INVESTING €110,000 in a foal to resell as a yearling can be a daunting experience. At last year’s Goffs November Sale Brendan Holland of Grove Stud did just that when he purchased a mid-April foaled colt by Lope De Vega (Shamardal) out of Lucky Clio.

This half-brother to five winners at the time of his sale was bred by Cherry Faeste and she had purchased the dam Lucky Clio (Key of Luck) through Brian Grassick Bloodstock as a three-year-old for just 17,000gns. I say ‘just’ because the then three-year-old had been in the frame on half of her six starts, and her value was somewhat less than the €130,000 she brought as a yearling.