Doncaster sale-topper whose price was a mystery set for debut run for O'Neills in the Reynoldstown

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

PEAKY BOY 

Ebony Horse Club Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (Ascot, 1.50 Saturday)

Forecast odds: 13-2

What's the story?

Peaky Boy is aptly named given what happened at the Goffs UK January Sale, for he topped it at, well, no-one knows quite what given the unusual occurrence of a private sale that remained more private than usual.

More on that later, but the seven-year-old is an interesting sort anyway in the small but select field for the Reynoldstown at Ascot on Saturday, given that he makes his first start for Jonjo and AJ O’Neill having previously been with Michael Scudamore and then Nicky Henderson.

He has won four of his six starts under rules, and was also successful on his only run in a point-to-point for Denis Murphy. 

This is just his eighth run in total and he’s now with his fourth yard. He was last seen finishing third at Cheltenham in December.

How's he bred?

Peaky Boy is by Kayf Tara and was bred by the Heaney family out of the Vinnie Roe mare Joanne One, who won four of her nine starts, including three for the Jamie Snowden yard. 

Her most notable success, however, was for John Kiely, who saddled her to win a Listed bumper at Navan.

Joanne One and Colin Motherway win at NavanCredit: Caroline Norris

Joanne One was snapped up by Kevin Heaney for €32,000 at Tattersalls Ireland in 2014. She is four winners from four runners, though Peaky Boy is clearly her best.

So coming back to the sale, what gives?

Not much did, frankly. He was initially led out of the ring unsold at £195,000, but was later secured in a private transaction by O’Neill Racing for what Goffs UK described as an “undisclosed six-figure sum”. 

The price was not the only undisclosed detail, however, as Goffs UK were unable to reveal which party had opted to keep the sales-topping sum out of the public domain. 

“We’re very excited to have him in the yard,” said AJ O’Neill. “He looks like a very exciting horse and we’re very happy to have secured him.”

Goffs UK’s managing director Tim Kent said: “Connections did not want to disclose the price, although I can confirm it’s a six-figure sum. 

“This isn’t the first time this has happened, it’s just on this occasion it’s a higher-profile lot. There were plenty of people following Peaky Boy through the ring and there was a lot of interest in him afterwards, but once a deal had been done connections did not want to disclose the price.” 

Peaky Boy: one set of yellow silks have been swapped for another Credit: Edward Whitaker

Also curious is that having been with Oli Harris and now running for Martin Tedham and Wasdell Properties, Peaky Boy’s jockey – Nick Scholfield on Saturday – will be wearing not dissimilar predominantly yellow silks.

Who does he face?

Peaky Boy's former Seven Barrows stablemate Jingko Blue, who has won both starts this season, could go off favourite, though Lowry's Bar, who chased him home at Windsor last month, wasn't far adrift at the head of the early market and his Philip Hobbs and Johnson White yard has hit some form.

Read more

'John Magnier doesn't miss a thing' – a rare interview with the staff who make Coolmore run like clockwork 

Good Morning Bloodstock is our unmissable email newsletter. Leading bloodstock journalist Martin Stevens provides his take and insight on the biggest stories every morning from Monday to Friday.