Acclamation filly kicking off the year for beefed-up A&N Bloodstock

After several seasons of quietly building up their reputation, this week’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale is the latest step in a ramping-up process for Antonio Da Silva and Nikki Scallan’s A&N Bloodstock.

The couple, who began their own operation on the Curragh after working for Mark Dwyer’s powerful Oaks Farm Stables in Yorkshire, have entries across the European spectrum during the two-year-old auction season and are hoping to make a swift start with a daughter of Acclamation at Newmarket’s curtain-raiser.

"This is really the third year," Scallan explains. "We came back from England to Ireland and had the idea we’d buy a breeze-up horse together.

"We bought a Starspangledbanner colt in Goffs and had a nice touch with him [subsequent winner Oh Say, bought for €10,000 and sold for 58,000gns at Ascot] so we expanded last year and got a few more, and it’s now developed a bit more.

"We sold a Fast Company filly last year, Fast Response, and she’s done very well for Nick Bradley, and we’ve had Shut Up Michael and Coulthard, who have gone to America and won races."

Da Silva takes over with his assessment of lot 38, a filly out of New Approach mare Piacere, who was out of a sister to top-class sprinter Muthmir. A £44,000 purchase, she is a half-sister herself to the Camelot filly Phaidra, who was a winner in France last year.

"We bought her in the Fairyhouse September Sale in Newmarket from Rathbarry," he says. "She’s quite forward, a nice classy filly. I ride her every day and she’s done everything perfectly. I think she’ll be a good filly in the future."

Scallan expands on members for later on this spring in what promises to be a particularly busy time.

Lot 38, an Acclamation filly, gets A&N Bloodstock up and running for the breeze-up season at NewmarketCredit: Tattersalls

"We’ve got a few clients as well now, so that’s helped us along the way," she says.

"We’ve actually got six for the Guineas Sale and there are a few nice ones there including a Fast Company colt. Then there are three in at Doncaster, there’s a very nice Dandy Man going there. Then two going to Deauville, two for Fairyhouse. We’ve doubled the numbers really."

Da Silva was a jockey in his native Brazil and worked in two distinguished Irish yards, even partnering Classic-winning Camelot - "a special horse and nice memory to have" - on the gallops during five years at Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle.

He began with Michael Halford, where one particular horse jumps out in his recollections.

"I was riding Casamento before he ran," he says. "I said to Mr Halford, 'When he runs I’ll put all my wages on this horse, he’s class'. I think he laughed and told me to go away but I told him, 'I’ve ridden Group 1 horses before and we’ve got one here'.

"He told me the horse was entered the next week, and I said if he won I was coming in in a new car. I think they thought I was crazy.

"Anyway, he won, and I went out of the bookies, bought the car and came in the yard. I hooted the horn and said, 'I just want to tell you I’ve got the car'. He said, 'Well, now I’ve got a car to drive around the yard to watch the horses gallop!' It was very funny, everyone was talking about it afterwards."

Da Silva’s unwavering judgement was not only proved correct on Casamento’s debut win at Tipperary but later that season as he finished second in the National Stakes, won the Beresford and claimed that Group 1 title in the old Racing Post Trophy.

"[Halford] tried to help me get me a licence but I didn’t speak any English to start with," he recalls. "But he gave me a shot, gave me a few rides, but it got to a time when I decided I should stop."

The couple are also offering breaking and pre-training, with their respective duties well defined. Scallan, whose father trained point-to-pointers, also spent time with Castledillon Stud and the capable Katie McGivern’s Derryconnor Stud operation.

"Nikki knows the business, she knows people, and I know how to ride the horses," says Da Silva. "We started it together and we’ve managed to keep it going."

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