When pinhookers went panning for gold at the end of a uniquely challenging 2020, few thoroughbred speculators could have foreseen the yearling market proving quite so strong as it has at a record-busting Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale.
Nonetheless, John Foley of Ballyvolane Stud was among those who got stuck in at the foal sales last winter, and the County Limerick-based operator duly landed an almighty touch when his Time Test colt out of Aurelia proved the star turn of Wednesday’s concluding session at 400,000gns.
The winning hand was played by Alastair Donald, who left Richard Hughes to fill the role of frustrated underbidder.
The beautiful colt
The latest successful pinhook for Foley’s Ballyvolane Stud was knocked down for 400,000 guineas to Alastair Donald of SackvilleDonald, following a prolonged bidding duel with trainer Richard Hughes.
Ballyvolane Stud has enjoyed significant pinhook success at Book 2 in recent years, selling colts by LOPE DE VEGA and NO NAY NEVER for 325,000 guineas in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The top-priced foal by his sire in 2020 when purchased for 56,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, the TIME TEST colt became the stallion’s highest-priced horse sold in the ring to date. He is a half-brother to HARLEQUEEN, who finished third in both the English and Irish Oaks, and comes from the family of Gr1 winner FORTE DEI MARMI.
A delighted John Foley commented:
“He has been very popular this week, he had 20 vets. He is an amazing horse, he has never missed a beat all week. Since we have had him he has been amazing. He is a special horse, the best we have ever had. His attitude, his presence, he is a ‘wow’ horse.
“He was a lovely, quality, straightforward foal and very well produced by the National Stud – there is a reason he was the dearest Time Test foal. There are some that are nice foals who come back as nice yearlings, but he has done better than we thought. He has developed and he has improved the whole way through.”
Foley had signed for the colt as ‘Otilia’ last December and revealed: “Otilia is myself and three friends, it is the first one we have pinhooked together. We wanted to take a punt on the stallion, we knew that this lad as foal would cost a few quid and, if he did not work out, we thought with three of us involved the pain wouldn’t be too much. It was a fair throw for him as a foal, we were taking a punt on him as a stallion, but sons of Dubawi have done well.
John Foley
“Time Test has had a great year, he looks very good. His stats are good and I will definitely be using him next year! He will be very popular with breeders.”
Foley continued: “It is amazing to get a result like this as we all work hard – this is a very tough business and there are more hard days than good days. We have great help at home, Donnacha Higgins helps me at home and gives me a hand with the yearlings, and John, my Dad, who is 77, mucks out six or seven boxes every day. We have great staff here too, and everyone is doing their best – it makes a huge difference when you have staff who want it to do well, and when it works out it is great.”
Trade at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale continued in record-breaking fashion with turnover of 16,565,000 guineas on the final day pushing the sale turnover past 50 million guineas for the first time in the sale’s history whilst the average and median also recorded new highs.
The clearance rate for the sale was a remarkable 88%.
