Bloodstock Sales: The English businessman Graham Wylie might be new to the Goffs Orby Sale but he has wasted no time making his presence felt.
The 42-year-old, who co-founded the accountancy software firm Sage, splashed out €500,000 for two yearlings on Tuesday and yesterday spent close on €1.6 million on another four animals.
The most expensive was the €470,000 for a daughter of the Derby and Arc hero Sinndar who had been purchased as a foal by Emerald Bloodstock for €89,000.
Along with his other purchases, it was the English trainer Howard Johnson who did the bidding.
After purchasing the Sinndar filly, Wylie said he was buying Flat racehorses for "a bit of fun for the summer".
Wylie paid out 340,000 guineas, a record auction price for a jumper, for Royal Rosa earlier this year, a horse that reportedly was a wedding present for his wife, Andrea.
Johnson, better known as a jumping trainer, has Royal Rosa to carry Wylie's black and white colours (the owner is a Newcastle United fan) but will enter a different league with these regally-bred Flat buys.
Wylie and Johnson, who had the Irish agent Bobby O'Ryan talent-spotting for them, also paid €420,000 for a colt by the former champion two-year-old Xaar.
"He has a lovely pedigree and looks the likely article," said Johnson who minutes later had the final bid for the €400,000 Sadler's Wells filly from Camas Park Stud.
The day's top price, however, was the €525,000 that agent Anthony Stroud paid for a Grand Lodge filly from the family of the top French sprinter Zipping.
"She is for an old client of mine and will go into training with Michael Jarvis," Stroud said afterwards.
"She is a lovely filly and has very little Northern Dancer in her pedigree. She will be an attractive prospect once she retires from racing," he added.
A Grand Lodge colt (out of Commanche Belle) from Ashtown House Stud made €360,000 to the bid of John Ferguson who paid Tuesday's €1.2 million sales topper on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed.
Adrian Nichol of BBA (Ireland) secured the Sadler's Wells filly from the family of In The Wings for €340,000 and said: "She was bought for an English client and will go into training with Michael Bell."
Pat Eddery, the legendary jockey who retires at the end of the season, is temporarily out of action with an injured hand but it didn't stop him paying €50,000 for a Night Shift filly whose pedigree features plenty Aga Khan bloodlines.
There was an international flavour to the Indian Ridge filly from Eyrefield Lodge who made €380,000 to the bid of International Equities, a group from Chile, who will send their new buy to be trained in Britain.
Overall, however, the Goffs managing director Matt Mitchell estimated the average price over the two days was down from €102,000 to nearly €90,000.
"It's hard to say a sale that makes over €30 million over two days is disappointing but if I have a concern, it is that breeders, given the costs of production, are finding it difficult," he said.
Day's top prices
Lot 207: Loughbrown Stud, f by Grand Lodge-Zooming, A Stroud ... a525,000
Lot 240: Redpender Stud, f by Sinndar-Asterita, H Johnson ... ... a470,000
Lot 254: Lynn Lodge Stud, c by Xaar-Belsay, H Johnson ... ... a420,000
Lot 256: Camas Park Stud, f by Sadler's Wells-Bex, H Johnson ... ... a400,000
Lot 360: Eyrefield Lodge Stud, f by Indian Ridge-Half-Hitch, International Equities ... ... a380,000
Lot 283: Ashtown House Stud, c by Grand Lodge-Commanche Belle, J Ferguson ... ... a360,000
Lot 311: Airlie Stud, f by Sadler's Wells-Dollar Bird, BBA(Ireland) ... ... a340,000
Lot 285: Forenaghts Stud, c by In The Wings-Continuous, France Pur Sang ... ... a320,000
Lot 320: Meadowlands Stud, c by Halling-Emma Peel, H Johnson ... ... a300,000
Lot 339: Castlemartin Stud, f by Dieses-Forest Storm, Shadwell Estates ... ... a300,000
Lot 375: Jockey Hall Stud, f by Sadler's Wells-Imitation, BBA (Ireland) ... ... a300,000
Lot 293: Marlhill House Stud, c by Fasliyev-Dance Desire, Shadwell Estates ... ... a280,000
Lot 236: Grangemore Stud, c by Montjeu-Ardmelody, DL O'Byrne ... ... a260,000
Lot 262: Croom House Stud, f by Namid-Bold As Love, Shadwell Estates ... ... a250,000
Lot 322: Castleton Group, c by Danehill-Escape To Victory, BBA (Ireland) ... ... a240,000
Lot 272: Barronstown Stud, c by Danehill-Champaka, J Ferguson ... ... a220,000
Lot 282: Kilcarn Park, c by King's Best-Colour Dance, J Ferguson ... ... a200,000
Lot 239: Croom House Stud, f by Giant's Causeway-Aspiration, F Sauque ... ... a190,000
Lot 222: Camas Park Stud, c by Danehill Dancer-Alpine Lady, DL O'Byrne ... ... a180,000
Lot 231: Ashtown House Stud, c by Orpen-Ansariya, DL O'Byrne ... ... a180,000
Lot 263: Barronstown Stud, f by Danehill-Breyani, P Harris ... ... a180,000
