'Jonjo and AJ are trying to diversify a bit' - Lyric switches from the Gosdens to the O'Neills as 85,000gns seals the deal

A broadening of horizons at O’Neill Racing helped the well-credentialled Lyric bring the day’s leading price at the fourth session of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. 

Bloodstock agent Matt Coleman went to 85,000gns on behalf of the father-son partnership of Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, with Lyric set to switch to their Cheltenham stable from John and Thady Gosden. 

Offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, the three-year-old son of Too Darn Hot won one of his five starts for the Gosdens and arrived at Park Paddocks on the back of hitting a career-high Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 93 when seventh, beaten just three lengths by Laafi, at Doncaster on Saturday. 

“I bought him for Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, who are trying to diversify a bit in terms of having horses that can run on the Flat and over jumps,” said Coleman. 

“They have owners who are interested in Flat racing too so we’ve tried to buy a few horses this week, which hasn’t been easy. We tried to buy Pappano, who Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk bought for 200,000gns. This horse actually finished upsides him in the Cocked Hat Stakes in the spring. 

“Then we tried to buy Iron Lion of David O’Meara’s, who made 210,000gns [bought by Mubarak Al-Ruwis al Otaibi], and this horse was beaten only a length and a half by him when getting a few pounds from him at the weekend. So he’s got form that I rate, and although he’s not as big and scopey as those two horses, his sister, Pretending, has black type over jumps. 

“He’s by Too Darn Hot, who’s carrying all before him, so I think he’s got a chance of making a decent horse over hurdles and can then go back on the Flat next year.” 

Expanding on the dual-code recruitment drive, Coleman added: “I’ve bought them a couple of yearlings with a dual-purpose career in mind and I bought an unraced two-year-old by Ghaiyyath from Clipper Logistics here on Monday [for 25,000gns]. 

Matt Coleman was among the key buyers at Park Paddocks on ThursdayCredit: Laura Green

"Their core business is jumping and obviously they buy a lot of chasers and Irish point-to-pointers who you can’t put back on the Flat, but they’re trying to find a few horses that can do both jobs and give their owners some fun in the summer and the winter.” 

With a lesser standard of stock on offer and plenty of the major players having departed Newmarket for Del Mar or Melbourne, there was a notable cooling of the market on Thursday. However, Lyric plainly had not been missed as Coleman said he had to readjust his expectations once the bidding got under way. 

“The market is a bit quieter today, but I’d actually hoped he might be slightly cheaper,” he said. “Stuart Boman was the underbidder, I presume for Australia, and when I saw him on the horse I knew we’d have to be a bit stronger than I’d anticipated. But when you compare him to what Pappano, Too Bossy For Us and Iron Lion have made, and given his form ties in with those and yet he cost a third of what they did, I think he was an okay price.” 

Boman back in business 

Boman may have missed out on Lyric but the Blandford Bloodstock man was on the mark just three lots later when he secured Native King in conjunction with Annabel Neasham Racing and Go Racing, also at 85,000gns. 

The three-year-old son of Kingman, another presented by The Castlebridge Consignment, also arrived on the back of a career-best effort. 

Vefa Ibrahim Araci’s homebred ran three times for George Boughey but opened his account at the fourth attempt on his debut for Hugo Palmer. He was unplaced on the three starts after that Chester success, but got back on the up last time out when beaten on the bob in a mile handicap at Kempton. That effort was allotted an RPR of 94. 

Native King: jointly topped proceedings at 85,000gnsCredit: Laura Green

“He was bought for Annabel and Go Racing in partnership, they’re both good clients of mine so it’s nice to put them together on one,” said Boman. 

“He’s a really good-looking son of Kingman, and he’s a stallion who works well in Australia. He’s well-bred and has a good turn of foot. He needs top of the ground and a fast pace, and he’ll get all of those things in Australia. 

"I would say gelding him will be the first port of call. He was unlucky not to win the other night at Kempton. We bought him on one bid and 85,000gns was around what we’d valued him at, so we’re happy.” 

Native King is the second foal out of Butterscotch, a Group 3-placed daughter of Galileo who joined the Old Mill Stud broodmare band at a cost of 700,000gns in 2019. Butterscotch has bred three winners at paddocks, and is herself a sibling to the Group 3-winning Tiger Moth and Listed scorer Coach House. 

Native King was Boman’s 14th buy of the week. Reflecting on his activities over the four days, the agent said: “We underbid a lot of horses, but we were quite disciplined. We stretched a little further for Hawk Power [cost 300,000gns on Wednesday] but we do that infrequently and we stopped on a lot more than we bought. 

Stuart Boman: 'We stopped on a lot more than we bought'Credit: Alisha Meeder

“I was just going through my vettings and the amount of horses that we bid on, and reflecting on the ones that got away. You have to be pretty firm on your prices because just to get them to Australia, there are a lot of add-ons and a lot of extra costs and we try to keep it at a price point we feel that is not only going to be enjoyable and successful but also profitable.” 

The only other lot on the day to make 50,000gns or more was Beauty By My Side, who fetched that exact amount when Joseph Parr signed for the two-year-old daughter of Kodiac. The filly was offered on behalf of Jayar Investments by Imperium Sales, having opened her account at the third time of asking in a Kempton 7f novice stakes for Kevin Philippart de Foy. 

“She’s a lovely filly, a nice size and she ran a good race first time at Yarmouth, which we liked, before she won at Wolverhampton,” said Parr.

“I don't think she’s such a typical Kodiac, she has a bit of size and scope about her. I think she’ll get a mile and will develop into a nice filly next year. She’s been bought for a new syndicate – we sold a horse last year and they were looking to go again. 

"She’ll have a break now, have a bit of time off and some time to catch up with herself.” 

Beauty By My Side made 50,000gns to Joseph ParrCredit: Laura Green

Beauty By My Side had been to the sales on one previous occasion, when she was knocked down to Alex Elliott at £80,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. 

A significantly smaller day-four offering meant turnover for the session dropped by 24 per cent year-on-year to 1,945,000gns. The average price on Thursday was clipped in by four per cent at 11,575gns, while the median went in the opposite direction to the tune of 33 per cent, rising from 6,000gns last year to 8,000gns this time around. 

The clearance rate was 86 per cent as 168 sold from 195 offered. 

Despite having Friday’s concluding session still to go, whole-sale turnover has already surpassed last year’s total by close to four per cent, with the first four days generating receipts worth 34,938,700gns. 

Friday’s fifth and final session begins at 9.30am. 

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