Landshark's landmark win sees 5,000gns buy fuel Classic dreams

It's not every day that a horse who cost a mere 5,000gns as a yearling finds himself earning quotes for the 2,000 Guineas. But that is precisely the position in which Landshark and his connections find themselves after the son of Bated Breath made a taking debut at Leopardstown on Thursday evening.

The Jessica Harrington-trained colt also ensured that US-based owners E5 Racing Thoroughbreds got their Irish expansion off to the best possible start, their first runner becoming their first winner.

That, however, is only half the tale of Landshark's formative days.

Having caught the keen eye of Egmont Stud's Mark Flannery during Book 2 of Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year, the colt duly went from one end of the market to the other when topping the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale, knocked down to BBA Ireland for €210,000.

"We just got lucky I suppose," Flannery says modestly. "I think the yearling sales possibly came at the wrong time for him as he was still a little bit immature.

"But he always walked well and when you're operating at the kind of level we are, you have to just take a chance on some of those kinds of horses and try and find something that slips through the net."

While that sort of indulgence is essential when hunting for value at the lower rungs of the pricing ladder, Flannery recalls that the colt offered more than enough positives to make him stand out among the 229 other yearlings catalogued.

"He was always a good-actioned horse, and if they move well and look like they have a good attitude you can afford to forgive a lot," he says. "I like the sire too. I thought he made a good start with his first crop, and he's definitely continued that with his two-year-olds this year."

Flannery could well have beaten the rush when it comes to the progeny of Bated Breath. Since he acquired Landshark, the likes of progressive sprinter Ekhtiyaar, Group-placed Unabated and Railway Stakes winner Beckford have advertised the talents of the Banstead Manor resident.

Beckford, indeed, is a warm order to provide his sire with a maiden Group 1 winner in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Mark and Paula (right) Flannery of Egmont Stud keep a watchful eye over the ring at TattersallsCredit: Laura Green

Of course, sourcing a yearling with a share of upside for the right price is only half the battle when it comes to the breeze-up market –and both Landshark's sale-topping price and his performance on Thursday are testament to the Egmont academy.

"We turn all ours out straight after the sales and then bring them in around the start of December to break them in," Flannery explains. "That way we can give them a nice, long prep and just bring them along slowly. He was always a very straightforward horse, everything came very easily to him, he knew his job from the word go."

Flannery is among the sizeable band of breeze-up consignors who choose to leave the stopwatch to the buyers, and the more sympathetic approach to sales preparation has clearly reaped its reward.

"I don't time them at home as you should already know the good ones," he says matter-of-factly. "If you can get them to go as fast as they can in a straight line, and you know that horse A is point two of a second faster than horse B, there's nothing you can do about it anyway.

"Of course you're conscious that they have to do a good time when they get to the sale, but you'll know within half an hour after the breeze if they did a good time or not by the amount of traffic coming to your stable door!

"When I got the times he had been one of the fastest colts in the sale. By that point he'd really come into himself, and had grown into a good physical to back it up. I thought he'd sell well but I didn't imagine he'd make that much - he's the first sale-topper we've ever had. It'll be hard to find a few more like him, but we'll keep trying anyway."

Landshark strikes a pose during the Goresbridge Breeze-Up SaleCredit: Amy Lynam

Despite such a resounding result at the breeze-ups, life goes on as normal at Egmont, with Flannery currently busying himself preparing around 20 yearlings for the upcoming Goffs UK and Tattersalls Ireland auctions.

He did, however, afford himself time to attend Leopardstown on Thursday to see his former charge become talked up as a Classic aspirant.

"I thought he was very professional - he quickened up very well and won his race in a couple of strides," he says with more than a hint of pride. "He's got a lot to do before the Guineas, but he's started off on the right foot anyway. Hopefully he can keep progressing."

The Classics may seem an awfully long way off, for a maiden winner in early August. But it is worth remembering that Landshark's co-breeder, Fonthill Stud, has a rich history when it comes to producing Classic talent.

During the 1970s the stud's Set Free became the first mare since the 19th Century to have the distinction of producing two Oaks winners, half-sisters Juliette Marny in 1975 and Scintillate in 1979, as well as a St Leger winner, Julio Mariner taking the 1978 Town Moor showpiece.

Bred and raised at an acclaimed nursery, pinhooked and prepared by a notably shrewd operator, Landshark then found his way into the hands of one of the finest trainers around. So if his racing ability can follow the same trajectory as his purchase price, the sky may well be the limit.

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