At newmarket sales, would you buy a yearling based on confirmation or breeding?

Question

At newmarket sales, would you buy a yearling based on confirmation or breeding?

Answer 1

confOrmation.   The most important element for the maximum enjoyment is soundness, so that it could run many times.  If I were buying one I should buy it out of a selling race or a claimer and would avoid fillies.

Answer 2

both and more importantly

THE SIZE OF YOUR WALLET!!

Answer 3

A tricky question that, Confirmation or breading....

I would say that you wouldn't specifically pick a horse alone on breeding - there have been many bluebloods that haven't been able to run out of sight on a dark night, no specifcally confirmation I would say more importantly by the head and the eye - to me these are the best giveaway a horse will give you. Northerly had the best eye that I have seen, an almost arrogant horse that carried his head high all the time almost in contempt of his opposition, he had a psychological edge of some of his rivals who when he wasn't in the field would run like champions, Sunline and Fields of Omagh are two that come to mind here, Sunline in particular was probably the best mare to have raced for who knows how long and Northerly owned her, he raced her three times for three wins, the first two times he grinded out fighting victories that have to be seen to be believed, Northerly would hit the lead and then switch off waiting for something to challenge him and when it did come he would shift in or out to eyeball them as if to stand over them and power away. No other horse I have seen has ever come close to this horse. It was one thing to get to Northerly but another to go past him and it rarely happened. Northerly had no fancy breeding and not the perfect confirmation, you wouldn't have looked at him based on either of these, but he had one h**l of a heart and you could see it through his eye and the proud and lofty carrige of his head.

Answer 4

confirmatiom is the key as some deformaties a yearling will grow out of,it is worth taking (and paying ) someone who has experience with you to help.in racing stock conformation is not as critical (many good horses "dish" etc. with no problems) .Temperment and good handling is important to.hope this helps.good luck.

Answer 5

i think you have to balance both. there are so many horses to choose from people usually have a good idea which ones there going to look at before hand by looking at there pedigree and alot of well put together horses will be missed in viewing , its happened to a few friends i have , had really nice yearlings but not by the a fashionalbe stallioon, they have to ask people to look at it and then got others once they saw the horse move.

personally i would go with confirmation first but being out of  a black type mare always helps, but since i work in the industry, its not likely that i will be able to afford a any nice yearlings, ever :(

Answer 6

Both, but you'll pay through the nose for it!

A guy I worked with a few years ago had looked after Shirley Heights as a yearling and he told me he was an ugly little critter that you would not have looked twice at!  However he blossomed and he all know the rest.

Confirmation is not the be all and end all, as horses like Attraction proved, but a horse needs to be basically well put together and most importantly should move well.