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Dirt pedigrees on demand at Dubai Breeze-Up Sale
The sale was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attends the Breeze Up Sale at Meydan Racecourse on Tuesday. — Photo by Michal Divon
Checkbooks were the order as buyers snapped up some of the world’s best two-year-olds at the 2023 Dubai Breeze-Up Sale conducted by the Dubai Racing Club, in cooperation with Goffs, Ireland's premier Thoroughbred Auction house since 1866.
The sale was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the driving force behind the all-powerful Godolphin stable.
Following the success of the inaugural sale which achieved the highest average and highest price of any Breeze-Up conducted by a European auction house in 2022, the 73 Lots went under the hammer at 5 pm in the Meydan Racecourse Parade Ring.
The 2023 catalogue included individuals by established sires like American Pharoah, Constitution, Curlin, Ghostzapper, Hard Spun, Gun Runner, Into Mischief, Justify, Kingman (GB), Medaglia d'Oro, No Nay Never, Not This Time, Sea The Stars (Ire), Speightstown, Tapit, War Front, Zoustar (Aus), and Yoshida (Jpn), as well as exciting first-season sires such as Masar (Ire), Too Darn Hot (GB) and Ten Sovereigns (Ire).
The inaugural sale produced 13 individual winners in five countries. Among the best graduates is the winner Labeling (GB) (Frankel) {GB}), who is also Group 1-placed in Japan, as well as the winning Mr Raj (Bolt d'Oro), who ran third in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas earlier this month.
Goffs selection team led by Tom Taaffe and Nick Nugent helped compile a catalogue of unrivalled quality with the hope of appealing to all Middle Eastern and international buyers attending Saturday’s Dubai World Cup.
Given the heightening focus on dirt racing in the Gulf region, primarily at Meydan in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, there was a big demand for American-bred youngsters.
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The World Cup field is headed by Country Grammer, victorious 12 months ago and seeking to make history as only the second horse to win the great race twice, after Thunder Snow in 2018-2019
There are a plethora of Group 1 winners in the race, including Jugurtha De Monlau, winner of the G1 Maktoum Challenge R3 over course and distance last time out, Rajeh and Mujeeb, winner of the valuable President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi
Winner of his last two races at Meydan — the six-year-old gelding is second favourite for the race behind defending champion Country Grammer
The wide draw will be a very hard challenge for him from barrier 15, says trainer Yoshito Yahagi
The ace handler believes that Rebel's Romance, which contests the $6m Dubai Sheema Classic, would be the horse of the night
The six-year-old gelding lines up for the $6 million Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
He has nine runners — two in Dubai World Cup, three each in Dubai Golden Shaheen and Godolphin Mile and one in Al Quoz Sprint
