The Aga Khan Studs draft hit the heights once again in the early stages of the Nov. 2 Goffs Autumn Horses in Training and Point-to-Point Sale, with Willie Mullins' agent Harold Kirk going to a record-breaking €360,000 (US$403,200, €1=US$1.12) for recent Curragh maiden scorer Almazann. The six-figure purchase broke the previous high mark for this event, which was set by Snow Lord's €300,000 sale from John Oxx's Currabeg Stables to Michael Halford in 2006.
The agent continued upping the pressure amid stiff competition to land the athletic son of Zarak, a winner and placed second four times from six starts on the track for Dermot Weld. The colt's CV includes a second to subsequent impressive listed scorer Come What May at the Curragh before his own breakthrough success.
Kirk said: "Zarak's one of my favorite sires; he's a group 1 sire on the flat and a grade 1 sire over jumps. He ticks every box.
"This is a gorgeous horse. He's 16.2hh, which I love and he'll be a top-class hurdler and a top-class staying flat horse. He's bigger than a typical Zarak, which is in his favor. He's only 3 and he will develop to be a very good 4-year-old. He just ticks every box because he could be a Royal Ascot horse and a jumping horse."
Buoyant trade for the opening horses in training section contributed to 77 of the 94 lots selling (82%) for turnover of €2,184,500 (US$2,446,640) (up 63% year-on-year) and at an average of €28,371 (US$31,776) (up 69%) and a median of €15,000 (US$16,800) (up 54%).
Trade continues Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. local time.
