'It's exciting' - filly out of £600 mare in training with O'Brien and Coolmore

From small seeds grow mighty trees and breeder Claire Sayer is delighted at how far her Fastnet Rock filly My Sweet Mary has come to be housed in the powerful Joseph O'Brien yard and sport the legendary colours of Sue Magnier and the Coolmore partners.

Having purchased the filly's dam, the unraced Empire Maker mare Celestial Empire, for £600 out of John Gosden's yard - where partner James Worrall was then working - it was the beginning of a venture that has borne plenty of fruit for the small breeder.

Sayer explains: "James was working for John Gosden at the time and he knew Celestial Empire from the barn. When she went unsold at Tattersalls we had the opportunity to buy her for £600 and she's been with us ever since.

"Breeding is something James has always wanted to do as he's involved in racing and loves the pedigree side. For me, it was more a love of horses - I had horses growing up but hadn't been involved with them for a while. She's a fine, strong mare so we thought she had potential."

Celestial Empire and My Sweet Mary out in the paddocksCredit: Claire Sayer

She adds: "It's hard work because nine months of the year it's done on three acres by ourselves and they go away only in the winter as it's my mother's farm and it's heavy clay land. This year Celestial Empire was at the National Stud as they're the best of the best and we like to be sure of where she's at."

Celestial Empire's broodmare career took off when a mating with former Australian shuttler Foxwedge resulted in the dual Grade 3-placed Star Empire. Trained by Wesley Ward, he was a 40,000gns purchase from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale from Grove Farm Stud to De Burgh Equine and James Harron.

Sayer continues: "We had Star Empire, who we got by chance as we sent Celestial Empire to a local stallion but she didn't click with him. Our vet told us about Foxwedge so we whisked her down to Whitsbury and the result was Star Empire."

Having formerly stood at Whitsbury Manor Stud, Foxwedge now resides at Woodside Park Stud in Australia, and so Sayer had to find an alternative to the Group 1-winning son of Fastnet Rock. The answer came in the form of his own sire.

She says: "We approached Coolmore and asked if they'd be interested in her visiting Fastnet Rock. It was a chance for her to go to one of the big stallions - she'd been on a low budget previously to that - and they were keen so she went off to Ireland for three or four months.

"Coolmore have been particularly supportive in their advice and in accepting the mare, it was wonderful to tour the place - I thought I'd be there for ten minutes to see her and I ended up staying for three hours!"

My Sweet Mary at four weeks oldCredit: Claire Sayer

Sayer was delighted with the result of the union, and a decision to sell My Sweet Mary at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale a year later paid dividends when Sam Sangster struck the winning bid at 60,000gns.

She says: "We were so pleased with her when she was born - we usually sell foals but decided to keep her as a yearling. She had quite a bit of interest when she went through Tattersalls and sold to Sam Sangster.

"She was then entered in the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, which surprised us as we didn't think she'd be a breeze-up type. We weren't sure then who owned her - she was with Mocklershill in Ireland - and she was then withdrawn."

Sayer was then given the exciting news of My Sweet Mary's arrival at O'Brien's yard, and was equally thrilled to discover her homebred would wear the famous navy silks of Magnier.

She adds: "We heard she was going to Joseph O'Brien, which was exciting as he's a fine trainer and comes from a fine stable himself! His secretary kindly sent us some pictures and now we're just waiting with bated breath.

"We thought it was a lovely name because she has the sweetest nature and was no trouble all the way through. We're now on tenterhooks waiting for an entry! It took our breath away as they must like her and hopefully she'll justify it."

My Sweet Mary ahead of her date at Book 2 of Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2019Credit: Claire Sayer

There could be further chapters in this fairytale as the couple have retained Celestial Empire's first foal, Starlite Jewel, who has a three-year-old Wootton Bassett gelding in training with Phil McEntee, while Celestial Empire herself produced a Muhaarar filly this year.

Sayer explains: "We kept her first foal, who's a companion mare and has a three-year-old in training by Wootton Bassett. You can't cover them every year on a budget so we've just got to do the best we can. Star Empire also had a full-sister, who we kept, but sadly we lost her in training at two, which was gutting as she was beautiful.

"Our mare's just had another cracking filly and we're just so proud of them all."

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