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Caught U Looking was the star turn on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, selling to Yulong Investments' Willingham for 1,800,000 guineas on an opening day that saw significant increases across the board and five lots sell for 500,000 guineas or more. The opening day’s Sceptre Session, welcomed by a packed sale ring, saw 21 lots sell for 8,350,000 guineas at an average of 397,619 guineas.
Trained by Noel Meade, Caught U Looking looked one of the highlights of the first Sceptre Session on the opening day of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale and so it proved, with the Group winning daughter of Harzand knocked down to the online bid of Willingham for 1,800,000 guineas. There were a plethora of bidders on the top lot including underbidder Will Walden, sat with Woodford Thoroughbreds’ John Sykes, Federico Barberini and Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian.
Caught U Looking was owned in partnership by Tally-Ho Stud’s Tony O'Callaghan and Sabrina Kelly, the wife of breeder Peter Kelly of Kelly Equine Services.
"I bred her and I always wanted to stay in her. Noel Meade wanted to buy her, so when he did I stayed in for a half," said Peter Kelly. "Tony was also interested in her and so he bought in, I was chuffed that he wanted part of a horse I had bred. He has been a wonderful partner the whole way."
He added: "Coming here I knew she was going to go better than I had hoped as she had 12 or 13 vets, and the right people were on her."
An emotional Sabrina Kelly said: "Oh my gosh! It was incredible, she has always been a pet, we have always loved her. I am in shock, it is amazing! We weren't expecting that. She is a superb filly and it is sad to see her go, but she has been brilliant and we have had a great season."
Purchaser Vin Cox of Willingham said: "She has been bought to race on. We want to do a Via Sistina with her. Bids were coming from all corners of the auditorium, which is great as you want to see competition, you hate to be the only one out there.
"She made around where we thought we might end up. She is well-performed filly, she has a pretty good profile to race on. We will send her to Australia and take a path similar to Via Sistina.
"We are not suggesting that she could turn into the same sort of horse, we'd love her to, but you need to keep the feet on the ground and hope she can win some nice races. It is no secret that staying horses from this part of the world can perform exceptionally well in Australia, and she has already performed well.
"We have not got any plans as yet. We will sit on that for a little while yet. James Ferguson did a great job with Via Sistina last year so we will probably send her to James and he can look after her for the short term, and then we will put her on a plane."
The four-day sale continues on Tuesday when there will be a second Sceptre Session of approximately 50 fillies and mares, including this year's Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me, Prix Marcel Boussac winner Vertical Blue and multiple Group 1-placed sprinter Believing.
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