Big buys: what happened to the multi-million pound yearlings and how much did they win?

Kalidasa cost 2,800,000gns when sold at the Book 1 sale last year, making him the world's most expensive yearling for 2022. His highly anticipated racecourse debut comes in the mile novice stakes (6.00) at Kempton on Wednesday when victory would be worth £3,672, equivalent to 0.1 per cent of of his sale price. Here we look back on a handful of previous top lots from the Book 1 sale and what happened to them on the track . . .

Al Naamah

Cost: 5,000,000gns (2013)
Career earnings: £44,399

A sister to that year's Oaks winner Was, Al Naamah fetched a huge price in the 2012 ring but failed to live up to her mighty reputation, only recording one win from seven starts.

Trained by Andre Fabre and owned by Al Shaqab Racing, her sole success came on her debut at Chantilly in June before she disappointed at short odds next time out at Group 3 level.

While she went close at that grade and Listed level she was beaten a total of 40 lengths on her two attempts at Group 1 level and January is the only one of her progeny to have won a race.

Noble Dynasty

Cost: 3,600,000gns (2019)
Career earnings: £58,176

A half-brother to Godolphin's high-class miler Barney Roy, Noble Dynasty cost big money but failed to reach the level anticipated.

He won five races from ten starts, progressing through handicaps to win a conditions race at Lingfield last November but never fired on the big day. He was fancied for the 2022 Royal Hunt Cup but got balloted out and disappointed when a beaten favourite in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood.

Darain

Cost: 3,500,000gns (2018)
Career earnings: £39,296

From the highly successful broodmare and Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi, Darain was bought in the hope he could prove as good as the likes of Too Dar Hot and So Di Mar.

Qatar Racing's purchase looked to be on course to fulfil expectations when recording back-to-back novice wins in his three-year-old season, but he disappointed behind Pyledriver when stepped up in class in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York and was sold to the US after finishing down the field in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket.

He finished second and third for Brad Cox, winning a three-runner allowance race at Fair Grounds, but was well held when tried at Grade 1 level and has not been seen since.

Was

Cost: 1,200,000gns (2010)
Career earnings: £319,386

A little further back, and a little less costly, the sale-topper in 2010 ended up a Classic winner – and she also won her only start as a two-year-old.

Demi O’Byrne did the bidding for Coolmore on Lodge Park Stud’s filly out of the powerhouse operation’s late great stallion Galileo, and she proved well worth it on and off the track.

She caused a 20-1 surprise in the Oaks at Epsom, was placed three more times at the highest level, and has produced four winners from four runners at paddocks, the best being Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Concert Hall.

George Washington

Cost: 1,150,000gns (2004)
Career earnings: £805,977

The first topper of Book 1 after its rebrand from the Houghton Sale remains one of its most famous, as the son of Danehill who was to be named George Wahington went on to be a dual Group 1 winner at both two and three.

He finished third on his debut but progressed to win the Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes, and the following year won the 2,000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. 

He was retired to stud at the end of his three-year-old season but produced only one offspring, Date With Destiny, who as a broodmare continues to do a sterling job of spreading her sire’s influence. Returned to training, tragedy was to strike in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park, where in awful weather and track conditions George Washington sadly suffered a fatal injury.

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