A different ball game but another successful result for Cheltenham-winning breeder with €13,000 pinhook

Dan Breen's name will forever be linked to the fight for Irish independence but the Tipperary farrier who is his namesake is writing his own, rather more pleasant story, a century after the Soloheadbeg ambush that launched the War of Independence.

This Dan Breen is most famous for breeding Marie's Rock, victorious in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2022, the first of two top-level victories that season for Middleham Park and Nicky Henderson's daughter of Milan.

At Goffs on Thursday, Breen offered a striking grey colt by Kodi Bear who was the subject of a bidding battle between Michael Dods and Micheal Orlandi that the North Yorkshire trainer ultimately won at €70,000. 

From the same family as the Acclamation colt who earlier sold for €80,000 he was consigned by Francis Quinn of Railstown Stud, who consigned Breen's homebred Cheltenham heroine at the Land Rover Sale here in 2018 where she was bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €35,000.

Breen pinhooked this colt who sold for exactly twice the price that Marie's Rock, winner of nine of her 21 starts, made in the Goffs ring.

"I bought him here for €13,000 and I'm so happy it has worked out brilliantly," Breen commented.

The handsome colt was offered by Ennell Lodge Stud for Carrick Lodge Stud at the Goffs November Foal Sale and is the second foal out of Deidra, a daughter of Dark Angel who was successful at two for Michael O'Callaghan and Dermot Weld.

The delighted consignor said that producing a Cheltenham winner is more difficult that one of the day's more expensive lots at a Flat sale

Francis Quinn: "Cheltenham is harder! He was a fine, big obvious horse and it worked on the day. Two good judges took on each other for him and it is great when it goes like that. It's brilliant for Dan.

"Isn't it brilliant? That's what keeps us all going, a touch like that."

The colt had everything the market was looking for and was one of those rare creatures that appealed to a cross section of buyers, which, Quinn emphasised was what helped him reach his potential in the ring on Thursday.

"He got plenty of action below in the barn, he pulled out each show the same way and he was on everybody's lists," Quinn remarked.

"He is everybody's type of horse – a trainer's horse, an agent's horse, a breeze-up man's horse and if you have that you're fairly safe. He was a gorgeous model and just did it, he was a big man of a horse and walked well. If you have the model it is easy sell them but getting the model is a lot harder."

An early April foal, his Dark Angel dam is closely related to that stallion's July Cup and Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner Lethal Force who in turn is the sire of a Royal Ascot Group 1 winner in Golden Horde, a first season sire for Sumbe.

Third dam Land Army is a half-sister to the Listed winner Flanders, dam of Haydock Sprint Cup winner G Force and the Group 3 Miesque Stakes winner Louvain, dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Flotilla. Louvain is also the second dam of Dark Angel's daughter Mangoustine who won the 2022 renewal of the French Classic for a group of owners including NBA star Tony Parker.

Land Army is also a half-sister to Ascot Family, the second dam of the aforementioned Acclamation colt bought by Johnny Murtagh.

Breen had sad news of By The Hour to report, as the Grade 3 Foxrock Handicap Chase winner and dam of Marie's Rock died but he does have the family to sustain.

"This is the nnly Flat horse I had! Sadly the dam of Marie's Rock died but I have a sister to her and we're keeping her to breed from," he added.

Michael Dods was delighted to be able to outflank Micheal Orlandi for the colt who is from the most expensively bred crop by Kodi Bear to come to market.

"I didn't think I would have to go that far but I was pleased to get him. He has a very speedy pedigree and we will take him home and get him broken in and hopefully go from there.

"The expansion of the Goffs Orby Bonus Scheme into Britain for next season is interesting and will definitely be worth a go. Every little helps," added the trainer of Dark Angel's Nunthorpe winner Mecca's Angel, who is the dam this season of Group 1 winner Content and Royal Ascot winner Bedtime Story.

The second and final session of Goffs Orby Book Two gets underway at 10am on Friday.

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