Royal Ascot is on the agenda for Eddie Linehan's Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale-topping Minzaal colt, who went the way of Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley for a cool 240,000gns on Thursday. It was very much the late-late show at Tattersalls with that result coming deep into a patchy sale that brought a 75% clearance rate and a marked drop in all of the key figures. Richard Spencer will have the thrill of training the colt, described by his consignor as a potential top-notcher. Linehan, who is best known for selling Group 1 winner Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot) through his Lackendarra Stables outfit in County Cork, commented on the colt, “He actually didn't sell as a yearling and I bought him outside of the ring for £30,000 at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale. I own him with Mick and Sarah Murphy [Longways Stables] so they are thrilled. There seems to be good word on the Minzaals and I have been very strong on this lad for a while. We started to step him up about six weeks ago and he was very impressive. Hopefully he will be very lucky for his new connections.”He added, “We tightened things up a good bit this year because yearlings were so dear and we had a lack of help at home on the farm. We halved our number of breezers and it seems to have worked out well. It's a great result.”With Spencer otherwise engaged at Kempton, where Wild Thoughts (Lucky Vega) never looked like getting beaten at odds of 2-7, Georgia King was left in charge of the bidding. King said, “He has been purchased on behalf of a new partnership within Rebel Racing – Phil Cunningham and Tim Gredley to be trained by Richard Spencer. We're delighted to get him and the aim will be for him to run at Royal Ascot. Richard and I came and looked at him this morning but he went to Kempton to see Wild Thoughts win again so I was left to do the bidding. It's the first horse I have ever bought – it was quite nerve-wracking! Richard and Phil were on the other end of the phone.”Of the 157 horses offered in the breeze-up section, only 117 were sold. The 3,832,000gns turnover represented a slide of 24% while the average dropped by 17% to 32,752gns. The median fell a massive 33% to 20,000gns. While Tattersalls Managing Director Matthew Prior acknowledged the war in the Middle East has had a huge impact on the market, he also highlighted the contraction of the domestic market. He said, “The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up and Horses in Training Sale has historically attracted a broad cross-section of both domestic and international buyers, drawn by the mix of proven horses and commercial 'breezers', from a sale that consistently produces a significant number of Group and Listed performers.“While demand for horses in training remains resilient, prevailing economic conditions and uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East have had a marked impact on the breeze up sector. In particular, domestic demand continues to contract, reflecting ongoing pressure on UK businesses, with the impact of current government's fiscal policy increasingly evident.He added, “Consequently, results at the Guineas Breeze Up Sale followed the trend of earlier sales, with a lower clearance rate, while turnover fell to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, it was pleasing to welcome a strong international buying bench to Park Paddocks, with Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Middle East all represented, and good competition for the standout two-year-olds on the day.“It was also pleasing to see Eddie Linehan so well rewarded for his efforts, with his Lackendarra consignment producing the top price of 240,000 guineas, the equal highest price at this sale since 2016. We now look forward to the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale, the final sale in this sector for the Tattersalls Group, before the Tattersalls July Sale, Europe's premier midsummer sale.”Colin Bargary Enjoys 'Best Result By Country Mile' If ever there was proof needed about the power of a good horse, it came when Colin Bargary, who made no secret about the fact he had been taking a hammering so far this year, went on to sell his Ten Sovereigns colt to Anthony Stroud for a massive 200,000gns.Bargary's achievement in turning the Ten Sovereigns colt, bought by his close friend and neighbour Kevin Blake for just €12,000 at Part 2 of the Goffs Orby Sale, into one of the highest prices ever paid at this sale, served as a reminder that just one horse can turn a sale season around.“Absolutely fantastic result for the whole team,” Bargary said shortly after the hammer fell. “It's not often that this happens and the stars aligned. He breezed well, came back sound and jumped through all of the hoops. Over the moon. It's been a very tough year but, as it transpired, we've got well-rewarded for what we think is a nice horse so it puts a better look on the year.”Asked if he has ever come close to a result like this before, Bargary laughed, “Absolutely not. This is my best result by a country mile. He was bought at Goffs by Kevin Blake, who is a neighbour of mine. I have broken in a lot of horses and breezed a couple for him down through the years so great to get that big result together.”Stroud saw off the attention of Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown, while Ted Durcan was also involved in the running.The winning bidder said, “This is an extremely nice horse – he did a very good breeze in difficult, windy conditions. He has a good pedigree and is out of a Giant's Causeway mare, which is useful. He is for a client and plans are to be confirmed.” Whitehead Climbs The Ladder With 125k American Pharoah ColtTom Whitehead is one of the few breeze-up vendors enjoying a good few weeks but, shortly after selling his American Pharoah colt to Blandford Bloodstock's Stuart Boman for what looked likely to be a sale-topping sum of 125,000gns for much of the day, the vendor was keen not to put the mockers on his year, stating that he was still only halfway through the season.Speaking about the colt, the Powerstown Stud man said, “He will make a lovely middle-distance horse. I didn't bring a horse to this sale for a few years but I think it's a nice sale to bring a horse who will take a little more time. I bought him for $50,000 at Fasig-Tipton in October. Lovely, straightforward horse.”He added, “The market is tough – very selective. I think people are looking for something that might hold its value or be good for resale, not just a horse who'll make Ascot and then its career is over. I think the demand is for a nice horse who can be re-sold. We've had a good year so far but we're only halfway through. We've six in France and two in Fairyhouse. We're still climbing the ladder!”The American Pharoah colt was purchased by Boman on behalf of Joseph O'Brien. Boman went on to secure a Harry Angel filly out of Glending Stables for 75,000gns.Costello Brothers Provide Feel-Good Factor With Dream DebutDespite most vendors feeling pain, there was still room for the odd crackle of feel-good stories to break through, and few results matched the exploits of young pinhookers Aaron and Darragh Costello along with Tommy Halford, who netted 75,000gns to Rabbah Bloodstock with their Unfortunately colt. That result marked a dream debut performance at the breeze-up sales for Whitehouse Stud with a colt that was shrewdly sourced for just €21,000 at Tattersalls Ireland.Aaron said, “It's our first breezer and we're absolutely delighted. We bought him for €21,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and the lads at Tradewinds Stud have been a massive help to us. He was very easy to prep so hopefully he will be lucky for his new connections. We'll go in again. This is a huge result so hopefully we can reinvest. It makes all of the early morning worthwhile – riding out with headlamps during the winter before school and college is all worthwhile now.”GET in! Vogt Not Complaining With Pinhooking ProfitA relatively new name on the breeze-up circuit, Stephan Vogt says that Middleham Park Racing and Stuart Williams have a strong chance of making it to Royal Ascot with his 90,000gns Churchill filly. One of the fastest horses in the breeze, lot 219 was purchased for €28,000 at Part 2 of the Goffs Orby Sale and the German native described himself as very happy considering the current state of the market. Vogt said, “Obviously, with the market situation at the moment, you need to be happy with that. She was one of the fastest horses in the breeze. Every time we asked her some questions, she answered them, so we were expecting her to be fast. We paid €28,000 at Goffs so you would be complaining quite regularly if you were complaining about today's result. She's going to very good connections and I hope they all have a chance to get their top hat and tails out.”The Churchill filly was purchased in partnership with Middleham Racing and Tom Morley, owner of Stuart Williams' crack sprinter and fellow breeze-up graduate Quinault. Fittingly, the Churchill will go into training with the Newmarket-based handler. Morley said, “She did a good breeze and I left the physical side of things to Stuart and Middleham Park. All the stars aligned and I think she is the first horse Middleham Park has had with Stuart.”'I'm Only A Farmer' – O'Rourke In Clover With Purple MoonThe best dish of the horses-in-training section was served last when self-proclaimed 'farmer trainer' Pat O'Rourke netted the sale-topping 65,000gns to Anthony Bromley for recent Gowran Park maiden winner Purple Moon (Ribchester).Strikingly similar to his namesake, who was of course a brilliant stayer for Luca Cumani, Purple Moon couldn't have won any more impressively earlier this month at odds of 80-1.O'Rourke beamed afterwards, “Sure he's a home bred and, listen, ya wouldn't have got five pounds for him as a yearling! You wouldn't – sure Ribchester isn't for everyone. We only broke him in as a three-year-old and we were going to run him last autumn but then the weather changed and I said 'feck it, I'll leave him off rather than go to Dundalk.' I made a right b*****ks out of it the first day [when down the field at the Curragh in March] because I told young Jimmy Dalton the wrong instructions. He couldn't have done it any better at Gowran Park.”He added, “Anyways, I'm only a farmer so this is great. We had Shaool [Listed winner for Johnny Murtagh] as well. They're all homebreds.”Thought for the dayCredit to Tattersalls for holding a drinks reception in memory of John Fleming, who died in tragic circumstances when making his way home from the breeze-up sale at Goffs last week. His untimely death has provided a heavy dollop of perspective to many. May he rest in peace. The post Joy For Linehan As Minzaal Colt Brings 240k At Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.