Inaugural Dubai Breeze-up Sale exceeds expectations
Middle East’s first Breeze-up Sale of two-year-old horses in training further solidifies Dubai’s status as a leading player in the world of horse racing
Dubai saw a lively trade from the start as the Middle East’s first two-year-old horse training sale, the Dubai Breeze-up Sale, surpassed all expectations.
The event, jointly organized with Goffs, Ireland’s leading bloodstock company, took place two days before the prestigious World Championships in Dubai at Meydan Racecourse, and the horses were sold for about 31.6 million dirhams.
Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmuk Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Racing Club, said: “We are thrilled with the success of the inaugural Dubai Breeze-up Sale. Our goal is to strengthen Dubai’s position in equestrian sports and activities, and by hosting the Middle East’s first two-year-old horse sale, we are further contributing to Dubai’s status as a leading player in the world of horse racing.”
“We thank the Goffs team, consignors and buyers for their hard work and support. This was a great start to what we hope will become a sale that will grow year after year,” added Bin Dalmuk.
The very first lot, Gun Runner by MC Thoroughbreds, a son of Class 2 winner Bank Audit, went for AED 1.4 million to Dr. Jim Hay, a longtime owner who has been basing horses in Dubai with Bhupat Seemar as of late.
Trainer Zabeel Stables will accept the sorrel colt, and new owner Hay commented, “I think the sale is a brilliant concept, and I know the Goffs have been hoping to do this for a long time. The horse has a wonderful pedigree. We are looking for horses that will go dirt in Dubai. We bought three in Ocala last week to give to Bhupat Simar, he will train this horse as well.”
Dr. Jim Hay also went to great lengths to purchase another horse from Mickey Clear’s trio, the mare Into Mischief from 11-time winner Ageless, for Dh1.6 million.
The Breeze-up Sale, which offered 72 lots, offered a range of producers, including one Frankel, who was the first to break the two-million-dirham barrier. Lot 30, Frankel by Noyelles, mother of Meydan winner Lily’s Angel, went for AED 2.1 million to Hirokazu Okada/Big Red Farm, delighting consignee John Cullinan of Church Farm and Horse Park Stud.
“We had a wonderful night,” John Cullinan said. “We had a good sale on Tapiture and Mastery, so we were very lucky, and then there’s this horse. Our friends bought him as a foal and then didn’t sell him as a yearling, so there was a lot of pressure on us, but he’s a wonderful horse. They didn’t expect him to be a rocket type – these are next year horses – and we trained him accordingly. He galloped very little, Roger Marley was overseeing it all, but this horse is just naturally talented, and he has improved physically.
It took another 15 lots to beat that number when Lot 45, a son of 2008 Dubai World Cup winner Curlin out of double winner Saucy Dame, took first place. Exhibited by Powerstown Stud, the chestnut was sold for AED 2.5 million to Mohd Al Subousi.
“It exceeded my expectations,” said consignor Tom Whitehead of Powerstown. “He was just a baby when we bought him, but he turned into a beautiful horse at an advanced age.”
Also popular was Lot 40, Kingman ex-Raskutani, half-brother of Meydan winner Global Heath, who went for Dh2 million to Peter and Ross Doyles, and the only dubawi, Lot 24, a filly by two-time winner Joyful Hope, went for AED 1.4 million to Yusuf Salem Said Saqer Al Kaabi.
Inaugural Dubai Breeze-up Sale exceeds expectations with approximately AED31.6 million worth of saleshttps://t.co/OsWyWIQN8k pic.twitter.com/waebKdS4ma
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 24, 2022
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