BLOODSTOCK SALES: If yesterday's €1.2 million sales topper shows the same sort of timing and star quality during his racing career, then Sheikh Mohammed will count the money well spent.
Ireland's premier yearling sale at Goffs, at Kill, Co Kildare might have started at midday but it was just before 6.00 last evening when the son of Dubai Millennium and Spirit Of Tara really kick started proceedings.
By a Dubai World Cup winner who died from grass-sickness after siring just one crop, out of the famous Salsabil family from Pat O'Kelly's Kilcarn Stud, the bay colt was expected to play the star role and he didn't disappoint.
Bidding opened at €100,000 and quickly accelerated as Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock adviser John Ferguson and agent John Warren, who was standing next to trainer Michael Stoute, traded blows.
Billed by auctioneer Nick Nugent as "the first colt by Dubai Millennium to be sold in Europe" and "everything you hope to see" the encouragement proved superfluous.
By 6.03, Ferguson, with a mobile phone to his ear, gave the final nod, leaving the Goffs sales board also registering the last bid at $1,392,000 and £864,000 .
"It's for the usual suspect, the 1-2 shot!" grinned Ferguson after hanging up from Sheikh Mohammed who is hosting an International Monetary Fund conference in Dubai.
"The fact of the matter is that the horse comes from a breeder who has proved herself to be from the top drawer and obviously Sheikh Mohammed had a fantastic fondness for Dubai Millennium who he regarded like no other horse before.
"So when it was reported back to him that he was an exceptional individual to boot, and combine that with his pedigree, he was always going to be a horse that would be high on his list. There are 16,000 delegates at the conference so he is probably between meetings," Ferguson added.
If the Sheikh went back to those meetings a happy man the feeling was being echoed in Co Kildare.
Up to then, some experienced sales observers were describing trade as "sluggish" on the Orby sale's new early date.
The Goffs chairman Michael Osborne was more upbeat but even he admitted ahead of his appearance that the Dubai Millennium colt was the "make or break one."
Considering that last year's sales topper was the €825,000 colt now known as Cobra, on the verge of making his debut for Aidan O'Brien, then the price was generally regarded as a positive result. It also took the first day average price to €103,000, slightly up on last year.
Kilcarn Stud produced another rarity in Lot 59, the chestnut colt by Nureyev who was the last horse by his famous sire to be sold at auction.
Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stud paid out €420,000 and spokesman Angus Gold said: "We have been lucky with Nureyev's in the past and he looks like he could make a two year old."
John Warren may have missed out on the sales topper but he picked up a Desert Prince colt from the Irish National Stud for €300,000.
Lot 149: Kilcarn Stud, colt by Dubai Millennium-Spirit Of Tara, John Ferguson Bloodstock, ... 1,200,000
Lot 59: Kilcarn Stud, c by Nureyev-Nuts In May, Shadwell Estate, ... 420,000
Lot 153: Gerrardstown House Stud, filly by Darshaan-Star Crystal, James Delahooke, ... 360,000
Lot 24: Abbeville and Meadow Court Studs, f by King's Best-Marlene-D, Cheveley Park Stud, ... 300,000
Lot 47: Irish National Stud, c by Desert Prince-Moy Water, John Warren, ... 300,000
Lot 62: Ashtown House Stud, c by Montjeu-Opari, Howard Johnson, ... 300,000
Lot 160: Springback Way (Co Kildare), f by Sinndar-Style Of Life, R Fahey, ... 290,000
Lot 94: Mr John Costello, f by Fasliyev-Rahika Rose, DL O'Byrne, ... 280,000
Lot 37: Yeomanstown Stud, c by Danehill Dancer-Miss Kinabalu, DL O'Byrne, ... 260,000
Lot 110: Colbinstown Lodge Stud, f by Giants Causeway-Russian Ballet, BBA (Ireland), ... 260,000
Lot 183: Tally Ho Stud, c by Pivotal-Triple Tie, John Ferguson, ... 260,000
Lot 89: Camas Park Stud, c by Sadlers Wells-Puck's Castle, DL O'Byrne, ... 250,000
Lot 103: Yeomanstown Stud, c by Alhaarth-Ring of Kerry, John Ferguson, ... 240,000
Lot 178: Kilcoran House Stud, c by King's Best-Tiavanita, C Gordon-Watson, ... 240,000
Lot 164: Lodge Park Stud, f by Giants Causeway-Sunset Café, BBA (Ireland), ... 225,000
Lot 12: Corduff Stud, f by Imperial Ballet-Loon, June Judd, ... 220,000
Lot 141: Glenvale Stud, c by Sendawar-Snow White, Howard Johnson, ... 200,000
Lot 118: Camas Park Stud, f by Sadlers Wells-Saintly Speech, Pegasus Farms, ... 185,000
Lot 186: Mr J Troy, f by Cape Cross-Tropical Zone, J Ferguson, ... 180,000
Lot 199: Repender Stud, c Marju-West of Eden, Shadwell Estates, ... 190,000
Lot 72: Abbeville & Meadow Court Studs, f by Sadlers Wells-Petroleuse, P Harris, ... 160,000
Lot 150: Camas Park Stud, c by El Prado-Splendid, BBA (Ireland), ... 160,000
Lot 151: Gerrardstown House Stud, f by Machiavellian-Spring Easy, B Grassick, ... 160,000
Lot 167: Croom House Stud, f by Entrepreneur-Tadkiyra, D Wachman, ... 160,000
