Maher snares trio of juveniles at Arqana Breeze-Up Sale
Ciaron Maher enjoyed an unbelievable evening at The Chairman’s sale on Thursday selling eight mares for an eye-watering aggregate of $12,775,000, headed by Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) for an auction record price of $4.2 million. And on Saturday he was on the other side of the planet at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale scouting for new talent to join his burgeoning stable.
Maher, alongside his head of bloodstock Will Bourne, were in Deauville and signed for three two-year-olds, spending a total of €1.06 million (AU$1,859,558) on the trio.
At the head of the buying spectrum for Maher was colt by Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), who he bought in conjunction with agent Colm Sharkey for €450,000 (approx AU$789,400).
The colt was consigned by Grove Stud, who bought the youngster for €280,000 from Clare Castle Stud at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale last year.
Out of Sarai (Nathaniel), the colt is a brother to dual Group 1 winner Zellie, while the page also features other top performers including English 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Speciosa (Danehill Dancer).
As revealed by Tom Magnier at the Chairman’s Sale, Wootton Bassett will stand the 2025 season at Coolmore’s Hunter Valley base for a fee of $385,000 (inc GST), a record price for Australia.
Maher, once again teaming up with Sharkey, also forked out €420,000 (approx. AU$736,800) for another colt by fellow shuttle stallion Too Darn Hot (Dubawi), who, after sitting out covering duties in the southern hemisphere last year, will return to Darley’s Kelvinside base for a fee of a massively increased fee of $275,000 (inc GST).
Offered by Mark Grant, who bought colt for 135,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year, the youngster is out of the Group 2-placed winner Earring (Dansili), who is herself a daughter of Group 1 scorer Together (Galileo).
A few lots before that acquisition, Sharkey and Maher, this time in partnership with the stable’s long-time supporters Australian Bloodstock, bought a colt by Coolmore resident No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) for €190,000 (approx. AU$333,300).
Consigned for sale by Tally-Ho, the juvenile is out of Deadly Reel (Pour Moi) making him a brother to one winner in the shape of Never Really Know.
The colt is a three-quarter-brother to Group 2-winning pair Nay Lady Nay and Arizona.
Go Racing also got their names on the buyers sheet on Saturday, connecting up with Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman to buyer a colt by Coolmore’s former shuttle stallion Justify (Scat Daddy), who advertised his credentials in the southern hemisphere when his juvenile son Just Too Fly broke his maiden in the WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m).
Albert Bosma’s outfit parted with €135,000 for the Lynn Lodge Stud-consigned youngster, who made $175,000 to the bid of Mags O’Toole at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2024.