WACHMAN COMPLETES DREAM FOR HOURIGAN
Article Taken from the EBN
A 300,000gns daughter of OASIS
DREAM headed proceedings as Tattersalls’ October Sale Book
Two fired into life yesterday. There was to be no spluttering, no
testing of the water at the start of this two-day auction, just
strong trading and record figures across the board – an average of
more than 53,000gns and a median of 38,000gns tell a wholesome
story. Even the session-topping OASIS
DREAM (Lot 783) set a new mark for a filly at this sale,
and while some pinhookers were forced to take their medicine,
and/or their horses home, investors in that area of the industry
had a generally upbeat day.
The pick of their particular table was the OASIS
DREAM filly, who more than quadrupled in value from her
foal price of 72,000gns – a great result for vendor Ger Hourigan of
the Whitehall Stud near Clonmel. His profit was achieved by the
combination of a very good yearling, several interested buyers and
a stallion whose popularity rivals that of Jonny Wilkinson.
Ironically OASIS DREAM will finish no better than second to
Acclamation in the first-season sires’ table, but he has been
fashionable since his foals appeared in 2005 and his halo remains
in situ. His CV was given a timely boost on Saturday when Captain
Gerrard won the Gr.3 Cornwallis Stakes and he has the virtue of
being a Juddmonte sire, neutral from the Maktoum and Coolmore
rosters, which helps when those giants like one of his
yearlings.
That proved the case yesterday, when trainer David Wachman,
standing with Coolmore boss John Magnier, held underbidder Angus
Gold of Shadwell Estates. Wachman’s purchase was foaled by the
Indian Ridge mare Jackie’s Opera, an unraced half-sister to the
Listed winner Arabian King, out of the Gr.1 Prix de Diane heroine
Escaline. All these qualities added up to a notable profit for
Hourigan, who began this season with some 20 yearlings to consign,
but he put this lucrative deal into perspective, saying, “She makes
up for the ones that go wrong.
“From the time I saw her as a foal she was always just a very
nice filly and she’s done everything right since. Trade is very
good if you have a quality horse.” Other buyers with a penchant for
the offspring of OASIS DREAM included Charles Egerton, a trainer
who made several important forays to the ring during last week’s
higher-profile Book One Sale, but who kept some savings back for
this week.
Date:
17 October 2007