Breeze-Up Sales Results

New Complex a Resounding Success

The official opening of the new DBS Sales Complex by Michael Owen was followed up in fine style when a son of EXCEED AND EXCEL topped the day of trade when realising £200,000. The Colt was consigned by Bansha House Stables, who sold MEDICI CODE at the Sale in 2006 before winning twice at Grade 2 level in America and who featured on the cover of the catalogue in 2008.

The April born Colt is a half brother to three winners, including the Listed placed SWEET AFTON and comes from a strong black type family that includes the Group 1 winning LYPHARITA. He breezed extremely well on Wednesday afternoon and attracted plenty of admirers, but it was Anthony Stroud and David Loder who were left to make the running, before Loder made the final bid and signed the Colt in the name of Richard O'Gorman Bloodstock. He has been bought for Sheikh Mohammed and will go in to training in the near future and is an exciting horse to follow when he reaches the racecourse in the coming months.

The second highest price of the day went to an attractive TOBOUGG Filly who was knocked down to David Loder for £180,000. The February born Filly is out of the Listed placed NIGHT HAVEN and is a half sister to two winners, including SECRET NIGHT, who was second in the Listed Eternal Stakes at Warwick. She was another to perform an effortless breeze and it was Howard Johnson who made much of the running before the hammer came down to Loder, who bought the Filly for Sheikh Mohammed.

Gerrard Kennedy's Sherbourne Lodge was another to hit the high notes when his TALE OF THE CAT Colt realised £95,000. The January born Colt is the first foal out of the Group 2winning NOTTING HILL and showed plenty of interest around the arena before the hammer came down to Jeremy Brummitt. Another to realise the same amount was an EXCEED AND EXCEL Colt who was consigned by Meadowview Stables. The half brother to five winners was knocked down to BBA Ireland and looks another exciting addition to the racecourse.

DBS Managing Director, Henry Beeby said after the sale:

'Excellent. That has been the verdict on the new DBS Sales Complex and it is extremely gratifying that the many years, months, weeks, days and hours of planning and hard work seem to have paid off. The many, many visitors to Doncaster over the last few days have given a universal "thumbs up" to the new facilities and we are so thankful for such a positive reaction. We now feel we can compete with anyone and will strive to continue to grow and develop the unique DBS service at our full programme of sales.

The DBS Breeze-Up Sales have been one of the great successes of the Company over the years and we are very satisfied with today's trade which has been remarkably buoyant given the gloomy economic outlook at home and abroad. There is little doubt the bloodstock market is extremely selective at the moment - you only have to look at the clearance rates at some of the Breeze-Up Sales in America - and DBS has not been immune but quality has shone through and there has been real and lively competition for those that breezed best headed by some excellent pinhooking touches. That our clearance rate has stayed at a healthy 82% speaks volumes and illustrates the enduring appeal of a sale that consistently gives buyers what they want - success. Yet again our loyal and excellent band of vendors have provided us with a really desirable bunch of potential winners and we have little doubt that these will again outperform all the competition on the track over the next 12 months. Our turnover is naturally down as we deliberately tightened the catalogue numbers but we are extremely pleased that the average and median have remained within a bid or two of last year which we feel is perfectly acceptable in this day and age.

The facilities at the new Complex have allowed us to showcase the DBS breezers talents like no other venue and our unique Bid Boards showing each lot's work on the track as he or she enters the Sales Arena has received a lot of positive comment. DBS has always looked at ways to enhance our service and this is a classic example.'