THE opening day of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale is still underway at the time of writing, but Goffs have already scored a coup in having Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian in attendance, having been absent there last year.

It was perhaps unsurprising, considering Amo’s recent Group 1 win with sale graduate Power Blue and Group 2 success with Bucanero Fuerte, and those consigning at later yearling sales might now be concerned following Joorabchian’s comments after securing Lot 72 with Robson Aguiar for £110,000.

“Last year we were quieter at this sale because we went for the deeper pedigrees and we found that, come June, we were a little bit short of those speedier two-year-olds,” Joorabchian commented. “As you’ve seen, our season has come good recently, and we just felt we needed a little balance and should probably do a little bit of shopping at this sale and do a little less in Tatts.”

The purchase that signalled Amo’s intentions was a successful pinhook, having been bought by Integral Bloodstock for €30,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale. Offered by Finbar Kent on Wednesday, the February-born bay is the first foal out of Baroness Blixen, herself an own-sister to Molecomb Stakes third Show Me Show Me.

More importantly for Amo, though, the colt hails from the first crop of their July Stakes winner and Group 1 performer Persian Force. The son of Mehmas began his stallion career at a fee of €10,000 at the O’Callaghan family’s Tally-Ho Stud, who also pinhooked him as a foal.

“He’s obviously a sire that we know,” Joorabchian acknowledged. “My team actually thought he was the best physical in the whole sale. That was our target and we’re very happy with him.”

Finances

It has been rumoured that vendors have been particularly focussed on the Tattersalls Book 1 and Book 2 Sales due to Amo Racing’s huge spend there last year. The operation’s €4.95million outlay at Arqana last week signalled a change in strategy this time round, and it would appear that is set to continue.

On Wednesday, another possible reason for Amo’s strategy was revealed, as The Financial Times reported that a company owned by Joorabchian secured a £40million loan from Apollo Global Management four days before Book 1 began last year. The debt was secured against assets of Amo Racing, Amo Stables and Sports Invest UK.

Joorabchian was joined by Nottingham Forest owner and Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis at Tattersalls last October and The Financial Times previously reported that Marinakis borrowed £80million from the same US firm.

A full report on today’s sale will follow online later today and in Saturday’s edition.