€475,000 colt leads way for red-hot Declaration Of War

An international group of buyers proved eager to snap up the first-crop yearlings by the brilliant Declaration Of War on offer at this week’s Goffs Orby Sale. Declaration Of War’s youngsters had been in big demand at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale earlier in the month and it was a US buyer who purchased his dearest offering. Justin Zayat, whose family campaigned Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, paid €475,000 for a colt out of the Royal Academy mare Singing Diva (pictured) offered from the Barry family’s Manister House Stud. “He is a great physical from a good family and we’ll send him back to America now. He will go to the McKathans in Ocala and then we’ll decide about a trainer. He is the first one we’ve bought by the sire. Declaration Of War was a hell of a runner and he’s a son of War Front and we’re expecting big things from him at stud,” said Zayat, who was buying in conjunction with agents David Ingordo and Justin Casse. Declaration Of War also prompted Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms to make a rare foray into the yearling market when paying €350,000 for a filly out of the Hurricane Run black-type performer Cochabamba offered from Clare Castle Juddmonte racing manager Lord Grimthorpe commented: "She's the only one we've bought here and the only one we'll buy. We’re delighted to get her. She's from a family that Prince Khalid knows very well. She's a gorgeous filly. "The good individuals that tick all the boxes, like this filly, are selling very well. The Declaration Of Wars are also selling very well so let's hope they run well too!" A Declaration Of War filly out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Foolish Act could race in South Africa after selling for €240,000 to Jehan Malherbe of Form Bloodstock. “Sometimes you’ve got to pay a bit more for the ones that you like. She’s a beautiful filly with a pedigree to match. We’ll sit down after the sales and decide if she’ll stay here or whether she’s one of the ones that goes to South Africa,” reported Malherbe. Other prices for Declaration Of War included €200,000 (Amanda Skiffington), €200,000 (Kenji Ryotokuji), €165,000 (Federico Barberini), €140,000 (Gearoid Costelloe) etc.