Nicholls and Murphy deserving of praise after £350,000 Hermes Allen gamble

Spending £350,000 on a maiden point-to-point winner who had been beaten 19 lengths on his debut the time before would not be for everyone.

So huge credit must go to Aiden Murphy and Paul Nicholls for spotting the potential with Saturday's impressive Challow Hurdle winner Hermes Allen and taking a punt that he would prove worth that sort of investment.

He was not bought on spec, it must be said, as Murphy revealed on the day of the 2021 Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale that a certain set of Nicholls clients were in the frame - subsequently emerging to be the powerful quartet of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason, John Hales and John Diver.

But when three wins out of three following the sale, including a Grade 2 at Cheltenham and Newbury's Grade 1, returns prize-money still south of £70,000, it's easy to see why such an initial outlay leaves owners with a long way to go to cover costs.

Hermes Allen, who turns six on New Year's Day, is a son of the late Poliglote and the first foal out of Auteuil Grade 3 winner Une Destine, by Assessor.

He was consigned by Caroline McCaldin to the sale at Cheltenham, having been the five-length winner of his second start at Kirkistown the month before - the video of the promising performance was referenced by Murphy in explaining the purchase.

County Down-based McCaldin said on the day of the £350,000 sale: "It was unbelievable. Dad [Wilson Dennison, owner] asked me to graze two two-year-olds and I refused to give him back to him. We broke him, trained him, just couldn't get to the bottom of him, he's a brilliant horse."

McCaldin's dad Dennison is a renowned Northern Irish breeder and trader of young stock including the likes of Yorkhill, Blaklion and Ballyandy, and in Hermes Allen father and daughter have come up with a particularly fine advertisement of their preparation and consigning skills.

The unbeaten-under-rules hurdler, who was bred by Bruno Vagne, has already brought McCaldin to tears and speaking last month she told Racing Post Bloodstock: "I’m very proud of what he’s done and I hope he goes on to brilliant things."

He is certainly heading that way and now tops the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle market at around 4-1.

More to read

Online sales have firmly cemented their position' - Katherine Sheridan

'I always look to find an angle, particularly at the horses in training sales'

'I must have sold each lot at least ten times in my sitting room'