Dancer colt tops Craven opener

The top lot on the opening day of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the Danehill Dancer colt out of the Barathea mare Oshiponga.

Consigned by Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud, the half-brother to the Group 2 winner Hatta Fort was knocked down to Ross Doyle for 170,000 guineas after he saw off the efforts of Stephen Hillen standing alongside trainer Kevin Ryan. The colt was purchased at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale for 52,000 guineas by Mags O’Toole.

The second highest price for the day was 160,000 guineas for the Hillwood Stud consigned colt by Oasis Dream out of the Red Ransom mare Matroshka and from the family of Invincible Spirit. He was bought by Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown on behalf of Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Sultan.

"He is a gorgeous horse, and I love the stallion," said Brown. "He did a superb breeze, but I had seen the horse in his work at Charlie Vigors’. He will go to trainer David Simcock, and he will feel his way forward with him. He'll probably be will be let down for an easy month."

The sale was a triumph for his owners who has purchased him for $140,000 as a yearling.

Late in the evening local agent Dwayne Woods signed for the Sakhee's Secret colt out of the Compton Place mare Queensgate at 150,000 guineas on behalf of his Hong Kong based brother Sean Woods.

"He has been bought for my brother Sean to train," said purchaser Dwayne Woods. "He will be trained in Britain and before shipping to Hong Kong. I don't know who will train him here. He is a nice horse."

The colt, who was consigned by Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm, was another top lot purchased by Mags O’Toole, this time as a yearling for 50,000 guineas at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale continues at 6pm on Thursday, April 19.