Rising star pinhooker turns 4,000gns foal into 150,000gns Tattersalls top lot

Another day, another monster pinhooking result at Tattersalls. That was the story when the October Yearling Sale moved into Book 3 on Thursday as Hegarty Bloodstock, the operation run as a 'hobby' by David and Geraldine Hegarty, pulled off a trading masterstroke.

Galley Flash Bloodstock signed for the Ulysses colt out of Regal Heiress at a mere 4,000gns at last year's December Foal Sale, but the Hegartys reaped an almighty windfall when Matt Coleman landed the youngster on a bid of 150,000gns - a shade over 37 times the initial outlay.

A stunned David Hegarty, who named the syndicate after the Galley Flash lighthouse he could see from his childhood bedroom window, chose to keep his own counsel in the immediate aftermath, but Trickledown Stud's Paul Thorman, a partner in the 4,000gns foal, explained the backstory to the jaw-dropping pinhooking result.

Paul Thorman: 'We've been relatively lucky but mainly because David is seriously gifted and he and Geraldine work unbelievably hard'Credit: Laura Green

He said: "This particular colt was in our draft as a foal and had gone through a rough patch and didn't look at his best. I wanted to sell him but both David and Sara [Thorman] could see there was scope there, although we never imagined for a millisecond that he'd make that much."

The colt is a brother to smart two-year-old Gwan So, who was last seen finishing third in the Flying Scotsman Stakes, while Ulysses' 11 first-crop winners did the youngster's claims no harm. But Thorman was adamant the key component of the colt's development was the Hegartys' horsemanship.

"Everything worked out and he turned into the most stunning yearling," he said. "I don't know about David's eye for a horse but he's certainly got a talent for prepping them.

"His horses aren't 100 per cent, they're 110 per cent. When you have the ability and the effort to do it with a moderate horse, you just hope he can do it again and I hope this gives David the scope to start buying foals that are worth buying instead of messing about with rubbish!"

Lot 1,451: the Ulysses colt pinhooked for 4,000gns sells for 150,00gns on ThursdayCredit: Laura Green

The Hegartys, who have two young children, operate out of a small farm in the Wickhambrook area, while David, a nominee for this year's Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, is a key member of the team at Michael Swinburn's Genesis Green Stud.

Expanding on how the association with the Hegartys began, Thorman said: "David once bought a foal off me that would have made a corkscrew look straight. When it came back as a yearling it was still a corkscrew, but it looked unbelievable.

"I thought here's a lad paying buttons for foals and turning them out brilliantly and getting nowhere, so I said we'll buy a few foals together. We've been relatively lucky but mainly because David is seriously gifted and he and Geraldine work unbelievably hard."

Coleman, who signed in conjunction with Sean Clancy, said the six-figure colt would head into training in Newmarket with Charlie Fellowes for Mathis Stables, the owner behind the trainer's Sirenia Stakes scorer Eve Lodge.

Matt Coleman: 'I thought this was the best colt here'Credit: Laura Green

"I bought him for an owner called Bill Mathis, an American client of mine and Sean Clancy's," said Coleman. "Eve Lodge was the first horse I bought for him and she won the Sirenia Stakes. Bill was keen to try to get some yearlings and he bought a couple of shares in fillies at the Orby and Book 1.

"We said we'd try to find a couple of colts too. We found Book 2 very strong so we thought we'd keep going into Book 3. I thought this was the best colt here, and obviously he's a full-brother to Gwan So, who ran well in the Champagne Stakes and has been sold to Annabel Neasham in Australia.

"This colt is one I could see running here before going to the States."

Foley hails strength of trade

The session's second six-figure yearling came shortly before 9pm when Joe Foley, hidden away on the back stairs with Federico Barberini, went to 100,000gns for the New Bay colt out of D'Oro Princess offered by Baroda Stud.

"We admired Bayside Boy last year and this colt reminded us of him a lot," said Foley. "New Bay is really starting to impress and there's a lot to like in the family with champion two-year-old Ad Valorem under the third dam.

"He's for Clipper Logistics so he'll come back to us now and we'll decide on a trainer later. Federico and I loved him. I loved him from the minute I saw him yesterday and he was like a cat in the parade ring. There were a few shrewdies hanging around out the back there, hence we came up here to try to get away from them!"

Joe Foley: 'Maybe the perceived absence of some big players has attracted new people who feel they can compete to buy the best horses'Credit: Laura Green

The New Bay colt completed a trio of purchases for Foley on day one of Book 3, with the haul completed by a 45,000gns Kodi Bear filly from Cregg Stud and a 38,000gns daughter of Dandy Man sold by Farranamanagh House Stud.

The master of Ballyhane Stud said: "We've bought three very nice ones today, a Kodi Bear, a Dandy Man and the New Bay. They're three beauties and there have been some lovely yearlings here today. If you stand by the parade ring there's a nice horse or two in the ring at every stage during the day."

Book 3 picked up the baton from a record-breaking renewal of Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale, with the opening session witnessing unprecedented levels of demand.

Foley went on to offer his assessment of the British and Irish sales season, which kicked off with the Goffs UK Premier Sale in late August.

Lot 1,602: the New Bay colt bought by Joe Foley for 100,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

"There's been a tremendous trade throughout the entire sales season, from Doncaster all the way through," said Foley. "It's a great fillip for the industry that at the end, hopefully, of a pandemic that trade has been so strong. It's heartening for everybody and bodes well for the mare and foal sales. This sale is just the cherry on top really as it's been the best trade I've seen in years.

"Maybe the perceived absence of some big players has attracted new people who feel they can compete to buy the best horses. Ironically it's been stronger than ever, but that's very encouraging to see and maybe people can see the green shoots of a more competitive racing industry."

Barberini goes for Gold

As evening set in at Park Paddocks a son of Havana Gold was in the bronze medal spot after Federico Barberini landed Lodge Park Stud's half-brother to three black-type performers at 92,000gns.

"He's a smashing horse by a sire who has done incredibly well this season," said Barberini, whose purchase was made on behalf of an undisclosed client. "He's a real two-year-old type, a great mover with great athleticism. A trainer will be decided at a later date, but it's likely that he'll be trained in Newmarket."

The colt is out of Storybook, a UAE-bred daughter of Halling whose five winners include the Graded stakes performers Get On The Bus, Camp Courage and Romeo Lima. Her two-year-old son Chicago Soldier has been placed twice for Johnny Murtagh.

Federico Barberini: 'The market has been tough all week'Credit: Laura Green

"There are no certainties in this game but the mare has already done it a few times, the two-year-old is useful too, so to me it made a lot of sense," added Barberini.

"The market has been tough all week, and the previous week too. I think, overall, this horse is not expensive at this price. He sticks out a bit in Book 3 but he wouldn't have been out of place in Book 2. He comes from a very good nursery who have bred a lot of good horses."

Dutfield delight

The Hegartys were not the only pinhookers in clover during Thursday's session, as Harry Dutfield saw the Havana Grey filly he bought for 25,000gns sell to Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock at 82,000gns. The filly is set to go into training with David Simcock.

"It's a relief more than anything," said Dutfield, whose day job is with Hazel Bloodstock. "I work as a stud hand and it's easy to forget that 25,000gns is a year's salary. It's very easy to bid away when you're buying, but when it's a year's worth of sweat and toil on the line, it just makes it so nice when you get a result like this."

He added: "If you're going to spend your hard-earned money you better love the horse as you're going to have to nurture them like a member of your family every day. I've got very strict criteria but I look at a lot of foals each year, I probably shortlist one in ten and follow those through.

"I have to have already thought about what sale they could go to next year, what the horse could make as a yearling and what ends up leaving a profitable margin. I valued her at more than what I paid and that's the whole idea of pinhooking, you have to buy value."

Harry Dutfield: 'It's easy to forget that 25,000gns is a year's salary'Credit: James Thomas

The concept of value also figures prominently in the grand plans Dutfield has in place for his latest pinhooking windfall. He said: "I bought a house in Newmarket after a couple of good pinhooks and after a bit more success I've been able to buy my own farm that's just past Shadwell.

"I'm looking forward to having all my stock together with me in one place. I want to offer a service of value, some prices are astronomical but I want to give people like myself a chance to have a go and not have it cost the earth."

On the filly, a half-sister to the smart Rathbone and out of a sibling to Showcasing, Dutfield said: "She just floated when she was showing, she was so straightforward. She's always been a bit of a beefy filly, not very tall but with loads of strength and scope. I loved her and she's been a great filly to do. All the right people came and looked at her, we had a couple of vets, it all went to plan."

Lot 1,330: Harry Dutfield's Havana Grey sells for 82,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

Dutfield, who has worked for the likes of John Troy and Kildaragh Stud, also paid tribute to his bosses at Hazelwood Bloodstock, who allowed him to prep his three yearlings at their farm.

"I was meant to help out at Hazelwood only during the breeding season but I went from part-time to full-time and Adrian and Philippa O'Brien are great to work for.

"They very kindly left me at the farm to do my own horses rather than showing at Book 1, which is much appreciated. They're such nice people to work for and do a very thorough job. I think their results speak for themselves."

The successful purchaser said: "We've been very impressed with the Havana Greys that we've seen so far. She looked very forward, very sharp and mature. It's a speedy Juddmonte family and I would say she's the sort of filly who'll be out early next year.

"She's going to David Simcock for an owner who's got a few mares. The brief was to buy a filly with a page and we've been blown out for two weeks, but I absolutely loved this filly."

Although the major pinhooking touches rather hogged the limelight, there was a particularly lively level of demand right across the board, as illustrated by a clearance rate of 93 per cent with 259 lots finding a buyer.

Those transactions brought some record returns, with turnover of 7,268,800gns up 43 per cent year-on-year. The average went up by 31 per cent to 28,065gns, while the median rose by 63 per cent, an increase of a full 10,000gns, to 16,000gns.

Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale concludes on Friday with a session starting at 10am.

More news:

Monster pinhooking touch sees Time Test colt top Book 2 closer at 400,000gns

Fierce competition continues as Juddmonte outbid Gosden for 525,000gns top lot

Night Of Thunder colt brings 375,000gns as Book 2 begins with a bang