A crowd of interested bidders followed Drumhill Stud’s Galiway colt into the ring midway through the Tattersalls Somerville Sale on Sept. 5, but none proved more determined than Ross Doyle. The agent brought the hammer down at 145,000gns (US$182,176; €1=US$1.26) and consigned Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley to the role of frustrated underbidder.
There was a mixture of jubilation and high emotion in the aftermath as well-wishers rushed to congratulate Gary Dowling and Fearghal Hogan. The pair received a tidy dividend having pinhooked the youngster at €27,000 at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale last December.
“We’re delighted with that,” said Dowling. “We got him in France and he’s always been a nice horse. Coming here we were hoping he’d make a few quid but you can only dream of it going to that level.
“I’ve never had a horse with as much quality, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but he’s been absolutely flat out showing.”
Expanding on why they brought the in-demand youngster to the Somerville, Dowling, a former Racing Post Bloodstock employee, said: “He’s always been a very good physical, and obviously the stallion’s on fire and the mare’s 2-from-2 with 2-year-old winners. We were hoping he might stand out and thankfully it paid off. Hopefully, he’ll be a racehorse now.”
Despite the family never buying big numbers or spending vast sums, the Dowling name has been attached to some notable performers, with Gary’s late father, Sean, having pinhooked top-class 2-year-old Dutch Art and the Australian group 1 winner December Draw . Tuesday’s result had added poignancy as it came five years since Sean’s passing.
“I used to do this with my dad, it was actually his anniversary yesterday, so I think he might have given us a hand here today,” added an emotional Dowling. “It’s great, magic. This is what you do it for.”
The colt is out of Golconde (IRE), a winning Modigliani sister to Premio Primi Passi (G3) scorer Magritte (IRE). Haras de Colleville’s Galiway has been on a real roll of late, with Engaliwe and Rubis Vendome landing group 3 prizes in France and Vauban booking his ticket to the Melbourne Cup with a commanding victory in the Ballyroan Stakes (G3).
Ross Doyle at the Tattersalls Somerville Sale
“He’ll go to Richard Hannon,” said Doyle. “Richard saw him this morning and thought he was an absolute smasher, which we agreed with. Every time we saw him he did the exact same show. He looks an absolute dude of a horse and has been very well produced by Gary and Fearghal, who are good lads.
“The stallion is very capable of getting a good horse and I think he’s on the up and up in a big way. This is the first one I’ve bought but some good judges I speak to called Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins have been telling me for years that I need to buy as many as I can. That’s good enough for me.”
Doyle added: “He’ll tell us when he’s ready and Richard will take his time with him, but it would be nice if he could rock up in a Chesham. That’s probably getting carried away, though.”
Amo Takes Aim
The purple colors of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing will be seen aboard the Havana Grey filly out of Last Echo after Hamish Macauley signed for Culworth Grounds’ offering at 140,000gns.
Lot 199, the Havana Grey (GB) filly out of Last Echo (IRE)
“She’s been bought for Amo to go to George Boughey,” said Macauley after signing the docket. “Myself and George bought Kia a Havana Grey filly called Graceful Thunder, who won a Listed race in France a few weeks ago and was third in a group 3 last time, so he’s been a lucky stallion for us.
“Myself and George have been around the complex and picked out three horses we wanted and she was top of the list. We brought Kia down to see her this morning and he was happy to give it a whirl. She cost a bit more than I thought she would but the stallion speaks for himself and she’s a lovely filly.”
She is from the third crop of Whitsbury Manor Stud’s sire on fire, meaning she was bred at a fee of just £6,000. Havana Grey, who supplied a breakthrough group 1 winner when Vandeek landed the Prix Morny, stood the most recent breeding season at £18,500.
“The nice ones always cost more than you hope, but Kia is a great supporter and he really wanted her,” added Macauley. “So did the underbidder, Brendan Holland of Grove Stud. When you take on someone like that, then they’re always going to cost a few quid more.”
