Merchant Navy's sibling set for campaign with Ciaron Maher

A full-brother to last year’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner Merchant Navy was among the stars of a lucrative opening session of trade at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on Tuesday.

The son of Fastnet Rock was bought for A$2,300,000 (£1,256,193) by Aquis Farm, who have opted for a winning formula by choosing to send the colt into training with Ciaron Maher, the man who prepared Merchant Navy to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Coolmore subsequently acquired the major holding in the sprinter and he finished his racing career with Aidan O’Brien.

Shane McGrath, the chief executive of Aquis Farm, said the colt was the best yearling he had seen by Coolmore Stud sire Fastnet Rock.

"He was our pick of the sale. He is an outstanding colt, he is everything you want to see. He has got the pedigree and he is by a champion sire and he is a brother to Merchant Navy, who is as good as we’ve seen," McGrath said.

"I’ve seen a lot of Fastnet Rocks in my time and he’s as good a model as you can find. With him it’s hard to value him at that level, but you know you are going to have to pay for them. The reality is that if he is good he’s cheap and if he’s not he’s expensive. Hopefully he is the right one for us."

When asked if he thought the colt would be an early type, McGrath said: "When we were out here looking for horses we identified that colt, he’s got a stallion’s pedigree. Ciaron loved the horse and thought he would be slightly earlier than his older brother.

"With that in mind, we have got off a great farm, Peter is a great friend of mine as well so it is a thrill to be able to buy the horse."

Merchant Navy covered his first book of mares at Coolmore Stud in New South Wales last year. The Segenhoe Stud Australia-consigned colt who was sold (lot 88) is the tenth living foal out of Group 3-winning mare Legally Bay, who is also the dam of Group 2 winner Jolie Bay and the stakes-placed Zara Bay as well as Merchant Navy.

Legally Bay herself is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Bonaria and Group 3 winner Time Out.

In what was an eventful session, a Snitzel colt topped the bill when purchased by agent James Harron for A$2,800,000 (£1,530,200), making him the fifth most expensive yearling ever sold in Australia and the highest priced since 2013.

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