Coolmore set a new Goffs UK Premier Sale record with £440,000 Kingman colt
James Thomas sees some major six-figure excitement in Doncaster
A serious case of Kingman fever struck in Doncaster during day one of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale on Tuesday, as members of the Coolmore team smashed the auction's record price to secure one of his sons, the colt out of Shamandar, for £440,000.
The strapping colt, consigned by Hillwood Stud, had been highly touted as one of the standouts of the sale, and a crowd of prospective purchasers and curious onlookers flocked to the sweltering sales ring to see if the youngster could live up to his star billing.
View full Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale results
Matthew Houldsworth and Shadwell's Angus Gold showed a keen interest but when Mick Kinane, operating on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and the Coolmore crew, who stood huddled in the packed gangway, locked horns, the crowd had their answer as the Doncaster bid board swiftly sailed into record territory.
"He was a lovely horse even back in the spring, it was just a case of choosing the right sale for him," said Charlie Vigors, who was joined in Doncaster by his nine-year-old son Harry. "We just thought that he could be a star here, whereas there's going to be a lot of other very nice Kingmans later in the year.
"For the sire to have had the weekend he's just had was certainly good timing from our point of view."
Although he was Hillwood's man on the ground in Doncaster, Vigors pointed to the hard work that had gone on at home to get the colt to the sale in peak condition.
"It's a big credit to all the team at home," he said. "It's alright for Harry and I to be stood here taking all the glory but Tracy [Vigors] is the true grafter, she's probably lunged 20 yearlings this morning!"
The colt is the fifth foal out of his dam, a daughter of Exceed And Excel who was a 3,500gns vendor buyback as a yearling but went on to strike at Listed level, with her win in the 2009 Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes the highlight of her three career victories.
Shamandar is a half-sister to the Listed-winning Hung Parliament, while further back it is the family of top-flight winners Reynaldothewizard, Seventh Street and American Gal.
Keep up to date with all the action in Doncaster with Nancy Sexton's live blog
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