THE Costello family has enjoyed a great store season so far and it was the turn of John Costello of Fenloe House to reap rewards when he sold his Doctor Dino gelding to Fergal O’Brien for €170,000.

Named Soldino, he is out of the French jumps winner Solvalla who has bred two winners from three runners so far, with her third runner Soir De Gala showing plenty of promise on his sole bumper start for Paul Nicholls and J.P. McManus in April.

O’Brien, bidding alongside former jockey and trainer Mark Pitman, was acting on behalf of owner Stewart Andrew who was also present.

“We paid a bit more than we thought we’d have to but we all loved him so we decided to do our best to get him,” O’Brien said. “He is a beautiful horse with lots of quality and is a lovely mover.

“Ballyhome, who Stewart has with us, is being retired and Stewart wanted to replace him. Mark selected this horse. We will get him broken in and see how we go.

“There is no rush with the horse. Stewart has been in the game a long time now, and time is what we have got. We are lucky to get this lad today and we are delighted.”

Mark Pitman trained Ever Blessed to win the former Hennessy Gold Cup for Stewart Andrew in 1999 and he commented: “What we set out to get was quality and, whichever way you look at it, he is quality, you couldn’t fault him.

“He is beautifully proportioned, he moves, he’s got scope and he has a pedigree. If you are looking to buy a horse to go to Cheltenham, he is it! Please God, he is lucky and he has got a great trainer too.”

French fortune

Like so many store horses who shined in the ring this summer Soldino was bought as a youngster in France. Recalling the circumstances of his purchase his vendor John Costello said: “I hadn’t been buying any French horses, but my son Conor was in Chantilly working for the summer. I went to visit and he said he wanted to take me to a farm to see a few horses and I bought a couple.

“The man on that farm said there is a Doctor Dino horse down the road on another farm. He took me to see him and I adored him, so I bought him as a yearling. It was a week after the Derby Sale two years ago.”

Doctor Dino fever continued when Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins combined to purchase the only filly by the sire of State Man and Sharjah in the sale.

The powerful buying axis went to €150,000 to secure the half-sister to listed hurdle winner Valenteen who was consigned by Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm. Further residual value is offered by the fact the stakes-winning dam Turteene is a half-sister to triple Grade 1 winner Greaneteen.

Mullins and Kirk had earlier paid €95,000 for a Doctor Dino gelding from the same vendor. Kirk said: “Doctor Dino is the best sire at the moment in France and we’ve been very lucky with him. I love this filly, she ticks every box. You don’t have to make her pedigree; it’s there on the page. Hopefully she will be a racemare and then a broodmare.”