‘It doesn’t beat the buzz of winning a class 5 maiden at Southwell!’ - bargain buy booms into 1,550,000gns for Kevin Coleman and Atomic Racing

Once-raced maiden The Palace Girl was picked up for just €30,000 at BBAG last September. On Tuesday evening that value soared all the way to 1,550,000gns after an online bid from Woodford Thoroughbreds. 

The daughter of Areion was unearthed in Baden-Baden by bloodstock agent Sean Grassick, who duly sent the filly into training with Kevin Coleman for the Atomic Racing syndicate. She went into plenty of notebooks after making eye-catching late gains to finish just three-quarter of a length behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained blueblood Giselle on debut at the Curragh in October. 

The filly’s form and striking physical appearance were not the only things in her favour, as she had also been the subject of a major pedigree upgrade. When the youngster was offered for sale by Gestut Etzean, her year-older half-sister was simply listed as in training. But that sibling, Tamfana, has not only gone on to win four races for David Menuisier, but her most recent success came in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes. 

Coleman cut a remarkably relaxed figure as he revealed how he had held his nerve when turning down some tempting offers, and instead opted to head to the open market. 

“Look, it’s only money,” said the trainer with only the merest hint of a wry smile. “It still doesn’t beat the buzz of winning a class 5 maiden at Southwell! It’s different. We were offered a lot of money privately, not that much, but I turned down a lot. I thought she was worth more, but did I think she was going to make this? No. It was on me coming here, but I just knew that when people saw the physical, it was going to happen.”

“She’s beautiful,” Coleman continued. “She had to be to make that. The pedigree update, what she’s done herself, the company she was in that day, and what she’s done here this week. She’s a very nice filly and everyone’s going to be delighted.” 

Asked what such a windfall might do for an up-and-coming operation like his, Coleman smiled and said: “It means we can pay for the yearlings we bought this year! It’s all back in again. We have about 35 in the yard and we’re maxed out at that. We haven’t had anything like this one though and we knew that long ago. I just hope to God she goes on and does what we think she can do.” 

Grassick was also on hand to receive his share of the plaudits. Reflecting on the day he first laid eyes on The Palace Girl, the agent said: “She was just a lovely filly, she had a great presence. The pedigree was quite light at the time but she was lovely, a very good mover. It’s been a nice journey to be on and we’ve enjoyed riding it out with Tamfana as well. We think a lot of her and all I can say is that we hope she’s very lucky for her new owners, and thanks to the underbidders as well. I’m sure she’ll be a superstar.”

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