GODOLPHIN sent a clear signal it intends to be competitive in this year's big two-year-old races when Sheikh Mohammed's racing operation bought the three top lots at Tattersalls on Wednesday evening.

Having also bought the top lot in Tuesday's session of the Craven Breeze Up Sale for 525,000gns, Godolphin spent a further 2.6 million guineas on Wednesday on just three horses. Their total spending of over 3.1 million guineas on a quartet of two-year-olds helped the two-day sale to generate an aggregate of 15 million guineas, slightly less than last year's 15.4 million guineas.

The median price of 80,000gns matched last year's median, and the average price jumped by more than 10% to 137,000gns.

Top of Godolphin's shopping list was the very last unraced horse by Galileo to sell at public auction. Consigned by Roderic Kavanagh's Glending Stables, the colt made a cool one million guineas, the second-best price ever given at the Craven Sale and the third-best price given for a European breeze-up horse.

Representing Godolphin, Anthony Stroud bought the colt by seing off a determined effort from Amo Racing's Kia Joorabchian, who was standing by the door, while Chris Wall, on the back stairs, was also involved in the bidding to around the half a million mark.

Joorabchian was bidding himself to around 800,000gns, but agent Alex Elliott, who was standing with him, took over responsibility at the higher echelons. The team traded blows with Stroud until Godolphin's man made the seven-figure bid causing Joorabchian to walk away.

"We all thought he is a very nice horse, and is the last horse by Galileo to go through public auction, and he breezed very well," said Stroud. "He came from the same hotel as Vandeek. The colt deserved to do well and he did well. When two people really want a horse then it can make any price, it is great for the breeze up sale."

Of a future path for the colt, Stroud said: "Charlie Appleby and the boss [Sheikh Mohammed] make the decisions regarding the onward plans, I leave it up to them."

Kavanagh, whose Glending Stables sold Vandeek at this sale last year for 525,000gns, was obviously stunned that he has once again hit the jackpot.

"It is incredible, and for Amo to go that far, I had no expectations of that, the price is beyond our dreams," he said from outside the colt's stable.

The colt was bought from The Castlebridge Consignment for 125,000gns at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale.

Kavanagh outlined: "He has done very well, he is a natural athlete. The last month has been tense because we have thought he was something special."

Recalling the yearling purchase decision, he said: "When this horse came up, we could feel that there was a possibility to buy something that was that unique. We did feel that we had nicked him when we bought him, and you start looking around and wondering what is wrong with him.

"I reckon that was why we could buy him, people thought there might be something missing from the puzzle. But there wasn't and when the vet came back with the green light, we were 'Wow this is a unique opportunity'.

"But it was a lot of money for us to give. We probably would not have spent that sum if we had not sold Vandeek so well last year, he has been a life-changing horse."

Of the price today, he said: "We did not think that would happen, maybe that is this part of this horse's attributes in that he does not disappoint and, hopefully, he won't disappoint where he goes. I thought there was a chance that he might make half of that, if everyone turned up. But everyone turned up, and possibly could see what we had been seeing every day, that there is not blemish on the horse. It does help that we have sold the previous horse, we had a bit of record there and people could justify, I think it does help."

Godolphin's other two Wednesday purchases each cost 800,000gns. One was a Blue Point colt from Francesca and Charlie Poste's Station Yard and the other a Kingman colt from Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud.

The Blue Point was a €78,000 purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and the Kingman colt cost 230,000gns as a foal and failed to sell as a yearling.

This was Station Yard's breeze up debut. Former jump jockey Charlie Poste said: "Francesca and I are absolutely over the moon, we can't believe it! I supposed we had the right people involved."

He laughed: "It is far more of a kick than I ever got riding a winner, and the whole team at home has done an amazing job.

"We have to thank the syndicate who backed us, especially as we have not pedigree for doing this. Tom Biggs [Blandford Bloodstock] helped buy him, and mates such as Mark Grant helped us through the whole process.

"I was nervous before they breezed as I did not want to be embarrassed, Francesca and I pride ourselves on doing these horses well, and the fact that he pitched up and did what he did, and he galloped as straight as a gun barrel and was seriously quick – he backed up what we had seen at home.

"But the truth of the matter we are used to training point-to-pointers and me thinking he is fast might not mean a whole heap – it is a long time since I was riding at Richard Fahey's as an apprentice! But he came and showed us that we were spot on."

KHK Racing

Wearing his Stroud Coleman agency hat, Anthony Stroud was also buying on behalf of KHK Racing, the Bahraini racing operation which sourced dual Group 1 winner Vandeek at this sale last year.

This year KHK Racing bought two lots through Stroud - a Persian King colt from Tally-Ho Stud for 600,000gns and a filly by Havana Grey for 525,000gns from Katie Walsh's Greenhills Farm.

The Persian King colt was an €80,000 foal purchase at Arqana while the Havana Grey filly cost just 80,000gns at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.

Katie Walsh could scarcely believe she had sold another breezer for 525,000gns, exactly the same price she received here on Tuesday for a New Bay colt.

She was not the only one feeling a sense of deja vu, as Vandeek also made 525,000gns at this sale last year, and he is by Havana Grey as well.

Stroud said: "Obviously we did very well last year, this is a very nice filly who breezed very well, we have the connection with Havana Grey, it was a great deal of money but sometimes you have to stretch for the ones you like.

"It was more than anticipated, but the owners are very supportive of this sale and have done very well historically at the sale. She goes to Simon and Ed Crisford."

Katie Walsh was visibly emotional after the sale and, after finishing speaking on the phone to her dad Ted, said: "I am emotional tonight, it is unbelievable, it has been a great couple of days and been really special.

"I understand how hard it is, for the last couple of weeks I have been saying 'Jesus, I can't have two of them!' It is so hard to get one, let alone two! I didn't really say it out loud, but quietly thought it at home, as we all did.

"I ride a lot of them at home, but all the lads in the yard have prepared them so well, and the pair of these seemed to have something special. Her sire is on fire and the whole worked."

Walsh did not buy the filly as a yearling, she was instead purchased by Mags O'Toole and Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm and Walsh explained the connection.

"Myself and Ross [O'Sullivan, husband] were at the Somerville Sale, and I liked her and they liked her, too – Norman bought her and she has been with me since the hammer fell. He used to do fillies back in the day and I said I am better with the girls, I'll take her!"

She added: "It is a dream! I really appreciate it!"

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