FORMER Irish international event rider Edie Murray-Hayden was one of the biggest stories of the week from the Goffs Orby Sale, landing a €500,000 pinhooking dream at the world class sale.

At last November Goffs Foal Sale, she spotted a raw Dabirsim bay colt and jotted him down as her number one choice of the sale.

Managing to buy him for €56,000, the event rider, who owns and runs Gormanstown Stud in Kilcullen, was thrilled when the hammer finally fell on Wednesday at €500,000 after a bidding war erupted in Goffs for the fabulous colt, yielding a return of almost 10 times his foal price.

‘’It was his good looks, his outstanding walk and his very athletic look that caught my eye at the foal sale. Goffs has been lucky for me for both buying and selling. I try to buy one or two a year. He was in and out of the box all week at Goffs, there was a lot of interest in him. Alastair Sackville (of Sackville Donald bloodstock agents) loved him and let’s hope he will become a champion for his new trainer Andrew Balding.’’

The colt was bought by Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, owner and chairman of Leicester City Football Club, who spent over £2 million at Goffs London Sale in June.

Murray-Hayden, who has an extensive background in both sport horse and thoroughbred horses, breaks yearlings, pre-trains and also produces event horses up to two-star level before selling them on.

Operating a one-person operation, she has no staff at her 10 stable stud on 35 acres. The colt was bred by Ecurie Normadie Pur Sang and is the third foal out of Chica Loca, a listed-placed daughter of American Post.

“I have received a lot of nice messages, people have been very kind. I knew he would make money but not that much. He was raw as a colt but I knew I could improve him. He was lovely to work with,” said Murray-Hayden who was a member of the first Irish pony eventing team which came fourth in the European Championships.

Gormanstown Stud normally is home to a mixture of eventers and thoroughbreds. 2017 has been a landmark year. “In January, I sold Caesar’s Gold and my five-year-old event horse was fifth in the Young Event Horse Championship at the Dublin Horse Show, so it’s been a very lucky, brilliant year,” said Murray-Hayden who is planning to buy some more event horses to bring on.

A seasoned pinhooker, Murray-Hayden also bought Sir Prancealot for €52,000 as a foal, selling the future Tally-Ho sire for €142,000 at the 2011 Goffs Orby renewal.

Cheltenham winner Black Hercules is another star of the track who spent some of his formative years at her Gormanstown Stud.