Go Daddy Brings $479,500 at Tattersalls Autumn Sale

As is so often the case at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, international investment was very much to the fore in Newmarket Oct. 28. European imports continue to dominate the headlines in Australia, with Via Sistina (IRE)'s course-record Cox Plate romp being the latest case in point. Ciaron Maher is among the Australians who can look forward to welcoming a new recruit after the leading trainer's talent scout Will Bourne combined with Billy Jackson Stops to secure Go Daddy (IRE) at a market-topping 350,000gns (US$479,500, 1guinea=$1.37). The son of Smooth Daddy proved steadily progressive over the course of 12 starts for William Muir and Chris Grassick. Although his sole victory came at two on his handicap debut at Nottingham from an official mark of 83, he changed hands on Monday rated 105. His efforts at three include finishing third in a pair of group 3s, namely the Geoffrey Freer Stakes won by Al Aasy and the Deutsches St Leger won by Prydwen. He was last seen finishing fourth behind Subsequent in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes. Although his future lies in Australia, Bourne explained that Go Daddy will head to the Newmarket yard of Harry Eustace, brother of Maher's former training partner David, before boarding the plane to Australia. "He profiles perfectly for Australia and I was chatting to Ciaron and he loved him and how consistent he is," said Bourne. "The plan is to keep him in work here with Harry, then he'll go down on the horses-in-training flight. "We'll target the Manion Cup, which William Haggas has done really well in winning with Favorite Moon and Post Impressionist, so we'll aim to run him straight off the plane during the Sydney Carnival. Harry has prepared horses like Sir Dragonet for us to win a Cox Plate, so Ciaron has full faith in Harry. They work very well together." On the price, Bourne added: "400,000gns was our max and I'd have been thrilled to get him for 250,000gns, so anywhere between is pretty much bang on. He has that perfect profile for Australia so I don't think he was missed by anyone." Go Daddy had been to the sales on three previous occasions. He first fetched €16,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale when SFF Bloodstock signed the ticket, before a €36,000 transaction at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale ten months later, when Diego Dias brought the gavel down. He was then sold to Muir at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale at €50,000. He is the fifth foal out of the Llsted-winning Invincible Spirit (IRE) mare Libys Dream. Strong trade not only resulted in a 46 percent year-on-year increase in turnover, but the aggregate of 9,168,700gns (US$12,561,119, 1 guinea=US$1.37) was also a new record for the opening session of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale. The average price also went up by 46 percent to 39,015gns, while the median was up 19 points at 19,000gns. The clearance rate was 80 percent as 235 lots sold from 293 offered. The Autumn Horses in Training Sale continues on Tuesday at 9.30 a.m.