‘We work so hard and there’s so much pressure’ - Bay City Roller team return for €500,000 Night Of Thunder colt

It was at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale that bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops and trainer George Scott unearthed the unbeaten Champagne Stakes winner Bay City Roller, with a bid of €320,000 required to bring the hammer down. The pair are hoping for a similarly successful outcome after returning to the exact same spot on the top tier of the auditorium and bidding €500,000 for a striking Night Of Thunder colt offered by Forenaghts Stud. 

Bay City Roller was initially bought for Clive Washbourn but transferred to the ownership of Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing after a taking debut success. After signing the docket on Tuesday Scott revealed his latest purchase was set to join the Victorious Racing string that also includes his stable's Hardwicke Stakes winner Isle Of Jura. 

“He showed himself better and better over the last couple of days,” said Scott. “Night Of Thunder has done phenomenally well and he’s a really strong, forward-going sort of horse, just the type we try to buy. Obviously we had a lot of luck at this sale last year so we were keen to come back and find the standout horse in this year’s sale. We felt he was the right horse. 

“He’s been bought for Victorious Racing, who we’ve had nine stakes winners for this year. It’s been an exciting year and we’re looking to build on that, if possible. He was the only horse we were concentrating on today and it doesn’t often work out that you manage to get the only one you want. It’s a relief and we were very much stretched at that point. We got the horse though and we’re really excited about him.” 

Forenaghts Stud's Night Of Thunder colt out of American Apples takes his turn in the ring at GoffsCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Asked whether increased spending power meant increased pressure, Scott said: “It would be mad to say there isn’t [more pressure], but I have to say that training for Sheikh Nasser, he doesn’t put that pressure on you and he understands how horses can go. But you always put pressure on yourself when you’re spending a lot of money on horses because it’s hard to earn that money and we never take it for granted.” 

The colt is the first foal out of American Apples, a winning daughter of American Post who also finished second in the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont. She more than repaid the faith placed in her by the Forenaghts team as she was added to Tony Smurfit’s broodmare band at a cost of €130,000 at Arqana in December 2021. 

“We work so hard and there’s so much pressure, so when you come with a really nice horse you hope you’re going to get paid,” said an emotional Caoimhe Doherty, stud manager at Forenaghts. “We’re a really small team, we only have 15 mares and ten yearlings this year. This is the highest-priced horse I’ve ever sold. Tony Smurfit gave me a massive job – and I don’t know why he gave it to me! – but this is just an amazing result. I can’t believe it, I’m just so happy.” 

Doherty added: “We wanted to keep him. Tony and I have loved him from day one and we’re massively invested in Night Of Thunder, we love the sire. George Scott is training so many winners and I’m so happy he’s going to a good home.

“It’s so exciting. He was going down well but I thought he was going to make two to three [hundred thousand], maybe a little bit more if we were lucky. A massive thanks has to go to the buyers and I’m so happy for Tony because he puts so much work into the farm and so much money into the industry, so I’m glad he’s been well paid.”

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