‘I have 72 breezers here and I am at my wit’s end’

TOP breeze-up consignor Willie Browne has accepted he is facing a significant financial hit as he considers the options for the 72 breeze-up horses he had planned to offer for sale in Ireland, Britain and France in the coming weeks.

The Mocklershill, Co Tipperary, vendor is anxiously awaiting news from the sales companies on their plans but, in the meantime, he plans to post photographs and videos of some of his horses online next week and says he will consider any private offers.

“I don’t believe internet sales will work too well,” he said. “You might sell a cheap horse online but it’s hard to expect someone to give you six figures for a horse they cannot see in the flesh. I’m just going to try it to see if there is any reaction. I have heard there has been a bit of action but I didn’t see any of it yet.”

Along with Con Marnane, Brendan Holland and Jim McCartan, Browne is regarded as one of the strongest suppliers in the breeze-up market. Three years ago he sold a colt in Deauville for €1.4 million, having bought him for only $15,000. This year he says he is prepared to take “a fair hit”.

“We are all obviously waiting for the next announcement from the sales companies. To be honest, I don’t expect much will change in the short-term. In some ways that’s not a bad thing as there is no point in having a sale until such time as air travel has returned.

“I have 72 breezers here and I am at my wit’s end. Some of them are precocious types with a short shelf life in terms of sales opportunities. The horses who will be milers and 10-furlong horses, wouldn’t be doing much for a month after being sold anyway, so they have more time.”

Browne says his main priority is to move horses on, even at a loss. “If I make a minor loss this year I would consider it a good result. It’s the speedy horses I am most worried about. Life is passing them by a bit.

“The one thing I don’t want to see happen is Royal Ascot cancelled. That’s the flagship meeting and it would be detrimental to our business if it’s called off. Everything revolves around Ascot.”