Night of Thunder Colt Brings New Sale Record
Records tumbled at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Show May 23 when Yeomanstown Stud’s Night of Thunder colt became the most expensive breeze-up horse ever sold in Ireland at €580,000 (US$658,271, €1=US$1.05).
Anthony Stroud was pushed all the way by Hubie de Burgh and his client who proved persistent adversaries, with a new bidder joining the fray at €400,000 but Stroud’s doggedness defeated de Burgh and his man, despite auctioneer Alistair Pim’s best efforts to cajole one more bid out of them at the side of the ring when Stroud’s offer of €580,000 proved the final straw.
The agent had been extremely busy throughout the day on behalf of various clients with the beautifully-bred colt, his second blockbuster buy for KHK, taking their spend on the day to €1,055,000 for just two lots but he had not anticipated having to break the sale record for the colt.
Stroud said: “That was difficult, I have to say, and was far more money than I anticipated. He is a very good individual, of course, he is by Night of Thunder, and in time, he will be a nice horse. He comes from a farm that produces lots of good horses, and he has a very good way about him. There is no trainer in mind yet.”
Having been involved in many of the exchanges at the highest end of the market, both here and throughout the breeze-up season, time seemed to slow from the successful buyer’s perspective as the bids dragged on.
“That was a very long and protracted sale. I don’t know how many minutes it was, but it seemed to be a very long time,” he added.
Anthony Stroud at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze Up Sale
It was a brave pinhooking move by the O’Callaghan family to shell out 100,000 guineas for the gorgeous chestnut at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale but David O’Callaghan revealed they believed the half brother to group 3 winner Le Juge and listed winner Frankel Light would have cost substantially more than that figure when they set eyes on him six months’ ago.
“We thought we would have to give more! He was a beautiful horse and we loved him from the moment we saw him, so when we got him for 100,000 guineas we were delighted. It is a big throw but he’s a special horse. He’s never let us down,” O’Callaghan said.
A half brother to six winners, Lot 136 was sold by Norelands Stud as a yearling and comes from a brilliant Niarchos family. His dam, the Kingmambo mare Mambo Light, is a half sister to 2001 King George Stakes (G3) winner Dietrich, dam of 2006 Renaissance Stakes (G3) winner and 2005 Lowther Stakes (G2) third Beauty Bright and Aloft, successful at Royal Ascot and second in the 2014 Racing Post Trophy (G1).
The colt’s second dam Piquetnol was runner-up in the 1994 Prix Marcel Boussac (G1) and is a Private Account full sister to Chimes of Freedom, the 1989 Moyglare Stud (G1) and 1990 Coronation (G1) stakes winner who is the dam of grade 1 winners and sires Aldebaran and Good Journey.
O’Callaghan continued: “We’re very fortunate we had a lovely horse and the main buyers received him very well. We’re very thankful to Anthony Stroud for buying him and to the underbidders as well, to everybody at home for all the hard work that goes into every element.”
“He’s a beautiful horse and by a very good stallion, he breezed very well and has a beautiful action. We are privileged to be here and it was a nice touch.”
The previous best price of €520,000 was given in 2022 by Stephen Hillen and Kevin Ryan for the Greenhills Farm-sold daughter of Saxon Warrior out of Causeway Queen.
