‘There was big live money in there but we made a stance’ - grand plans in place as rising star Square D’Alboni retained at 950,000gns

It is not every day a horse is bought back by their vendor despite being offered 950,000gns. But then not every horse possesses the talent that Square D’Alboni plainly has. The Ralph Beckett-trained son of Zarak has won his last three starts, including a Listed contest at Chantilly just four days before he was offered at Tattersalls on Wednesday.

Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott, who bought Square D'Alboni as a yearling for €40,000 and offered the two-year-old through his Imperium Sales, said connections are already dreaming of next year. 

“The horse is rated 108 and what he did in France was phenomenal,” he said. “That was off the back of quite a rough trip over there as he got stuck in Calais and didn’t get in until late, then ran at lunchtime. He’s got a great constitution, a wonderful mind and the pedigree to be a mile-and-a-half horse next year, so he could be running for a lot of money. 

“There’s races like the Saudi Derby, if we decide to go there, or there’s the Belmont Derby. It’s very hard to find horses like him.”

After an inauspicious debut when sustaining an injury at Doncaster, Square D'Alboni has progressed rapidly to win his next three starts with the minimum of fuss.

He shed his maiden tag with a ready success at Epsom before following up in similarly comfortable fashion in a Salisbury novice event. Beckett stepped him up in trip and class in the Listed Prix Isonomy at Chantilly on Saturday, and he duly produced his most impressive performance to date. 

Sent into the lead by jockey Maxime Guyon, Square D'Alboni showed signs of residual greenness when jumping the path after three furlongs, but he required only the merest shake of the reins to smoothly draw clear of his four toiling rivals. He eventually won by a heavily eased four lengths, a margin that underplays his true superiority.

Square D’Alboni was not the first offering owners The Obank Partnership made at this year’s Autumn Horses in Training Sale, as the group also sold Mr Monaco, a £35,000 yearling buy, to Astute Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher for 410,000gns on Tuesday. Elliott said that dividend made the decision to retain Square D’Alboni that bit easier. 

Alex Elliott: comfortable with decision to retain Square D'Alboni and looking forward to 2025 campaignCredit: Alisha Meeder

“The same partnership sold Mr Monaco last night for 410,000gns so he’s paid for this horse’s travel next year,” he continued. 

“It’s kind of a free roll now. He’s a horse with a huge engine and he’s shown that each time he’s won. He’s won on good ground over seven furlongs, a mile on soft and a mile and one on heavy ground. 

“It’s hard to find horses like this and when you do, you can’t give them away. There was big live money in there but we made a stance and were under no pressure after last night. It’s nice to have a good horse so we’re looking forward to next year with him. 

“We had a great time in Paris last weekend and hopefully he can take us on some more nice trips.”

Square D’Alboni, a BBAG yearling sale purchase, was bred by Ecurie X and is the second foal out of the winning Australia mare Polonia Lady. Square D'Alboni is not the only name to enhance the pedigree this season as the page goes back to Guadalupe, who is also the third dam of Goliath, winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

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