Celebrity chef Bobby Flay bags blue-blooded No Nay Never filly at 600,000gns

Celebrity chef and Breeders’ Cup-winning owner and breeder Bobby Flay was among a strong US contingent at Tattersalls and added to his Stateside string with the purchase of a 600,000gns No Nay Never filly offered by Watership Down Stud.

The filly was bred in partnership between Floors Stud and Coolmore and is the fourth foal out of Cushion, a Group 3-placed daughter of Galileo and the Duke of Roxburghe’s four-time Group 1 heroine Attraction. Cushion has bred two winners from as many runners, including Hafit, who was beaten just a neck into third in this year’s Queen’s Vase.

Cushion’s siblings include three horses with bold black type, namely Group 2 scorer Elarqam, the Group 3-winning Fountain Of Youth and the Listed winner Maydanny.

“The plan is for her to go back to the United States,” said Flay. “The sire is quick in general and I like having grass horses in training in the US, my trainer there, Christophe Clement, is a specialist.

"She’s a beautiful physical and I love the idea of the No Nay Never-Galileo cross. My bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy picked her out. This is actually his first trip to Tattersalls.”

He added: “It’s been very hard to buy. Am I surprised by that? No, but when you’re in the mix of it and you’re trying to buy, you feel it - I’m exhausted from raising my hand and not getting anything! This is the first filly I’ve bought but it’s good for the business. I’d rather it be like that than the opposite.”

The No Nay Never filly out of Cushion in the Park Paddocks ringCredit: Laura Green

Flay was switching roles having been among those selling during day two, which became the highest-grossing session in European auction history with an aggregate of 49,545,000gns. Flay bred the Frankel colt out of Auld Alliance who was sold through Kirtlington Stud and went the way of MV Magnier and White Birch Farm at 800,000gns.

With Frankel supplying six seven-figure lots during Book 1, headed by the 2,800,000gns colt out of So Mi Dar bought by Godolphin, Flay quipped: “That seems to be an inexpensive Frankel! He’s going to Ballydoyle though so I’m thrilled.”

Auld Alliance joined Flay’s broodmare band when bought for 550,000gns by James Delahooke, the hugely respected bloodstock agent who passed away last month at the age of 77. Delahooke was also responsible for the purchase of the 1,250,000gns White Hot, from whom Flay bred his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca.

Flay paid tribute to his friend and former agent by saying: “It’s a huge loss for everybody. I keep thinking I’m seeing him around here, it’s very odd.

"He was a great educator, a great friend and, most importantly, besides his amazing ability to pick a beautiful horse, he was a pleasure to be around. I always learned something about life and about horses with James.”

More news from Tattersalls:

'They’re hot as anything' - Frankel colt fetches 2,000,000gns as Book 1 rolls on

Highest-grossing day in European sales history led by 2,800,000gns Frankel colt

Sheikh Mohammed's presence sparks 6,025,000gns Godolphin spending spree