Joy for Charlies Brière as Arizona takes Royal Ascot glory for old friends

Charles Brière was delighted to repay the industry giant which played such an important part of his education with the victory of Arizona in Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The young French consignor managed a fine pinhook with the son of No Nay Never, whom he bought for just 65,000gns as a foal at Tattersalls. Arizona features the smart French two-year-old-turned stallion Dabirsim on his dam’s side and Brière decided to pitch him to his domestic market, selling as a yearling to MV Magnier of Coolmore for €260,000 the following summer at Arqana.

Now in the care of Aidan O’Brien, Arizona flew home under Ryan Moore to take the prestige colts’ two-year-old event of the meeting by half a length from Threat.

"We were normally buying at Arqana but he was the first foal I ever bought at Tattersalls," he said. "It was a very good result for me. I spent almost five years in Ireland working for Coolmore. Hopefully they trusted me, and I’m delighted that the horse is good."

Explaining what drew him to Arizona in the first place, Brière added: "I believed in No Nay Never, you thought of him as the sort of stallion that would have a good chance of being leading first season sire, and we were very lucky to get him for 65,000gns I think.

"The big pinhookers are looking for foals that walk really well and while he was a nice horse, he walked only OK, I would say.

"So he was probably quite cheap - he looks a cheap horse now."

The well-connected Brière, who is one of the rising starts of the circuit and operates under the Fairway Consignment banner, is now looking to kick on with his business.

"We’ve been trying five or six pinhooks every year, we’ve found a couple of winners but he’s the best one so far.

"We’ve been going for only five years and after renting for a while, I managed to buy a farm in Normandy last year. Hopefully it continues to go well."

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