By James Thomas and Tayla Dyke

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Australian interest was strong on the opening day of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Monday, with John Foote Bloodstock partnering with some of Australia’s leading trainers to secure three promising yearlings, writes Tayla Dyke. 

Lot 595, a colt by Darley shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel), was knocked down to Foote and recent Group 1-winning trainer Mick Price Racing for 160,000gns. Consigned by Norris Bloodstock, the colt is out of the unraced Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) mare Autumn Magic, making him a brother to stakes-placed Harry’s Girl (Harry Angel).

Later in the session, Lindsay Park Racing joined forces with Foote to purchase two youngsters. The first, Lot 620, a Lope De Vega (Shamardal) colt from the Kellsgrange Stud draft, cost 160,000gns. 

Out of dual Group 3-placed mare Bikini Babe (Montjeu), the colt is a brother to Somerville Tattersall Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) winner La Barrosa (Lope De Vega) and a half-brother to Listed placegetter Itsy Bitsy (Belardo). Further back, his pedigree includes Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) runner-up Scottish (Teofilo).

Foote and Lindsay Park later secured Lot 650, a Churchill (Galileo) filly from the Highclere Stud draft, for 48,000gns. She is the second foal out of dual-winning Iffraaj (Zafonic) mare Capparis. Her second dam, Karen’s Caper (War Chant), was a triple Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter who has produced a Group 3 winner and two other stakes performers.

Amo Racing recruitment drive continues as Starman filly shines at 525,000gns
By James Thomas

Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing continued to invest heavily as the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale moved onto Book 2. After nearly ten and a half hours of selling at Park Paddocks on Monday, the outfit’s name appeared on the docket of nine lots with a market value of 2.135 million guineas. 

The haul included the day’s most expensive signing, the Starman filly out of Emirates Empress who fetched 525,000gns when presented by Tally-Ho Stud. Joorabchian delegated media duties to Amo’s in-house trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy, who is overseeing the string based at Freemason Lodge Stables just up the road from the sales ring. 

“She was my pick of the sale,” said Philippart de Foy. “She’s from a very good damside. She’s a very easygoing filly, very racy, and Starman can do no wrong, he had more winners again today, so I’m delighted to get this filly. I’ve been very keen on her since the start of the day.” 

The filly is the first foal out of the mare, whose siblings include the Group 2 winners Outbox and Royal Champion. In turn, they are out of Emirates Queen, a Street Cry half-sister to Dubawi who won the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks. Emirates Empress joined the Tally-Ho broodmare band at a cost of just 30,000gns in 2022.

The filly was one of four lots by Starman that were added to the Amo ranks on Monday. 

“I don’t think it’s only Amo, lots of people are big on Starman,” said Philippart de Foy. “He makes a lot of sense and his stock look like horses that will keep improving as older horses. They’re not just small, racy two-year-olds, they look like they have size and scope. He’s made a very strong start.” 

The trainer is in the thick of his first sales season since taking over the Amo Racing string based at Freemason Lodge. Asked how he has found working the sales alongside Joorabchian and his team, Philippart de Foy said: “It’s a very exciting time. From Deauville in August, Keeneland in September and then Book 1 last week, we’ve picked up some lovely horses by top stallions and from very good pedigrees. I’m looking forward to next year.” 

Having suggested Philippart de Foy field the press’s questions, Joorabchian proceeded to tease the trainer by listening in as he gave his answers. When Philippart de Foy was asked if he had got used to working with his new employer, he smiled, shook his head and said: “You never get used to him!”

Earlier in the day Justin Casse signed for a 360,000gns son of Starman on Amo’s behalf. The colt is out of Deep Impression and was offered by Pier House Stud. Casse has been among those to have already enjoyed success with the stallion’s progeny having bought Group 3 Tyros Stakes scorer North Coast for John Oxley.

“I bought him in partnership with Amo to go to Joseph O’Brien,” said Casse. “The stallion has been good to me so far, and to Joseph. He’s had a couple of Graded stakes winners by the stallion, one of which I bought. 

“Hopefully we can replicate that success. This colt was a standout on the day for me. This colt might’ve walked a little better than North Coast, this horse has a really good reach to him.” 

While agents Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy have been at the forefront of Amo’s buying at Tattersalls, Casse signed for two lots on the operation’s behalf at a cost of $1,350,000 during the Keeneland September Sale. 

“I bought two horses for Amo in America,” he added. “We’re working individually but, if we align on the same horse, we try not to bid against each other.”

Teenager pinhookers in clover

The next generation was to the fore at Tattersalls on Monday, and not just the thoroughbred variety. 

Friends Fionn White and Jack and Max Galway, a group boasting a cumulative age of just 46, pulled off the sort of pinhooking success that would have even the most seasoned campaigners going weak at the knees. 

The teenage triumvirate were behind the Minzaal filly out of Chiclet who went from €85,000 Goffs November foal pinhook to 450,000gns market leader on day one of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Karl and Kelly Burke landed the six-figure bid when the filly was presented by Baroda Stud.

The page has received a notable enhancement in the intervening months, as the filly is closely related to the Jessica Harrington-trained Saratoga Special. She won this year’s Listed Land O’Burns Stakes in the colours of Alpha Racing, which was set up by Jack (17) and Max’s (13) father, well-known industry face and Punchestown racing manager Richie Galway. 

“I didn’t expect it at all, I can’t get over it, I can’t even put it into words really,” said a remarkably relaxed White, 16. “Me, Jack and Max were going around the foal sales together last year. Jack and Max had to go back to school but because I had the year off for TY [transition year] I was working for Baroda. 

“I really liked her so I followed her in. I rang Richie before I went in and asked him how Saratoga Special was getting on and he said ‘She’s a nice horse who should do well next year.’ She went on to win a Listed race, which always helps. We bought her off David Byrne but obviously we didn’t expect anything like this at all.”

The mighty result is not the first taste of pinhooking success for White, whose family own Clunemore Lodge Stud in Kildare. Last year’s renewal of Book 1 saw him turn a €36,000 son of Gleneagles into a 205,000gns yearling who was knocked down to agent Will Douglass. 

Asked what he’d be doing with Monday’s windfall, White said: “I’ll be back at the foal sales this year. I won’t be buying too much because I’ve my leaving cert next year, but I’ll try my best.” 

After signing the docket, Karl Burke said: “She’s a lovely filly, we really liked her and she vetted well so I’m delighted to get her. We’ve got a couple of Minzaals now and he’s a sire we really like. 

“Jim Crowley used to ride him and he said he was a great laid-back horse, and he recommended we have a look at his offspring a good few months ago. I’ve been impressed by them. It was a lot of money but hopefully she can run. She’ll certainly be a two-year-old anyway. She’s been bought for an owner in the yard.”

This was far from the first big result for Shadwell’s Derrinstown Stud resident Minzaal. His six Book 1 lots averaged 189,165gns, headed by the half-sister to Asymmetric and Mill Stream who fetched 550,000gns from Amo Racing. 

The son of Mehmas also supplied the top lot at this year’s Doncaster Premier Sale, with Shadwell going to £190,000 for a filly out of the Listed winner Hateya. His debut crop was bred at a fee of €15,000.