Tag: Goffs

The Next Bucanero Fuerte? Aguiar Lands 200k Wootton Bassett At Doncaster

Robson Aguiar showered Tuesday's Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale-topping Wootton Bassett (GB) colt with praise by comparing him to his Group 1 winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) and said £200,000 could prove to be good value for the colt in time. 

The leading breeze-up handler, who also plays a major role in the Amo Racing operation, flew back to Ireland following inspections but lot 48 clearly made a lasting impression with Aguiar, who saw off stiff opposition for the Highclere Stud-drafted colt remotely.

Speaking after the sale, Aguiar said, “He really reminded me of Bucanero Fuerte when I bought him as a yearling. He's got a good loose walk, he's very athletic and has a good pedigree. If he works out I think he could be another Bucanero Fuerte. I see a lot of value in this horse at that price.” 

Bucanero Fuerte cost €165,000 at last year's August Sale at Arqana. He became an important first Group 1 winner for Amo Racing when landing the Phoenix S. at the Curragh and is as short as 8-1 with some firms for next year's 2,000 Guineas. 

Aguiar revealed that a number of options are open to his latest acquisition by the stallion and said the half-brother to Flying Childers S. winner Trillium was a standout for him in the sale. 

“I bought him for myself at the moment but we'll see, maybe later on I could have a partner in the horse,” he said. “I'll get him home, break him in and see how he's going before deciding what I do with him. He could breeze or race but I like him a lot and for me he really stood out in this sale.” 

Wootton Bassett continues to go from strength to strength and the Coolmore-based stallion's exploits on Tuesday came after a sensational August Sale at Arqana where 21 were sold for an average of €378,810.

Like Arqana, the trade at Doncaster was strong, with the opening day top lot one of 18 horses to make six figures. Of the 218 lots offered, 183 sold at a clearance rate of 84%. The aggregate was up 1% on last year at £9,082,000 while the average climbed 10% to £49,629 and the median stood at £36,000. 

 

 

Johnston Snaps Up Sister To Sacred Angel

Sacred Angel has proved herself one of the best horses in Charlie Johnston's stable this season in winning the G3 Princess Margaret S. at Ascot and the trainer went to £175,000 to secure her sister from Yeomanstown Stud. 

Last seen finishing fourth behind Vandeek in the Prix Morny, Nurlan Bizakov's Sacred Angel will now be aimed at the Cheveley Park, and her little sister was purchased on behalf of the same owner. 

Johnston explained of lot 160, “She's for Nurlan Bizakov who now owns Sacred Angel. Things have gone fantastic since he acquired her and we were delighted with her run in the Prix Morny. She will almost certainly go to the Cheveley Park next and let's hope lightning can strike twice as we were keen to get the sister.”

He added, “I think there are similarities and this filly is a bit more backward than Sacred Angel was at this time last year. She will get broken in fairly quickly now and then get turned away. She has the same athleticism as Sacred Angel. Delighted to get her.”

Sacred Angel came out of this sale last year and was originally knocked down to John Dance's Manor House Farm for £52,000. She won her maiden at Newmarket in the colours of the Titanium Racing Club before switching ownership to Bizakov. 

The Sumbe boss reaped immediate rewards when Sacred Angel landed the Princess Margaret and was then beaten just under five lengths by Vandeek (GB) in the Morny, a race which is sponsored by the French stud. 

Explaining how the relationship came about, Johnston said, “This is Sumbe's first year sponsoring the Morny and Nurlan was keen to have a runner in it. They were on the hunt for suitable horses in the months leading up to the race and Richard Knight [bloodstock agent] got in touch off the back of her winning her maiden at Newmarket.”

He added, “Could I have said to him that the filly was capable of holding her own in Group 1 company at that point? No. But we were already thinking that her next start would be in the Princess Margaret. It was a bit of a punt with regards to the Morny but it worked out fantastically well.”

Sacred Angel is out of Sacred Aspect (Ire) (Haatef), herself a speedy two-year-old for Ken Condon back in 2013 when landing a listed event over five furlongs at Tipperary.

 

 

'The Sire Is Absolutely On Fire' – Williamson Keen On Havana Grey Colt

Vandeek (GB) has flown the flag for the breeze-ups this season with a scintillating two-year-old campaign that featured Group 1 glory in the Prix Morny earlier this month and Norman Williamson pushed the boat out to secure what he hopes could be the next top colt by Havana Grey {GB}) for £120,000. 

Bought alongside Mags O'Toole, Williamson had to fend off a strong challenge from Roderick Kavanagh, who transformed Vandeek from a 42,000gns yearling purchase into a 625,000gns breeze-up sensation at the Craven Sale. 

Williamson has never breezed a Havana Grey before but said he was keen to snap up the colt from Whitsbury Manor Stud with a view towards the premier sales in the spring. 

“He has been bought to breeze and we all saw what Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) did this year,” Williamson said. 

“The sire is absolutely on fire and I'm delighted to get him. He looks as though he might need a little bit of time but he's a great mover and he has size and scope.

“I haven't breezed a Havana Grey before–I haven't been able to buy one. We had to stretch to get this lad but that's what it has been like at all of the markets. The better ones are making a premium.”

Asked if the colt being by Havana Grey played an important part in the buying of lot 91, Williamson replied, “It is very important at the other end. Of course they have to breeze well but, the plus here–which gave me an extra kick–was the fact he is out of a Pivotal (GB) mare. That's a plus. But he has a lot of size and scope to him and I think in the spring he will turn into a fine horse. Hopefully.”

  • Who said the smaller sums don't make a big difference? For Billy Kelly, son of bloodstock agent Peter, his £36,000 Tasleet (GB) filly represented a sizable profit given he bought the horse for just 6,000gns as a foal at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. The 18-year-old completed his leaving certificate this year and owned the Tasleet [lot 147] in partnership with Paul Winters. Asked what he planned on doing with the proceeds of the sale and Kelly's reply was “go again”.
  • David Loughnane has a £180,000 Blue Point (Ire) colt to look forward to next year after Ed Sackville purchased lot 197 on behalf of an unnamed British owner. The colt was consigned by Longview Stud and is out of the listed-placed So Hi Society (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}). Sackville said, “He was a real standout and the sire needs no introduction. He's out of a fast race filly and the pedigree goes back to a lovely Wildenstein family. He will be trained by David Loughnane, who has a good record with two-year-olds.”
  • Alastair Donald has had great success purchasing on behalf of PK Siu, notably with Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) and more recently G3 Hampton Court S. winner Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}). The top agent added lot 84, an Eathlight (Ire) filly from Jamie Railton's draft, for £160,000 on behalf of the owner.
  • Anna Sundstrom's good run continued when lot 60, a Havana Gold (Ire) colt purchased with Filip Zwicky at the Goffs November Foal Sale for €44,000, rocked into £85,000 to Howson and Houldsworth/Jamie Insole. The sale came off the back of a bonanza of results at Arqana for the Coulonces operator that included a €1 million Wootton Bassett colt to Yoshito Yahagi. Interestingly, Insole is the former assistant trainer to Charlie Hills and has recently joined Dr Richard Newland on the licence. The pair will operate a dual-purpose training facility.
  • As well as signing for a host of horses for his father Richard and landing the buy of the day in the shape of lot 121, Peter Fahey enjoyed a productive session in purchasing on behalf of Karl Burke, Kevin Ryan and Clive Cox. Fahey landed seven yearlings all told on Tuesday to the tune of £419,000 which represented something of a breakout sale for the young agent.
  • One of the more interesting stories to emerge from this sale last year was the strength of Richard Hughes and the trainer once again flexed his buying power by signing for four yearlings for £330,000. Hughes bought 11 yearlings for a total of £744,000 last year and his Tuesday purchases were headed by a £160,000 Sea The Stars (Ire) filly from Barton Stud.

 

 

Bromley Lands “Wish List” Mehmas For New Client And Classic-Winning Owner 

Classic-winning owner Phil Cunningham snapped up the services of ace agent Anthony Bromley of Highflyer to secure five yearlings for £422,000, headed by a Mehmas (Ire) colt from Tally-Ho Stud for £145,000.

The brief, according to Bromley, was simple; “fast ones,” for Cunningam, who owned 2,000 Guineas winner Cockney Rebel (Ire). In lot 97, the agent picked up a speedy-looking colt for Richard Spencer to go to war with next season. 

Standing alongside the trainer, Bromley said, “We've got three so far today. Two-year-olds and fast ones, that's the plan. Mehmas was on our wish list if we could get one. This looked like the archetypal Mehmas–all square, good bum on him, walks well, speedy family and the dam has had a good record. She was fast and there are some good ratings out of the dam.”

He added, “It just ticked all the boxes apart from the fact he was getting expensive! I don't normally spend that high but he was a proper two-year-old type and we really hope he can do well for Phil. Excited.”

Bromley also picked up a Mohaather (GB) colt from Barton Stud for £70,000 and an Advertise colt from Lynn Lodge Stud for £40,000 on behalf of his new client and praised the stock on offer at the sale. 

He said, “The vendors have really supported the sale well and they are being rewarded with what looks to be pretty decent trade. It must be said that the sales race [Harry's Half Million] is a great incentive.”

After purchasing the Mehmas, Bromley and Spencer landed another colt Mohaather (GB) [lot 185 for £95,000] and one by Kodiac (GB) [lot 156 for £72,000].

Buy Of The Day

The River Boyne (Ire) colt that Peter Fahey sourced from Tara Stud for just £15,000 looks well bought. 

A ball of speed, he is exactly the type of yearling that Henry Beeby spoke of as being synonymous with this sale. 

By first-season sire River Boyne, who won his Grade I in America before returning home to Tara Stud, the colt will be trained by the agent's father Richard. 

At £15,000, he can run in the lower class maidens in the north of England and he looks early so can be expected to be out in the first few weeks of the season. 

He's not that light on pedigree, either. Out of a Manduro (Ger) mare Princess Eva (Fr), herself a half-sister to Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), she has already produced a black-type winner, albeit in Italy. Given the strength of the trade at Doncaster on Tuesday, the River Boyne colt looks decent business. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Oliver St Lawrence bought a quality-looking Mohaather filly from Barton Stud for £75,000. 

Although above the average for the Tuesday trade, lot 125 boasts a good pedigree being a half-sister to the listed winner and Group 2-placed Sir Boris (Ire) (Due Diligence).

The filly was one of the nicest offerings by Mohaather to hit the sale ground this week and one to keep track of, for sure.

There is a strong chance, however, that the best transaction of the day did not happen on the sales ground at Doncaster, but a couple of miles down the road in an antique shop in the town centre. 

For just forty quid, bloodstock agent Peter Kelly unearthed a vintage top hat that should have cost many multiples of that initial outlay. Hats off, Peter!

The post The Next Bucanero Fuerte? Aguiar Lands 200k Wootton Bassett At Doncaster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘Horse First, Pedigree Second’ – Donny Rockets Take Centre Stage At Goffs 

DONCASTER, England-The vendors have answered the rallying call. That was the message issued by an upbeat Henry Beeby on the eve of the eagerly-anticipated Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale. And judging by the footfall here since Sunday, the Goffs chief has every reason to be positive. 

The Al Mohamediya Racing team have been out in force trying to find the next Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). Top trainers Richard Hannon, Clive Cox and Ger Lyons have also been busy inspecting the stock on offer, not to mention the number of leading agents and breeze-up handlers in attendance. 

If Arqana lit the touch paper on the European yearling sale season with a booming trade, all of the ingredients are here at Doncaster for another lively session, and Beeby was left praising vendors for coming up trumps in fitting the brief that was set out to them.

He explained, “There is no doubt the vendors have stepped up and answered our call. We had a good sale last year and, when our team went on to the farms in Britain and Ireland, we asked vendors for a step up in quality for this year's sale. The vendors have done us proud and we have been very well supported by them. 

“I have looked at almost all of the horses that I am going to be auctioning myself and I am very impressed. There are some lovely horses here-horses that would grace any other first choice sale.”

Luke Barry: has a strong draft | Emma Berry

One man who has brought more than his fair share of classy yearlings to Doncaster down through the years is Luke Barry of Manister House Stud. It was at this sale where Barry sold Group 1 winners Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) and La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}). He offers an 11-strong draft on Tuesday and Wednesday and reported the action at Barn B to be encouraging. 

In between organising shows for Brian Meehan, the Al Mohamediya team, Shadwell boss Angus Gold and more, Barry said, “Footfall in Donny is always good and it has been very good again this year. We have a nice bunch of horses and this sale has been very good. It's been busy but, like I said, it always is here. 

“They do a great job and people always turn out in force for this sale. We've been lucky here. We've sold a lot of Group 1 winners here. We've had luck in the ring and on the track from this sale so hopefully that continues this week.”

As well as offering some early and fast-looking types, Barry has never been afraid of throwing a nice horse who could benefit from more of a trip, into this sale while his neighbour in Barn B, Tom Blain or Barton Stud, is another consignor who has brought a classy draft of horses that features everything from a sharp Pinatubo (Ire) [428] to a good-walking Sea The Stars (Ire) [234].

However, according to Beeby, the foundations of the Premier Yearling Sale have been built on Donny rockets, which is something the sales house does not want to lose focus on again. 

He explained, “We are seeing the faces we want to see here. The industry takes this sale very seriously. It has a long, rich history. We took a long look at the Premier Yearling Sale a few years ago. We felt we had morphed slightly away from what we were always known for. We reviewed it all and thought that the most important thing was to get back to the Donny rockets.

“When I started in the early eighties and when my father was there before me, it was always about the individual. It was always about the good-looking horse. When we went into the fields with the vendors, we told them we needed a looker, and that's what we have delivered. It's horse first, pedigree second here. And unashamedly so. It works and, of all the sales, the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale has as an identity, if not the strongest identity, of any other sale. Everybody knows what they are going to get when they walk in through these gates and we're very proud of that.”

Beeby added, “The horses from this sale have done well on the track and, the fact that we have increased the prize-money for the Harry's Half Million has obviously caught the imagination and we had a very good renewal of the sales race on Thursday. That demonstrates the quality of the horses on offer and the footfall ahead of this year's sale has been great.”

One of the fascinating subplots of the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale each year is how it provides the first taster of how the market reacts to a first-season stallion. One horse, or at least a couple of different variations of his name, has come up in conversation more than any other over the weekend, and that's Whitsbury Manor Stud's Sergei Prokofiev, or as one leading buyer called him on Monday, 'Sergei Provoloff.'

While everyone may not be in unison on how to pronounce his name, the stock of Sergei Prokofiev has gone down well with many industry judges, and Whitsbury's Ed Harper is optimistic about what this week will bring. 

Ed Harper of Whistbury Manor Stud | Sarah Farnsworth

He said, “The past few weeks, you couldn't open the newspaper without seeing a son of Scat Daddy producing a stakes winner. It has been ridiculous. Whether it's Justify, No Nay Never, Sioux Nation, Seahenge or Seabhac, it's every day. It's unreal. I was very confident about Sergei Prokofiev being a son of Scat Daddy but it has just been off the scale. You want to come here and see a resemblance in his stock compared to the other sons of Scat Daddy and they are big, strong horses. That's what I have seen here from them-they are strong, have lots of bone and seem to have great attitudes as well. I couldn't be happier.” 

Indeed, Whitsbury Manor Stud is familiar with launching a young stallion and it's their own Havana Grey who is responsible for this sale's poster boy Jasour. An £85,000 purchase by Clive Cox from renowned pinhooker and consignor Jenny Norris, Jasour won his maiden in June before running out an impressive winner of the G2 July S. last month. 

That success sparked great scenes on the July course, with Ali Majeed of the Bahraini outfit celebrating as though he'd struck a last-minute winner at Wembley, and he was busy trying to find the next winner to toast on Monday.

He said, “We like fast horses and Doncaster is the sale for fast horses. We like coming to Doncaster. We bought Jasour, Shagraan (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and Golden Horde (Ire) here. We bought two in France last week. One was by Golden Horde, so we wanted to support him, and the other was by Hello Youmzain (Fr). We're happy with how the yearlings by Golden Horde have sold and there is a filly here [219] by him as well. The majority of them will sell in France, where Golden Horde is standing, but hopefully when buyers see more of his yearlings they will like them.”

Majeed added, “We are very happy with how racing in Bahrain is developing and improving. We had a Group 2 there this year and hopefully there will be a Group 1 next year. We really enjoy coming together for the racing and the sales. It is one family and one group of people involved and that's why we enjoy it so much. The sales in France were very strong but, here at Doncaster, you can buy the fast horses. We look for speed.”

There will be no shortage of speed on offer here over the next two days with the sale kicking off at 10 am on Tuesday. 

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From France To Doncaster: The Key Pointers For The Premier Yearling Sale

DONCASTER, England–A serious tempo was set to the European yearling sale season at Arqana last week with strong trade recorded in the August and V2 sales. If the momentum is to continue into the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale this week, Goffs could be in for a productive week. 

G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was sourced here 12 months ago for £52,000 while similarly smart two-year-old Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) cost £85,000. 

Both juveniles have flown the flag for the Donny yearlings with their exploits on the track this season and, judging by the footfall on the sales ground on Sunday, there is a long queue of buyers eager to find the next Sacred Angel and Jasour. 

The two-day sale kicks off on Tuesday at 10am and there are plenty of pointers to take from Arqana that could shape the way things play out at Doncaster and beyond. 

Blue Point Here To Stay

There was huge expectation placed on Blue Point's first runners this season and he has lived up to his billing with a Royal Ascot success and 25 individual winners in Britain and Ireland alone. 

Big Evs (Ire) has been the flagbearer for Blue Point (Ire), with Mick Appleby's colt following up his Windsor Castle victory at Royal Ascot with a Group 3 success in the Molecomb at Goodwood before running down the field in last Friday's Nunthorpe. 

Blue Point has eight horses rated 90 or above in Britain and Ireland and these are the sort of statistics that are willing buyers to reinvest in the Kildangan Stud-based stallion's yearlings. 

An average of €191,364 for 11 yearlings sold at an aggregate of €2,105,000 at the August Sale would suggest that Blue Point has more than justified the belief placed in him by breeders. His yearlings won't be easy to buy this week.

Pinatubo and Earthlight Off To A Strong Start

The strength of the Darley roster was there for everyone to see at Arqana. If it wasn't a son or a daughter of Dubawi (Ire) selling for a couple of million euros, well then it was one of the legendary stallion's sons Night Of Thunder (Ire) or Ghaiyyath (Ire) who were catching the imagination. 

Pinatubo (Ire) was the one of the most popular freshman sires at Arqana while fellow Darley stallion Earthlight (Ire) certainly struck a chord with his first yearlings. 

Of the nine Pinatubos to sell in the August Sale, they averaged €195,000 with buyers including Wesley Ward, Oliver St Lawrence, Robson Aguiar and more. 

There are three Pinatubos and eight Earthlights on offer at Doncaster. One would wager that they will be in high demand. 

Sergei Set To Make a Splash

If the first yearlings by Sergei Prokofiev (Can) are as popular as the foals were, the Whitsbury Manor Stud-based stallion could be in for a good week.

Sergei Prokofiev embarked on his stud career on a fee of £6,500 and rewarded breeders with an average of almost £30,000 for 52 foals sold in Britain and Ireland in 2022. 

Last weekend was a good one for the Scat Daddy line, as pointed out by Coolmore's Mark Byrne on Twitter, with Ten Sovereigns (Ire), Justify, and Sioux Nation responsible for a number of smart winners. 

Good judges Julie Woods, Freddy Tylicki, Larry Stratton, Harry Dutfield and Tom Whelan nominated the progeny of Sergei Prokofiev as being ones to keep the right side of in the TDN last year and plenty can be expected from him this week. 

Hello Youmzain One To Take From France

Fair to say Hello Youmzain (Fr) really captured the imagination at Arqana. Etreham's newbie had 19 sell for an average of €128,789 in the August Sale and 12 sell for €42,458 at V2.

Many are tipping him to scoop champion first-season sire honours in France next year and it's easy to see why given how well his stock was received.

The dual Group 1-winning sprinter is represented by two yearlings this week and the momentum could continue to build behind Hello Youmzain at Donny.

Golden Horde A Dark One?

Golden Horde has just one yearling at Doncaster [219] but he could be an interesting sire judging by how his first yearlings were received at Arqana.

They came in different shapes and sizes last week, with Peter and Ross Doyle signing for a strapping colt from Anna Sundstrom's Coulonces draft for €80,000 in the August Sale catching the eye. Six of the seven yearlings by the G1 Commonwealth Cup winner sold for an average of €35,833 at the V2 Sale and it was notable that Richard Fahey, Jean-Claude Rouget and Sheik Sultan Al Khalifa featured among the list of buyers at V2. 

Standing at Montfort et Preaux for €8,000, Golden Horde won't have many yearlings to represent him in Britain and Ireland this year. Along with lot 219, a filly consigned by Kildaragh Stud, Golden Horde has a couple of yearlings to sell at Book 3 at Tattersalls. 

Nevertheless, judging by his stock at Arqana, Golden Horde remains an interesting young sire at an affordable level.

Breeze-up Handlers Out In Force

Kenny Rogers famously said that one of the gambler's secrets to survival is knowing when to walk away from the table and there was plenty of that in France from the breeze-up fraternity. 

While Mick and Sarah Murphy from Longways Stables picked up five yearlings, Tally-Ho Stud added two and different operators like Matt Eves of Star Bloodstock were dotted around the sales results across both sales, the trip to Deauville didn't yield much for the majority of breeze-up handlers.

This will be the week where many operators buy their first breezers for the upcoming season and that will add to what is expected to be strong trade. 

Other Newbies To Note

We were provided with an early glimpse of the yearlings by Arizona (Ire), Kameko, Mohaather (GB), Threat (Ire), Without Parole (GB) and Shaman (Ire) at Arqana but Doncaster will mark the debut Far Above (Ire), King Of Change (GB), River Boyne (Ire) and Sands Of Mali (Fr).

Of that bunch, Mohaather could be the pick. His sole yearling failed to sell at the August Sale but he has a nice bunch of yearlings to go under the hammer this week and, with a foal average of over £40,000 last year, plenty can be expected from his yearlings.

 

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Sioux Nation’s Indian Run On Top In The Acomb

Eve Johnson Houghton trainee Indian Run (Ire) (Sioux Nation–Just Wondering {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) bettered a debut third at Newbury with a breakthrough score at Ascot last month and continued on the upgrade with a decisive success in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York.

Racing under a firm hold in a handy fifth through the early fractions of this seven-furlong test, he loomed large out wide passing the quarter-mile marker and was ridden out once quickening to the fore approaching the final furlong to hold the late threat of Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) by an ultimately comfortable 1 1/2 lengths.

“That was very exciting and I'm really happy,” said Johnson Houghton. “What was pleasing was that his strongest furlong was his last because he had a really bad trip all the way, trapped on the outside with no cover. This ground is perfect Flat racing ground and he just found and found and found, which is very exciting. He's in the [G1] Dewhurst, so we'll probably look there. He's so unfurnished he needs time, so we'll give him a nice break until then, I imagine. Last year's winner [Chaldean] won the [G1 2000] Guineas, so we shall dream.”

Adrian Keatley was pleased with the performance of runner-up Ballymount Boy and commented, “He's handled the ground and we're happy with how he ran. He's had a long season, having come from the breeze-ups, and we're confident that he'll handle softer ground at the back end [of the season]. He's a big fellow, he went on that soft ground at Goodwood and at least we know he handles that quicker ground today. We definitely wouldn't be losing any faith and we think we have a very nice horse on our hands. We'll back off him for a few weeks and have a look at something at the back end. The [G3] Autumn S. [at Newmarket] or something like that.”

“Well Worth Doing” – Delight For O'Connor After Acomb Result

Eve Johnson Houghton was not the only one celebrating the success of Indian Run in the G3 Acomb S., as Rea O'Connor had successfully pinhooked the youngster for 75,000gns to Ballyhane Stud's Joe Foley at the 2022 Somerville Yearling Sale at Tattersalls just under a year ago.

A farrier by trade, O'Connor had plucked the newly minted Group 3 winner out of the Goffs November Foal Sale for just €6,000 from the draft of John Banahan's Ridge Manor Stud and describes his pinhooking venture as “a hobby.”

“I wouldn't pinhook too many each year, just a couple, and I pick up a few every year, it's just a bit of a hobby,” O'Connor told TDN Europe. “This is by far the best result by a longshot. It was great. It's absolutely fantastic for Joe Foley that bought him. Glad to have him there now and it's great to see him go on, as that's what it's all about.”

As soon as the hammer fell at Goffs, O'Connor already had a yearling sale in mind for the son of the placed mare Just Wondering (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).

“When I bought him as a foal, the aim, from the minute he arrived home and when I'd seen him at the sale, was to send him back through the Somerville Sale,” O'Connor added “I thought he was a good, hard-knocking straightforward colt and would suit that sale down to the ground. A nice and early sale for a nice and early horse.

“I think I'd only seen him once at Goffs and liked him. He was [a] grand, good early January foal. Good and strong in himself, quite uncomplicated, really to be honest. I'd say I was just lucky he was in the early lots and maybe a few people missed him, that I managed to buy him. The mare maybe put a few people off. She'd a good few foals and not many winners. I think she has one runner, one winner, but I suppose she was a bit exposed with foals on the ground.”

Bred by Ciaran McGrath, the Jan. 27-born colt is the eighth foal and second winner for his dam, who is a granddaughter of 1999 American Broodmare of the Year Anne Campbell (Never Bend), responsible for the Classic-placed multiple Grade I winner Menifee (Harlan), the three-time Grade I winner Desert Wine (Damascus), and Mr. P's Princess (Mr. Prospector), herself the dam of Fasliyev (Nureyev), et. al. among others.

“He was the type of horse that you wouldn't even know was around the place, he was so straightforward and anyone could do anything with him,” O'Connor continued. “He was a grand, quiet horse and great temperament. I suppose that stands him well in his racing. He was a good, strong, straightforward colt as a foal, very, very uncomplicated.”

After pleasing O'Connor in his prep, Indian Run was sold at Park Paddocks through Timmy Hillman's Castledillon Stud draft, where he caught the eye of Foley.

Reflecting on the transaction and looking toward the future, O'Connor said, “It's all well and good to get a few pounds for him and that keeps the thing going, but it's fantastic when they go on and win a race like the Acomb. It makes looking after him, going out in the morning, in the evening, before and after work worthwhile. It makes it well worth doing.

“Hopefully we can build on that. We can get something more this year hopefully. I'm delighted for everyone involved.”

Pedigree Notes

Indian Run is the latest of eight foals and one of two scorers produced by a half-sister to the stakes-placed duo Vegas Venture (Gold Fever) and Brown Linnet (Ire) (King Of Kings {Ire}). His second dam Ibtikar (Private Account) is kin to MGISW sires Menifee (Harlan) and Desert Wine (Damascus). Descendants of his dual stakes-placed third dam Anne Campbell (Never Bend) include elite-level winners Fasliyev (Nureyev), Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), U S Navy Flag (War Front), Roly Poly (War Front), Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Les Arcs (Arch), Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah) and Blueridge Mountain (Arg) (Giant's Causeway).

Wednesday, York, Britain
TATTERSALLS ACOMB S.-G3, £165,000, York, 8-23, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.13, g/f.
1–INDIAN RUN (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Sioux Nation
1st Dam: Just Wondering (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ibtikar, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Anne Campbell, by Never Bend
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€6,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 75,000gns Ylg '22 TATSOM). O-Bronte Collection 1; B-Ciaran McGrath (IRE); T-Eve Johnson Houghton; J-Daniel Tudhope. £93,572. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $155,450. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ballymount Boy (Ire), 129, c, 2, Camacho (GB)–Kasalla (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). (€8,000 Ylg '22 TATIRY; €110,000 2yo '23 TATGOR). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Fontstown Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Adrian Keatley. £35,475.
3–Loose Cannon (Ire), 129, c, 2, Territories (Ire)–Varega (Fr), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€85,000 Ylg '22 ARQDOY). O-The Loose Cannons; B-Oceanic Bloodstock Inc & Eric Puerari (IRE); T-William Haggas. £17,754.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 8.50, 2.75, 4.50.
Also Ran: Hot Fuss (Ire), Cogitate (Ire), Edwardian.

 

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