Doctor Dino nomination raises €23,000 for UNICEF's Ukraine Appeal

A nomination to leading French National Hunt stallion Doctor Dino raised €23,000 for UNICEF's Ukraine Appeal when offered through Auctav’s online March Sale on Wednesday evening.

Nicola Fitzgerald secured the winning bid, which is for a thoroughbred or AQPS mare aged under 15 for either the 2022 or 2023 breeding season. It had been offered for Haras du Mesnil's Grade 1 sire by the Doctor Dino syndicate.

Quoted in French racing publication Jour de Galop, Fitzgerald said: "We brought several mares in the past to Doctor Dino and the horses that were born are truly exceptional.

"This year I had three broodmares that I wanted to mate with this stallion and I only had two nominations. So it was a great opportunity and the fact that this is a charity sale only makes this purchase that much more special."

The standout from the mixed selection of 13 horses offered was the sale of the potentially exciting Icare Grandchamp for €155,000.

The Kapgarde four-year-old was second over hurdles at Compiegne in the middle of March for Francois Nicolle and is a brother to Grade 3 winner and triple Grade 1-placed Dalia Grandchamp as well as a half-brother to Poly Grandchamp, who won this season's Grade 1 Prix La Haye Jousselin for Nicolle. He was bought by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda.

A private sale of €120,000 to PB Bloodstock Services was conducted over Triple Threat gelding Mister Policeman, who had run out an easy winner on his second start at Fontainebleu a week ago.

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