GALVESTON WORTH WAIT?
PRICE TAG: Galveston in the ring last year
THE most expensive young horse sold in Europe last year makes his long-awaited debut at Naas racecourse on tomorrow.
The Aidan O’Brientrained and Coolmore-owned colt named Galveston is declared to run in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at 5.40pm.
The son of Frankel was bought by MV Magnier and Coolmore last year at Tattersalls sales ring for an eyewatering 2,000,000 guineas (approximately €2.4m) in what was the most paid for any horse in a sales ring in Europe in 2023.
Coolmore beat arch rivals Godolphin to land the seven-figure youngster, who is not surprisingly related to Group 1 winners and big things are expected.
“He’s a very nice horse and in fairness to everyone at Hascombe and Valiant they’ve bred a lot of very good horses in the past,” said Magnier last October after buying the colt.
“They’re very good breeders, Frankel is flying at the moment and this is a very wellbred horse. Paul (Shanahan), Aidan (O’Brien) and everyone in the team liked him. He’ll go to Ballydoyle and we’ll hope he’s good.”
When asked what the best-case scenario was his new purchase, Magnier smiled: “He wins the Dewhurst, the Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger. Seriously though, we’ll just hope he’s a good racehorse for now.”
Track
Al Naamah remains the most expensive yearling ever sold in Europe. Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing paid 5,000,0000 guineas for the Galileo filly in 2014 but she was disappointing on the track for French trainer Andre Fabre.
Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore have enjoyed good success with Frankel’s progeny in recent times with last Sunday’s Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Lake Victoria also a daughter of the unbeaten superstar.