Many thanks to all the team at home off the back of our excellent sale at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.
Our Justify colt out of Stars At Night, a full-brother to Sunday’s Curragh winner HMAS Perth, was one of the highlights of Wednesday’s session, selling for 1,600,0000gns to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm.
The colt is also a half-brother to the high-class miler Poker Face, whose eight wins for Simon and Ed Crisford included the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and Group 2 Zabeel Mile, while another half-sibling, Star Devine won the Autumn Days Stakes at Aqueduct.
Their dam Stars At Night is a winning half-sister to Gr.1 1,000 Guineas heroine Blue Bunting.
“We bought the mare around 2016,” recalled Eddie Irwin. “I was looking for a Galileo mare at the time. I was involved in racing Fastnet Rock and then was involved in him as a stallion as well. The cross was working really well with Galileo mares.”
From that strategy came Poker Face and Star Devine.
“Poker Face was a great campaigner and he went on for a long time. We were very sorry the way his career ended – he seemed to be getting better with age.”
He added: “Then Fastnet came to end of his career and we’d had four of them, and we were thinking where would we go next. So we sent the mare over to the States to Justify. The one we had last year, HMAS Perth, was a very nice horse who went to Ballydoyle and he looks like he’s good. I know Aidan O’Brien has a good opinion of him.
“This guy is a more substantial individual. Let’s hope he’s as good if not better. The mare has been very good to us.”
He is our third Justify yearling to sell this year following a colt out of Joie De Soir, who realised €1,250,000 to Godolphin out of the Fairway Consignment at the Arqana August Sale, and a colt out of Dawn Wall, who made €420,000 to Alex Elliott at the Goffs Orby Sale.
“We bought a mare in foal to Justify and then we had another two on the ground, and we were very lucky with all of them,” said Eddie. “They’re great individuals with great temperaments, the guys really love working with them at home. It’s just been very fortunate for us and we’re delighted.”
Stud manager Brian McConnon paid tribute to the Marshall team.
“We’re a small operation with 12 mares,” he said. “We’d like to thank Nick and the team at home, and all the team here. A lot needs to be done for it to come off and without them and their efforts, it wouldn’t happen.
