£230,000 Starspangledbanner leads way at Doncaster

Two days after he sired a first-crop Group 1 winner, Starspangledbanner was making the headlines again at Doncaster sales on Tuesday, when responsible for the £230,000 top lot. Out of Ultimate Best, the sale-topping colt had cost just 13,000gns as a yearling last year and rocketed in price following his sire’s brilliant season. David Redvers, acting for Qatar Racing, saw off Mark Richards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the colt. “He was the standout of the sale,” Redvers told the Racing Post. “As we know, they're not making many Starspangledbanners and this was a colt that had great presence and action as well as a good page.” It was a great result for Peter Parkhill of Castletown Quarry Stud, who pinhooked the colt with Eoin Banville. “It's unbelievable, it hasn't sunk in yet - I can't believe how much he made," said Parkhill. “He was very straightforward in his prep, he's improved every day since the winter and improved again when he got here, and everything just came right on the day, we were very lucky. I'm very grateful to all the bidders and David Redvers, he'll get every chance now.” The colt, bred by the Pocock family, was selling just 48 hours after The Wow Signal (2c Starspangledbanner-Muravka, by High Chaparral) captured the G1 Prix Morny for Starspangledbanner.