Classy Jason The Militant heading to Phil Kirby after £50,000 ThoroughBid sale

High-class performer Jason The Militant looked the headline act before the ThoroughBid Christmas Sale action got under way, and the dual-purpose gelding duly topped the online auction when selling to Grant Nicholson for £50,000.

A five-time winner from 16 starts, including of the Grade 2 Paddy Power Betting Shop Novice Hurdle at Naas in February 2020, the eight-year-old will now head to Phil Kirby's East Appleton yard in North Yorkshire.

Nicholson said: "Jason The Militant is a proven top performer and I think £50,000 is a very fair price.

"Online auctions provide less of an ego-orientated environment because you don’t know who you’re bidding against, and I think that helps you end up with the right price for the horse.

“The plan will be to get him to Phil Kirby’s and start looking at some nice races. I’ve got a great partnership with Phil and I’m really looking to try to build my string and bring some top horses to the north. I’m confident we’ll be seeing Jason The Militant winning a good hurdles race soon."

Formerly trained by Henry de Bromhead for owner-breeder Peter Michael - who told the Racing Post he was scaling back some of his racing interests - the son of Sans Frontieres has been a classy and consistent performer under both codes for connections.

Phil Kirby is the new trainer of Jason The MilitantCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

As well as winning the Grade 2, he was a half-length third in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle that November.

Jason The Militant went on to win the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Fairyhouse in February last year, beating dual Grade 1 winner Petit Mouchoir in the process, while he also won the Listed Finale Stakes on the Flat at Naas in October 2021.

Nicholson also picked up the second-highest priced lot from Friday's sale in Allibaba, a son of Alhebayeb who has placed twice in two bumpers for Willie Mullins.

He added of his £28,000 purchase: "I was pleased to get Allibaba from Willie Mullins. He’s a bit more of an unknown quantity and probably a bit more of a gamble, but he’s an exciting horse to have at this stage of his career and I’m sure he’ll do a job either way.”

James Richardson, CEO of ThoroughBid, said: “When you’re entrusted with a top horse like Jason The Militant you want to do all you can to get him sold for a good price, and I think Peter Michael is really pleased with the way everything has been handled.

"We look forward to following Jason The Militant’s progression with Phil Kirby up in Yorkshire and wish Grant Nicholson, who had a winner just a couple of weeks ago with a horse he purchased from last year’s Christmas Sale, the best of luck."

The sale saw ten lots sell for turnover of £137,500. The next ThoroughBid auction takes place on Friday, January 20, entries for which close on Monday, January 9.

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