DESPITE the uncertainty in the global economy at present, the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale produced strong results on Tuesday evening.

A total of 52 of the 67 horses offered (77.6%) sold for an average price of over 121,000gns, a rise of 22% on the same session last year.

Trainer David Loughnane, who made headlines last year with his juveniles Go Bears Go and Hello You, signed for the day's top lot when paying 525,000gns for a Kodiac colt from Tally-Ho Stud.

Loughnane signed for the horse under his own name and in association with OMNI Horse.

"I loved everything about him, he is a lovely animal, he is very well balanced, he did an exceptional breeze, the fastest breeze of the lot," said Loughnane.

"He just looks an out and out Royal Ascot horse. He has a very good pedigree, his dam was a very good two-year-old for Mark Johnston. I love everything about him, he has a lot of quality and let's hope he can back up on the track, fingers crossed

Of ownership plans, Loughnane said: "He is for a new syndicate. I didn't think that we would have to go that far for him, I knew he was not going to be cheap, but thankfully I have some owners who are willing to back him. The sire has done it year in and year out and he comes from a very good farm in Tally-Ho Stud."

The colt is a homebred, the first foal out of the mare No Lippy, a six-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream. She was bought by Tally-Ho at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2018 as a two-year-old for 20,000gns. She achieved a BHA rating of 88 and won three races for Johnston, the first on her career debut in April.

Williamson sale

Another Co Westmeath vendor, Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm, sold the second highest priced lot of the day, a colt by War Front for 425,000gns.

Williamson famously sold champion two-year-old Native Trail at this sale last year.

It was bloodstock agent Ted Durcan who signed for the War Front youngster at 425,000gns.

"He is from a marvellous stable, he is a smashing looking horse, smashing moving horse, vets are happy, he is going into training with Joseph Parr in Newmarket. He is a beautiful stamp of a horse, and he is for owner Oliver Harris who already has horses with Joseph," said Durcan.

"The horse is fairly explanatory, he did smashing breeze. He is obvious and you have to pay for them. He does look more of a seven-furlong horse."

Williamson said: "I have to give Mark McStay a mention, I knew I'd had luck with War Of Will [also by War Front and breezed by Williamson] and he said 'Listen there is a War Front colt out here [the US] that has not been sold'.

"Tim Hyde Jnr went out to the farm and took videos and all the rest, so really without Mark we would not have got to him."

The colt went through the ring as a yearling not sold at $170,000, Mark McStay signing later at that price under the Avenue Bloodstock banner.

Williamson added: "He is a beautiful horse, he really is. Let's hope he is a race horse, but he is beautiful and his breeze was beautiful too. He has a fantastic action, we are delighted – let's hope he is a champion."

Williamson said that the colt has a definite likeness to War Of Will, winner of the Preakness Stakes and the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes.

"He is very similar – action and attitude, he is always fresh and happy with life, which is interesting. If he is as good then we will be more than happy. he is very like him. Size and build-wise for a War Front he is very like him, big and strong and a lot of scope."

Top purchasers during Tuesday's session were Peter and Ross Doyle, who spent 850,000gns on three lots.

Blandford Bloodstock also bought three for a total outlay of 455,000gns. Godolphin bought one horse - an Oasis Dream colt from Brown Island Stables - for 310,000gns, while Michael O'Callaghan bought three for 257,000gns.

TUESDAY FIGURES (2021 in brackets)

Lots catalogued: 83 (84)

Lots offered: 67 (76)

Lots sold: 52 (65)

Aggregate: 6,311,000gns (-3%)

Median: 86,000gns (+8%)

Average: 121,365gns (+22%)

% sold: 78% (86%)