‘It’s quite moving actually – and I’ll bet you anything he wins!’ – a fairytale finale as Sir Percy’s last yearling finds a fitting home

There was a small piece of bloodstock history at Tattersalls on Monday evening as the last ever yearling by Derby winner Sir Percy passed through the ring during the opening session at Book 2 of the October Sale. 

Fittingly the 30,000gns colt was knocked down to the man who guided Sir Percy through his Group 1-winning racing career, Marcus Tregoning. 

The trainer said: “Sir Percy has always got plenty of winners and we’ve done well with him. Obviously he was trained by me so it’s nice that we’ve got the last one. It’s quite moving actually, especially because he hasn’t got any more coming. He’s a nice colt and I’ll bet you anything he wins!” 

Having landed the Dewhurst Stakes and the Derby for owners Anthony and Victoria Pakenham, Sir Percy spent his entire stud career at Lanwades in Newmarket where he covered for 16 consecutive seasons. He was pensioned in 2023 at the age of 20. 

“Kirsten Rausing herself flagged this colt up to me and said he was a nice horse and that they were very pleased with him,” continued Tregoning. “I may well put him into one of my syndicates, unless I sell him outright. I buy a lot of horses on spec these days and he wasn’t overly expensive. He’s a very good mover and was very good in the ring. He’s a proper looking racehorse.” 

The Sir Percy colt out of Diablerette made a bit of history at Tattersalls on MondayCredit: Laura Green

Although we won’t see any more of Sir Percy’s progeny at the yearling sales, Tregoning is expecting his influence to continue in a different sphere. 

“The interesting thing is his pedigree goes back to Mark Of Esteem and Darshaan, so I think we’ll find that he’ll be a decent broodmare sire that works with a lot of different pedigrees,” he said. “Mark Of Esteem was a very good Guineas winner and we followed his progeny. We’ve probably had two of his best in Sir Percy and of course High Accolade, who actually featured in the catalogue here today.” 

Asked whether he thought the colt, one of just three foals in Sir Percy’s final crop, might be capable of pulling off the unlikely feat of earning a berth at stud to keep the sireline alive, Tregoning laughed and said: “You never know!” 

Although Sir Percy never stood for more than the £8,000 fee he was introduced at in 2008 he gained a loyal following thanks to his dependability and versatility. His record is headed by two top-flight winners in Sir John Hawkwood and Wake Forest, and also includes Grade 1-winning jumpers Knight Salute and Presenting Percy.

His most expensive progeny to sell publicly was the Listed-placed three-time winner Oakley Girl who was knocked down to Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock at 925,000gns at the December Mares Sale in 2017. Although the colt bought by Tregoning fetched some way below that figure, he cost almost double what the trainer paid for Sir Percy himself. The Classic winner goes down as one of the most inspired buys in recent times having been picked up for just 16,000gns in 2004. 

The last Sir Percy yearling to change hands publicly certainly has plenty to recommend him on pedigree as he is a sibling to six winners, most notably the Listed scorer Pondus, who also finished runner-up in the Group 2 Curragh Cup. He was sold through the Staffordstown branch of Kirsten Rausing’s operation. 

Kirsten Rausing (left, with Sonia Rogers): "I’m absolutely delighted that Sir Percy’s trainer, Marcus Tregoning, has bought the horse"Credit: Laura Green

“It’s a sort of bittersweet moment to sell the very last foal of Sir Percy’s, and the very last yearling of his to be offered at sale,” she said. “I’m absolutely delighted that Sir Percy’s trainer, Marcus Tregoning, has bought the horse. 

“I have mentioned the horse to him on several occasions throughout the year. He’s a very attractive colt and the dam has done well, she’s bred a lot of winners, as has the next dam. It’s a family that we’ve nurtured for three generations at Lanwades.” 

Rausing also reflected on the sale of the sister to her homebred Arc heroine Alpinista, who went the way of Amo Racing at 2,500,000gns during a blockbuster renewal of Book 1. 

“It was quite a bittersweet moment to be parting with a full-sister to Alpinista,” she said. “But, all in all, it was a good sale. And I myself am very fortunate in that I do have at home Alpinista, her filly foal, her dam in foal, herself in foal, and two further half-sisters, so I’m reasonably well covered with the family!” 

Rausing was understandably delighted to learn that not only would the filly be remaining in Britain, but that Kia Joorabchian has selected Sir Mark Prescott to oversee her racing career. 

On Book 1 trade more generally, Rausing added: “We still have, I dare say, the best racing in the world, so it was marvellous to see the inward investment, which we very sorely need.”

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