job at managing his career and obviously the dream is still the Ascot Gold Cup (G1)—rain permitting."
Should Trueshan emerge victorious at the royal meeting he would be the second Gold Cup hero to come from the Guineas Sale, as 2015 winner Trip To Paris was selected two years earlier by agent Federico Barberini.
The auction has been the source of four group/grade 1 winners since 2010, and Barberini has been responsible for 50% of those. As well as Trip To Paris, who was bought from Mocklershill for just 20,000 guineas ($32,622), the Italian also signed for Shantisara at a mere 10,000 guineas ($13,171) when she was offered by Aguiar Bloodstock in 2020.
The daughter of Coulsty was sent into training with Daniele Zarroli, for whom she won a Chantilly claimer that saw her switch to the Frederic Rossi yard, before a transatlantic transfer to the all-conquering Chad Brown, who saddled Shantisara to a five-length success in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T).
"I think there's much better value for money at the Guineas Sale," said Barberini. "That's either because some buyers have spent their money already or vendors with potentially expensive lots might place them at the Craven or at Arqana.
"And at the Guineas you also have some late bloomers, horses with a later birth date or more seven-furlong or miler types, and obviously they don't often breeze as fast as the sprinters."
Barberini noted that neither Shantisara nor Trip To Paris broke the clock during their breeze, but said they both possessed other desirable attributes, notably some strikingly good looks.
"I don't think you can go without times these days as the standard of breezing is more uniform, they all try to breeze as fast as possible," he said.
"Everyone has their own method of analyzing the data though and there are other indicators; the way they breeze, their action and their stride, and the vendor too, as some are more inclined to send their horses very quickly.
"Trip To Paris and Shantisara didn't clock a fast time, otherwise they'd have made much more money, but they weren't disasters.
"You can't really plan to buy a Cup horse at the breeze-ups, but Trip To Paris was a very good-looking horse and when you buy that kind of colt for that kind of money, you can't go too far wrong. Obviously, he was in the right hands as he got all the time he needed and it all worked out.
"Shantisara was during COVID-19 so the market was a little bit more depressed and I knew she was broken in very late so had very little prep. Everything she did at the sales had to be put into perspective and I thought she'd done plenty well enough given the preparation she'd had."
He continued: "She was a good-looking filly, although you had to forgive her page, but when you've got 10 grand to spend you have to give in somewhere!
"She also came highly recommended, and that's another important factor at the breeze-ups. You need to trust who you're buying from because you see these horses only a few times in a two-day span."
Despite Barberini's Guineas Sale track record reaffirming not only his eye for future talent but a bargain as well, he suggested that good fortune is important, along with hard work and sound judgment.
"Nobody who buys a horse for that sort of money can pretend they know it's a group 1 horse," he said. "You just do your work, find horses you like, and try to put it all together with the orders you've got. You try your best and then hope for the best!"
After withdrawals, there are around 190 breeze-up Lots due to be offered at the Guineas Sale, which starts with a session of around 80 horses in training.
Among the stallions with 2-year-olds on offer are proven group 1 options like Acclamation , Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, Mehmas, No Nay Never, and Oasis Dream, while promising first season-sires such as Expert Eye, Harry Angel, Havana Grey, Kessaar, and Sioux Nation are also represented.
Barberini was among those on the Rowley Mile Tuesday watching the pre-sale breeze and reported that conditions should prove conducive to lively trade.
"The best news is that it was quite pleasant and not bitterly cold with an icy wind!" he said. "I'd say every horse had a fair chance to do well so, in terms of trying to find a nice one, they were the ideal conditions. The quality was good so I'm looking forward to seeing these horses sell now."
Tattersalls Guineas Sale Fact-File
Where: Tattersalls, Park Paddocks, Newmarket
When: Selling begins at 9:30 a.m. April 28
Last year's stats from 214 offered, 174 sold 81% for turnover of 4,754,750 guineas ($6,327,279) up 77%, an average of 27,326 guineas ($36,363) down 4%, and a median of 22,000 guineas ($29,276) up 28%.
Notable graduates Far Above sold by Bushypark Stables, bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 105,000 guineas ($149,643); Hierarchy sold by Nanallac Stud, bought by David Redvers for 105,000 guineas ($153,720); Shantisara sold by Aguiar Bloodstock, bought by Federico Barberini for 10,000 guineas; Trueshan sold by Knockanglass Stables, bought by Highflyer Bloodstock and King for 31,000 guineas.
