Huge pinhooking profit as Dark Angel colt brings £410,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale
All bets are off for the title of most successful pinhook of the year after a Dark Angel (Acclamation) colt picked up for a mere €6,000 topped the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale at a record-breaking £410,000 (approx. AU$755,560).
Connections of the youngster, including owners Jerry Horan and Katharina Irmer and consignors Justin Timmons and Danny O’Donovan of Dolmen Bloodstock, looked on in stunned silence as the bid board rattled through six-figure sums at a rate of knots.
Alex Elliott, standing with Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian, pushed the price to £400,000 but the final say came from Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, with a £10,000 increase enough to bring the gavel down.
Timmons said: “It’s magic, it’s life-changing stuff. Jerry and Katharina took a punt with him so it’s a great story all round. He could have easily been a horse who had problems but everything went well and he matured all through the winter.
“He’s never put a foot wrong and everything aligned. He’s got a big, floating action and he did a very professional breeze, he’s just been a dream to prep.”
The colt, who was bred by the Wildensteins’ Dayton Investments, was picked up by Horan’s Paragon Bloodstock from the Ecurie des Monceaux draft at the Arqana October Yearling Sale. He is the fourth foal out of the Listed-placed Venturous Spirit, a daughter of Arch (Kris S) who shares her page with Group/Grade 1 performers such as Volga (Caerleon), Vallee Enchantee (Peintre Celebre) and Maids Causeway (Giant’s Causeway).
Expanding on how the ownership group was formed, Horan said: “I know Katharina from the sales and we were in France trying to buy yearlings to breeze when she was there working for Grove Stud.
“She said if you get something let me in on it, and this was the horse I bought – she must have taken me for dinner that evening! In fairness we can’t take much credit because the horse was broken in by Clare Manning and then went to the lads at Dolmen, so they’re the ones who have done all the hard work. We’re just lucky enough to own him.”
Thursday’s result may be the biggest touch Dolmen Bloodstock have pulled off, but it is not the first as they also sold a €10,000 Make Believe colt to Blandford Bloodstock for 105,000gns at last year’s Guineas Sale.
Timmons added: “You can never expect figures like that, you just try your best to get them to the sale and then through all the other hoops they’ve got to jump through. We’ve been prepping breezers for the last six or seven years and we’re trying to do better each year, so it’s onwards and upwards.”
Plans call for the colt to remain in Newmarket, as Brown revealed his purchase will head into training with William Haggas. After signing the docket, the agent said: “Well it was significantly more than I had expected or hoped to pay!
“I thought he did an outstanding breeze and obviously the sire is one of the best in Europe. He’s a gorgeous big horse and when I spoke to my client last night we highlighted him as the one – as obviously my underbidder did! I was on the phone to my client through the sale and I would say that was our last bid.”
The intensity of demand for the top lot was mirrored elsewhere in the market, and by the close of trade 176 of the 193 two-year-olds on offer had changed hands for a clearance rate of 91 per cent.
Turnover hit £5,689,300 (approx. AU$10,484,450), up 64 per cent year-on-year from an offering that had increased by 31 per cent. The average was up 16 per cent at £32,325 (approx. AU$59,570) and the median remained static at £20,000 (approx. AU$36,856).
Elliott atones
Alex Elliott may have missed out on the session-topper but he had better fortune earlier in the day when he secured the Bated Breath (Dansili) filly out of Polar Circle (Royal Academy) offered by Grove Stud at £240,000 (approx. AU$442,280).
“When we come to these sales we like to try and buy the best horses and I thought she was the best filly here,” said Elliott. “As the price would suggest, there were a few other people who thought the same. She did a very good breeze, she’s got a pedigree and she’s by a sire that I love.
“I can definitely picture her in the parade ring before a good race. She’s been bought for a partnership, I don’t know who’s going to train her but she’ll stay in Britain.”
Persistence pays off with Jet Setting colt
A strong wildcard offering was led by the Dark Angel colt out of Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) heroine Jet Setting (Fast Company), who was making a quick return to action having been bought back by his vendor Star Bloodstock at £150,000 at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale.
The well-bred youngster put in a much more promising breeze at Newmarket and duly had a much more successful spin through the ring as Adam Driver of Global Equine Consultant Services struck a winning bid of £185,000 (approx. AU$340,865).
“We knew he was a nice horse so we brought him back so he could prove what he could do,” said Star’s Matt Eves. “Diego [jockey] got him to do a three-and-a-half furlong breeze rather than a get-up-and effort and he galloped right through the line. I’m pretty convinced Adam’s got a bargain but it’s a good result and everyone’s happy.”