“They suppose it is throughout,” stated Alistair Pim Oct. 10 as he channeled his inside Kenneth Wolstenholme through the 1966 World Cup Remaining. And with that, the auctioneer dropped the hammer with a powerful thud at a record-breaking 4,300,000 guineas (US$5,891,000, 1gns=US$1.37). “It’s now.”
Not for the primary time at Tattersalls this week, it was Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing who was heading in the right direction. His newest outstanding seven-figure volley not solely consigned Coolmore to the function of underbidder however noticed the son of Wootton Bassett  and Park Bloom from Lodge Park Stud turn out to be the most costly colt ever offered at E-book 1 of the October Yearling Sale.
Fittingly, the dam is a full sister to Al Naamah , who holds the outright file for the most costly yearling on this sale’s illustrious historical past. Lodge Park offered the daughter of Galileo to Al Shaqab Racing for five,000,000gns in 2013.
It speaks to the depth of this household that the group 3-placed Al Naamah doesn’t even determine on the catalog web page, with that treasured print area reserved for the dam’s full siblings Was , winner of the 2012 Epsom Oaks (G1), group 3 scorer Douglas Macarthur , and 2021 Curragh Cup (G2) victor Amhran Na Bhfiann . The dam is out of Alluring Park, a daughter of twin champion Park Categorical and a half sister to 2008 Epsom Derby (G1) hero New Method .
Regardless of the Wootton Bassett colt’s eye-catching price ticket, he’s not even Joorabchian’s largest buy this week, with that title belonging to the Frankel   filly out of Aljazzi secured for 4,400,000gns on Day 1, simply minutes earlier than the Amo Racing man went to 2,500,000gns for Alpinista ‘s extremely touted Frankel sister.
Joorabchian has already tasted loads of racing success, with Amo’s distinctive purple colours carried to notable victories by the likes of Bucanero Fuerte , Crypto Power , King of Metal , and Persian Dreamer , whereas Mojo Star additionally ran second in Adayar ‘s Derby in 2021. Nevertheless, the soccer agent stated this week’s gross sales ring assertion of intent represented a brand new path designed to take Amo Racing to even better heights.
“We had quite a lot of inventory that’s good, however for us to go to the subsequent stage we’ll have to focus on one of the best,” he stated.
“So we have focused two gross sales, Keeneland and Tatts E-book 1 and a pair of. Each member of my workforce, once they noticed that horse, all of them stated we will not go away with out him, so we determined we weren’t going to depart with out him. This colt and the Frankel fillies have been our major targets and we managed to hit all three, so we’re very pleased.”
Joorabchian has been within the thick of the motion from the off this week and has engaged the established superpowers in some compelling bidding tussles. By shut of play, Amo Racing’s 25 E-book 1 purchases, which featured eight recruits with companions together with Al Shaqab and Valmont, totaled a colossal 22,940,000gns. Amo by itself signed for 17 heaps at an outlay of 19,575,000gns.
Requested whether or not he was capable of take pleasure in this stage of the method, he stated: “Who enjoys spending that sort of cash? However you need to do it. We’re attempting to purchase one of the best inventory, that is all we’re attempting to do. We will not compete except we’re attempting to get one of the best inventory. How do you compete in any other case? It’s totally exhausting. We have been attempting for the previous couple of years however outwitting these folks may be very exhausting.”
He continued: “We have run the stats, and in case you take a look at all of the group 1s in, say, the final 4 years, nearly all of the winners are both homebreds or extraordinarily nicely bred. After all, you get the odd Vandeek or Excellent Energy, but when we actually wish to develop and get to the subsequent stage, your stallions and your mares have gotten to be robust. We would spent the cash (beforehand)Â however we did not have that energy. This yr we have modified our technique and determined we would have liked to have that energy in pedigree.”
Regardless of the magnitude of his investments, which have had a pivotal half to play within the unprecedented energy of this yr’s E-book 1 market, Joorabchian couldn’t resist a little bit of mischievous humor. In summing up Amo Racing’s involvement this week, he stated: “Our workforce has a technique; we have spoken about it, sat round and gone by way of the catalog, and each member of the workforce has been concerned and given their opinions. We got here right here with a shortlist and we’re going for it … so everybody’s neck is on the road!”
Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott has been a key determine in Amo’s shopping for mission and, unsurprisingly, gave the Wootton Bassett colt, who might be educated by Karl Burke, the very best reward.Â
“Should you have been going to color a racehorse, that is as near perfection as you may get,” he stated.
“From the highest to the underside, from the farm he got here from, the quantity of money and time and love that the Burns household have put into that web page, it is simply phenomenal. To get a bodily like that may be a lifetime achievement for anyone. For us to have the ability to purchase into that, it is phenomenal that Kia has accomplished that since you do not actually discover folks that may try this.
“Once I first confirmed Kia the horse, there was myself, Ben McElroy, and Robson Aguiar, it does not take a genius to search out that horse, however all of us stated you’ll be able to’t get higher than that. I stated to Kia, ‘You’ve got been second in two Derbys, that may be a horse that may take you one place higher.'”
Elliott added: “If he can run to how he seems to be, he’ll have a spot in a stallion shed in the future. It was at all times going to take that (value)Â as a result of Coolmore weren’t going to let that horse out of their sight. To beat them, once they’re one of the best within the sport, I feel what Kia is doing is refreshing. It feels prefer it’s reinvigorated the entire thing.
“I really feel very honored to be a small a part of the entire course of. Fortunately Kia has religion in his workforce and I hope these males get rewarded for what they’re doing as a result of we’re attempting to purchase one of the best inventory, and on the finish of the day we’re simply doing our jobs. Hopefully, all people is doing the proper job.”
Lodge Park’s Jamie Burns, who was on the tip of the lead rein when the colt took his flip within the ring, stated: “He is an attractive horse and the household has at all times accomplished us nicely. Hopefully, he would be the subsequent one to reinforce the pedigree. I wasn’t anticipating that!
“I wasn’t actually considering when it went over 4 million (guineas), emotion took over, it was surreal. I am coming down from the clouds a bit now but it surely was all fairly particular.
“He is been busy all week and has by no means turned a hair as soon as. We have bred 4 generations on this colt’s web page, and we additionally had Park Enchantment, who’s Wootton Bassett’s pedigree too.”
The Wootton Bassett colt was removed from the tip of the Amo motion on Day 3 because the workforce additionally went to 2,900,000gns for a Camelot filly out of Sense of Fashion from Camas Park Stud. The teen not solely shares her sire with Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) heroine Bluestocking however her group 3-placed dam can also be a half sister to the four-time group 1-winning Luxembourg , who can also be by Camelot.
“It is a robust market, she’s an attractive filly and if you get two to tango you may get two to tango,” stated Ben Sangster, the delighted breeder of the seven-figure teen.
“The household has been actually good to me. I hope she goes to a pleasant residence and lives as much as their expectations. I am a bit gobsmacked. That is quite wonderful. I feel all the things that is gone on this week has exceeded expectations. I did not actually have a determine in my thoughts, but it surely definitely wasn’t that, put it that means!”
Statistics
New excessive marks posted in mixture, common and median figures informed the story of a E-book 1 for the ages. Turnover for the three days hit a jaw-dropping 127,823,000gns (US$175,117,510), a 34% year-on-year achieve.Â
The typical value rose by a whopping 52% to 370,500gns (US$507,585), whereas the median went up by 39 factors to 250,000gns (US$342,500), having been 180,000gns 12 months in the past. The clearance fee was 89% as 345 heaps offered from 393 supplied. And all this was achieved regardless of a smaller catalog leading to 77 fewer heaps being supplied and 46 fewer transactions.
Commerce on Day 3Â reached scarcely plausible ranges, with turnover for the session rising by 54% to 44,760,000gns (US$61,321,200). The typical was the very best for the three days at 403,245gns (US$552,446), an 84% enhance, whereas the median went up by 48% to 230,000gns (US$315,100). The clearance fee was 84% as 111 yearlings offered from 132 supplied heaps.Â
