There were plenty of whispers about Katie Walsh's New Bay colt being something a little out of the ordinary, and the well-related youngster duly stormed to the top of the Tattersalls Craven Sale market after bringing 525,000gns (US$621,515, 1gn=US$1.31) a little over an hour into selling the evening of April 16.
After the bid board had barreled deep into six-figure territory, matters boiled down to the Godolphin buying team of Anthony Stroud and David Loder, and BBA Ireland agent Michael Donohoe. The Godolphin duo were positioned in their usual position against the back wall by the door, while Donohoe was directly above his rivals at the top of the stairs beside the packed bidders' area.
Some decisive bidding made it seem as though Donohoe was in the driving seat, but when Stroud delivered a 25,000gns increase to 525,000gns, the BBA Ireland man shook his head and walked away.
The result was not only a Craven Sale high mark for Walsh's Greenhills Farm, but provided a handsome pinhooking return after the colt had been picked up for 125,000gns at Book 1 last October. He clocked a notably fast time during Monday's breeze, and that performance had left Walsh daring to dream.
"I dreamed a little bit because he cost 125,000gns and I knew he had the pedigree, and I knew the people who are into their pedigrees couldn't knock him on that," she said.
"He isn't just a freak, as it all makes sense on paper, so when he breezed well and vetted well I knew we had a chance of getting the kind of touch you dream about. The paper matched up with the physical and it doesn't always work out like that. I had faith that it could work out and thankfully it did.
"It's an absolutely brilliant (result) for everyone. We're a family-run business with my sister, Jennifer, my mum, dad, husband, and me, we're all in it together. I couldn't do it without the lads at home, and that's the truth of it, so this goes down to the work that they put in all year."
The colt is out of Alegra and is therefore a half sibling to the listed scorers Blue Gardenia and Pythagoras. The youngster has already been named Anno Domini, continuing the theme of his further family as he shares his page with Kirsten Rausing's illustrious 'A' family that has produced the group 1 champions Albanova, Alborada, and, most recently, Alpinista.
"I bought him off Lady Ogden and Tom Blain at Barton Stud," said Walsh. "I've never had a New Bay before but this colt has a lovely pedigree. He's always been balanced and straightforward and has just done everything right from the word go.
"His pedigree suggests he wants a mile or a mile and two, but to ride he feels like he'd win over six furlongs. He seems to have it all. That's why I decided to come back here because he was sharp enough to do that. His breeze matched up with that."
After signing the docket, Stroud said: "He's a very nice horse, he did a very good breeze and Katie Walsh does a fantastic job. He's by New Bay out of a Galileo mare, so he ticked the boxes for us and we're very happy to have him."
The Craven Sale continues April 17, with the post-racing session scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m. local time.
