Starspangledbanner Colt Tops Day 1 Of Premier Yearling Sale

Starspangledbanner provided the highlight on Day 1 of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, when a colt (Lot 165) from Anna Sundstrom’s Coulonces Sales sold for £170,000.

Richard Ryan supplied the session-topping bid, before revealing the January-born bay would go into training with Roger Varian on behalf of Teme Valley Racing. After signing the docket, Ryan commented, “He was the star of the show; the best in the sale in our opinion, and in the opinion of the trainer. Starspangledbanner gets winners out of all sorts of mares and all sorts of pages.”

On the profile he was looking for at the sales, he added, “We're looking for Classic horses, but those who have the precocity to show something at two. He fits that brief perfectly.”

Speaking after the sale, a delighted Anna Sundstrom said, “He was bred by me and my head girl, Charlotte Hutchinson, who was leading up. Charlotte bought the mare out of training from the Wertheimers, she cost only €16,000. We love Starspangledbanner, we've had a lot of luck with him, so it was an obvious choice to send Dalakania to him.”

Dalakania is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 performer Ziyad (Rock Of Gibraltar) and hails from the family of top-class racehorse Artiste Royal (Danehill) and champion older mare Aquarelliste (Danehill).