Caravaggio Close Up

240,000gns Caravaggio Colt Tops Second Tattersalls Session

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale proved to be a big one for Coolmore America stallions on Tuesday and Wednesday when a colt by Caravaggio topped the Wednesday session. That topper came a day after Practical Joke’s 360,000gns filly topped both the first session and subsequently the whole sale.

Caravaggio’s 240,000gns colt out of Bright Sapphire was signed for by Sackville Donald when offered by the Yeomanstown Stud consignment.

The lone lot of the day for his sire, the Charlie Brooks-bred is a half-brother to multiple group placed Wall Of Fire among Bright Sapphire’s three winners. A daughter of Galileo herself, Bright Sapphire is also a daughter of Group II winner Jewel In The Sand with stakes horses under three of this colt’s first four dams.

Bright Sapphire’s colt was one of the top five priced juveniles of the sale, and the second highest by a freshman behind only Practical Joke’s filly.

"He is for a new Hong Kong client, he will go out to Hong Kong at the end of the season," said Alastair Donald. "He will be pre-trained in England, he is a lovely big horse and he has a nice pedigree. He breezed well for a big horse and looks the type to do well in Hong Kong."

He was joined in the six figure club by Caravaggio’s colt out of Like a Star, who was purchased for 130,000gns by Avenue Bloodstock.

Out of a full sister to Battle of Marengo, Group II placed Perhaps, and stakes placed Precious Stone, that colt was purchased for 155,000 as a foal while walking around this this same ring a year and a half ago. The Caravaggio colts out of Galileo mares proved to be popular throughout the sale with his third most expensive son out of Galileo’s winning daughter Pink Damsel.

A 120,000gns purchase by Ian Williams and Ben Brookhouse from Mark Grant Racing, he is a grandson of multiple Grade I winner Riskaverse, whose four winners include Group III winner and Group I-placed Say, who is the dam of three stakes winners.

Seeing his first crop popular in both Europe and the United States, Caravaggio relocated to Ashford Stud this season. He has already enjoyed race success with his first crop when Tenebrism impressed with a winning debut that sees her slated for a run at Royal Ascot in June.