Don Poli keeps Kirby and Yates' Grand National dreams alive after £170,000 sale

Don Poli and Outlander are both likely to appear under different trainers when they run in Saturday's Randox Health Grand National after changing hands at the fourth record-breaking renewal of the Goffs UK Aintree Sale, which took place after racing on Thursday evening.

As buyers sheltered from the rain under the marquee in the parade ring, Don Poli was first to appear and it did not take long for a bidding war to ensue between trainers Philip Kirby and Paul Nicholls.

The two parties traded increases of £10,000 as auctioneer Henry Beeby attempted to lure extra bids with the prospect of a runner in Saturday's big race, and it was Kirby who eventually emerged on top with a £170,000 play.

"He's been bought for Darren Yates," said an elated Kirby. "It was more than we wanted to spend, but Darren wanted a runner in the race."

View Aintree Sale results and buyers

Don Poli, who won the 2015 Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, pulled up on his only start over the Aintree fences in the Becher Chase in December, and was last seen plugging on into third behind Jury Duty in a stamina-sapping chase at Down Royal last month.

The ten-year-old son of Poliglote, who remains relatively lightly raced having won eight of his 21 starts, has previous course form having fended off the late Many Clouds in a Listed chase in December 2015 and finished second to Cue Card in the Bowl the following April.

Kirby and Yates intended to run recent acquisition Blaklion in Aintree's showpiece, but the son of Kayf Tara had to be scratched having suffered a late setback.

Outlander followed Don Poli into the parade-turned-sales ring and fetched a similar sum when hammered down to JD Moore for £165,000.

"He's been bought for Rebel Racing and will be trained by Richard Spencer," said Moore. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to buy a runner in the Grand National. Plenty of people spend a lot of money and never get into the race.

"He's got heaps of options including the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at Auteuil, which has some very generous prize-money even for the places, and next year's Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham."

Outlander, a well-bred son of Stowaway out of Western Whisper, has notched up ten wins in 35 starts, though Thursday's sale was his first visit to Aintree.

Outlander and Don Poli achieved their highest Racing Post Ratings of 170 and 168 respectively when finishing first and second in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December 2016.

Outlander's other two Grade 1 wins came in the 2015 Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown and 2017 Champion Chase at Down Royal.

While Elliott lost two stable stalwarts in rapid succession, Keith Donoghue and Patrick Mullins appear to have kept their rides aboard Outlander and Don Poli respectively.

Both have been trained by Gordon Elliott since the start of the 2016-17 season, having previously been in the care of Willie Mullins.