BREEZE-up consignor Eddie Linehan says this could be the year that breeze-up sellers really put their money where their mouth is.

The Cork native has plans in place to race his own stock if they don’t make what he or his clients think they should make at the upcoming rescheduled sales.

He said: “I was reading an interview from David O’Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud in The Irish Field the other week and he was saying that you should be prepared to race what you have, that you should believe in them. I’m operating at a lower level but I have a few horses here that I really like and we are prepared to race them.

“You often hear people at the breeze-up sales saying ‘this horse will win a maiden’. If ever there was a year to really put your money where your mouth is, this could be the year, if trade is going to be put back a bit.”

The breeze-up sector has been badly hit by the industry halting but there is finally some reason for optimism with rearranged sales dates looking okay to take place now and with racing due back on June 8th, which will activate one of the main advantages of buying a breezer.

Linehan, who operates from Lackendarra stables in Cork, said: “It was worrying enough the first couple of weeks but the last week or two now has been fine.They’ve made a plan again and at least everyone has an idea where we’re going. It’s like someone telling us, you will have a sale, you’re just keeping them for an extra two or three months.

“In the last week, people knew the racing was going to come back. It gives people something to aim at. I’m expecting the worst, and hoping for the best. I’ll be just happy now if I can get the bills paid and have a small few bob to go again next year.

“I’m only in it at a small scale financially. What I owe might only be one horse for a lot of people. I have 14 breezers, five of which are for clients. I have a few horses for Star Bloodstock this year and they’ve been very supportive. They’ve kept my own ship afloat so I was very lucky to have them.

“I’ve heard of other guys selling horses privately with a bit of success. I didn’t have much luck with it until this week when I sold a filly to England for a good price. That’s a good boost to get that money in the bank just before the sales.”

Suspension

With the suspension of racing and postponement of sales serving as a shock to the system, Linehan had to take a pull with his stock, a few of which were basically ready for the Ascot Breeze-Up Sale, which had been scheduled to take place on March 31st.

Linehan said: “A lot of them were ready to go to the likes of Ascot and Doncaster so we just backed them off anyway. I had a few colts ready and I decided to geld them because I thought keeping them until July, that it would be more convenient than anything and in my market, they’re not going to be stallions, they’re just going to be racehorses.

“Some of the fillies I have were fairly ready and the break has kind of suited them. They’re back up now and they are fillies that might have gone to a yard and got two or three weeks off anyway and now we’ve basically done that. Now they might go to a yard and it’ll be two or three pieces of work and they should be ready to run. People might like that, they’re not going to be waiting too long, they can take a chance on something and they’ll know their fate fairly quickly.”