AIRLIE Stud had a good Goffs Orby Sale, and in Book 2 they sold a Palace Pier (Kingman) son of the unraced Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Flora Danica for €92,000. Johnny Hassett was seated in the bidders, below the auctioneer, and had a broad smile on his face when the hammer fell in his favour.

Hassett was beside Ramzi Alghul, and their new purchase was for Local Creator Racing in Dubai. He said: “Just loved him; love the sire - he is doing so well. His sister is in a Group 1 on Saturday. A Palace Pier that looks like that; what’s not to like? We have bought three horses at the sale to breeze. He will come down to me. All the balls are up in the air.”