'It’s a very exciting time' - Amo Racing recruitment drive continues as Starman filly shines at 525,000gns

Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing continued to invest heavily as the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale moved onto Book 2. After nearly ten and a half hours of selling at Park Paddocks on Monday, the outfit's name appeared on the docket of nine lots with a market value of 2.135 million guineas. 

The haul included the day’s most expensive signing, the Starman filly out of Emirates Empress who fetched 525,000gns when presented by Tally-Ho Stud. Joorabchian delegated media duties to Amo’s in-house trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy, who is overseeing the string based at Freemason Lodge Stables just up the road from the sales ring. 

“She was my pick of the sale,” said Philippart de Foy. “She’s from a very good damside. She’s a very easygoing filly, very racy, and Starman can do no wrong, he had more winners again today, so I’m delighted to get this filly. I’ve been very keen on her since the start of the day.” 

The filly is the first foal out of the mare, whose siblings include the Group 2 winners Outbox and Royal Champion. In turn, they are out of Emirates Queen, a Street Cry half-sister to Dubawi who won the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks. Emirates Empress joined the Tally-Ho broodmare band at a cost of just 30,000gns in 2022.

Kevin Philippart de Foy: "It’s a very exciting time"Credit: Laura Green

The filly was one of four lots by Starman that were added to the Amo ranks on Monday. 

“I don’t think it’s only Amo, lots of people are big on Starman,” said Philippart de Foy. “He makes a lot of sense and his stock look like horses that will keep improving as older horses. They’re not just small, racy two-year-olds, they look like they have size and scope. He’s made a very strong start.” 

The trainer is in the thick of his first sales season since taking over the Amo Racing string based at Freemason Lodge. Asked how he has found working the sales alongside Joorabchian and his team, Philippart de Foy said: “It’s a very exciting time. From Deauville in August, Keeneland in September and then Book 1 last week, we’ve picked up some lovely horses by top stallions and from very good pedigrees. I’m looking forward to next year.” 

Having suggested Philippart de Foy field the press’s questions, Joorabchian proceeded to tease the trainer by listening in as he gave his answers. When Philippart de Foy was asked if he had got used to working with his new employer, he smiled, shook his head and said: “You never get used to him!”

Earlier in the day Justin Casse signed for a 360,000gns son of Starman on Amo’s behalf. The colt is out of Deep Impression and was offered by Pier House Stud. Casse has been among those to have already enjoyed success with the stallion's progeny having bought Group 3 Tyros Stakes scorer North Coast for John Oxley. 

Justin Casse: "Starman has been good to me so far"Credit: Laura Green

“I bought him in partnership with Amo to go to Joseph O’Brien,” said Casse. “The stallion has been good to me so far, and to Joseph. He’s had a couple of Graded stakes winners by the stallion, one of which I bought. 

“Hopefully we can replicate that success. This colt was a standout on the day for me. This colt might’ve walked a little better than North Coast, this horse has a really good reach to him.” 

While agents Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy have been at the forefront of Amo’s buying at Tattersalls, Casse signed for two lots on the operation’s behalf at a cost of $1,350,000 during the Keeneland September Sale. 

“I bought two horses for Amo in America,” he added. “We’re working individually but, if we align on the same horse, we try not to bid against each other.”

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Mangan on the mark for Night Of Thunder filly

The 450,000gns mark was hit for a second time on the day when Jane Mangan landed the Night Of Thunder filly out of Edelline from Michael O'Leary’s Plantation Stud. 

The six-figure signing was made on behalf of the Thoroughbred Racing Corporation, and was the second noteworthy purchase made by the operation after the St Mark’s Basilica half-sister to Far Above was picked up from Linden Bloodstock at 350,000gns.

Jane Mangan all smiles after securing the 450,000gns Night Of Thunder fillyCredit: Laura Green

“We underbid five last week," said Mangan. "The Corporation are looking for well-bred yearlings that are good physicals, but we have to value them as individuals. We met a lot of good company last week but this filly was our pick of the entire sale. The sire needs no explanation and she’s from a great farm. Physically, she’s exactly what we’re looking for, so it’s good to get her. 

“You need to keep your standards where you want them, don’t buy a horse you don’t want to buy. The Prince [Faisal] is very diligent when it comes to valuing them individually. You have to buy what you want to look at in the spring. We’ve got two today and we’re very happy. This filly will go to William Haggas.” 

The Stroud show

Anthony Stroud was by some way the busiest buyer at Park Paddocks, recruiting for Godolphin as well as his Stroud Coleman Bloodstock clients. His biggest signing of the day was the Night Of Thunder colt out of Cheveley Park Stud’s Dick Poole Stakes winner Dark Lady. The colt was sourced on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed’s outfit at 425,000gns. 

Not only is the youngster a brother to the useful three-time winner Maelstrom but, as he boasts Dark Angel as broodmare sire, he is bred along similar lines to Dewhurst Stakes hero Gewan, whose dam is by Dark Angel’s sire son Lethal Force. 

“He’s for Godolphin and will go to Moulton Paddocks,” said Stroud. “He’s bred very similarly to the Dewhurst winner on Saturday. Night Of Thunder has done amazingly well. He’s going to be champion sire and he’s got so many good horses.

Anthony Stroud: "Night Of Thunder has done amazingly well"Credit: Laura Green

“They seem to win over all sorts of distances; they’re very versatile and seem to have excellent temperaments. The progeny from his better books of mares are coming on-stream now so his results are only going to get better and better. It really highlights how important Dubawi is as a sire of sires.” 

The page contains plenty of Cheveley Park Stud celebrities, as the dam is a half-sister to Lockinge Stakes scorer Audience, while the third dam is the operation’s dual Group 1 winner Peeress. 

Cheveley Park’s long-serving managing director Chris Richardson said: “It’s taken us nearly 40 years for us to get to Dark Lady. He was a really athletic colt and he has a wonderful mind, he’s the sort of horse who would do it all day long. Obviously we’re delighted that Godolphin bought him. It was Tattersalls’ recommendation to come to Book 2 and be a standout.”

The 425,000gns Night Of Thunder colt exits the Park Paddocks ringCredit: Laura Green

Stroud Coleman Bloodstock ended the day as the session’s leading purchaser with 15 recruits sourced for a cumulative 3.235 million guineas. One of those buys way the Nathaniel colt out of Catalyst who fetched 300,000gns when presented by Newsells Park Stud. 

The colt is a brother the dual Listed winner Understated, while the pair’s two-year-old sister Rubia Queen opened her account at Compiegne on Friday. 

“He’ll go to Andre Fabre and will run in the Godolphin colours,” said Stroud. “The two-year-old won well the other day and this is a very nice horse. He was bred in France [by Al Shahania Stud] so he gets the French premiums, so sending him to France looks like the logical step.”  

While the ceiling on prices was understandably lower than last week’s blue-chip Book 1, there was noticeable increase in intensity throughout the different market tiers. This was illustrated by the median price increasing to the tune of 38 per cent year-on-year to 90,000gns. The average price also grew by 13 per cent at 116,770gns. Turnover was also up by 15 per cent at 24,988,500gns. 

The clearance rate was a decidedly solid 86 per cent as 214 sold from 244 offered. 

Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continues on Tuesday at 10am.

More from Tattersalls: 

Posh accusations, wild celebrations and angry gesticulations as Book 1 hits different once again 

'If he’s a very good horse he’s going to be a stallion' - Amo Racing outmuscle Coolmore for 3,600,000gns Frankel colt 

'We couldn’t do it without him' - Sheikh Mohammed leads the Godolphin charge at Book 1 with 19.625 million guineas spend

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