Amo Racing Secures Group 2 Winner Ghostwriter at Goffs

Amo Racing's remarkable recruitment drive continued in Kensington Palace Gardens June 16 after the high-class Ghostwriter (IRE) topped the Goffs London Sale following a £2,000,000 (US$2,714,920, £1=US$1.36) bid from Kia Joorabchian. The group 2 winner and multiple group 1-placed runner is expected to represent his new owner in the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) on the concluding day of Royal Ascot June 21. Despite the magnitude of his latest seven-figure investment, Joorabchian was in mischievous form after signing the docket. "To be honest, my son picked this horse out a little while ago and he said 'We've got to buy this!'," he told the assembled media. "He's third favorite for the Hardwicke and I think he's got a chance to go up to group 1 level, so we'll see." Asked if his son, Maxi, was in attendance, Joorabchian looked in the direction of his bloodstock agent and said: "I haven't got my son, but I've got my adopted son, Alex Elliott! Anyway, he didn't want to buy it so he doesn't have any pressure. This one's on me!" Ghostwriter previously ran in the colors of Jeff Smith for trainer Clive Cox. The group 1-winning handler is not currently among Amo's roster of trainers, but Joorabchian said plans were still to be finalized over where Ghostwriter will be trained. "I've been extremely unsuccessful at this sale in the past years but listen, it's a nice sale, a beautiful atmosphere to buy a horse in," he said. "This horse is proven and we think he can have a huge future. Fingers crossed we're right and we'll go forward and see how it happens." Ghostwriter did not appear until the August of his 2-year-old season but quickly made up for lost time by rattling through a hat-trick of wins in a little over six weeks. An impressive debut success at Newmarket's July course was backed up by a similarly decisive strike in an Ascot novice event. His biggest victory came on his third outing when he recorded a length-and-a-quarter success in the Royal Lodge Stakes (G2). Although he has been unable to add to his juvenile victories at 3 and 4, he has shown consistently high-class form against top opposition. Elliott added: "Obviously he was a very good 2-year-old and a lot of stallion farms were looking to buy him as a stallion prospect. At 3 he hit the crossbar and at 4 he came back and had a good start in Dubai. If you want to compete in the big races, which is what Kia would like to do, then he was an obvious one to buy and that's why Kia bought him." Ghostwriter was bred by Norelands Bloodstock and the Irish National Stud and is the second foal out of Moorside, a daughter of Champs Elysees (GB) who ran second in the Cheshire Oaks during her time in training. Moorside hails from one of Juddmonte's most acclaimed families, as her dam, the Gone West mare Marching West, is a sister to Zafonic and Zamindar. The £2 million mark was hit again later in the sale when the hammer fell on Rafale Design (IRE), winner of the Prix du Lys (G3) on Sunday. However, it subsequently transpired the son of Starspangledbanner (AUS) had been retained by Ecurie Yann Barberot. Stewart snares 'value' with £625,000 Woodshauna Another emerging force among the ownership ranks is John Stewart, and the Resolute Racing principal also made his presence felt in London by securing Woodshauna at £625,000 (approx. US$848,245). The 3-year-old son of Wooded was last seen landing the Prix Texanita (G3) for Francis Graffard and Al Shaqab Racing. Stewart said Woodshauna would remain with his current trainer, and suggested the price represented "good value" on account of the colt not holding a Royal Ascot entry. "Francis trains the horse; he told me he was going to be in the sale, so I had my eye on him," said Stewart, part-owner of the Graffard stable star Goliath. "We've stayed around waiting for him to go through and I thought he'd go a bit higher. I thought he'd go for around £750,000, so I feel like I've got good value there. I think because he didn't have a Royal Ascot target, I got a little value. I'm pretty happy with (the price)." On the London Sale concept, Stewart added: "It's interesting being able to buy a horse and then run it at Royal Ascot coming right off this. There's some good horses here who've bought some good money; it's really interesting, and it'd be interesting to see this type of thing happen at other venues around the world." Securing Woodshauna might not be Stewart's only big result this week as he is set to be represented by two well-fancied runners during Royal Ascot. "I own a leg of Believing with Coolmore, and she's the favorite (for the King Charles III Stakes, G1)," he said. "I also bought Rogue Legend, he's favorite for his race (Windsor Castle Stakes) as well. We're in a good position; we'll just see how it goes." A total of 19 lots sold from 28 offered for a clearance rate of 68%. Those transactions saw turnover hit £7,720,000 (approx. US$10,477,528), which was down 8% year on year. The average was down 27%, £406,315, although the median went markedly in the opposite direction at £300,000, a 50% gain.