The most expensive More Than Ready sold at auction this year has been knocked down to agent Matt Coleman at the Arqana 2yo Breeze-Up Sale in Deauville.
His colt offered on account of Grove Stud made €525,000 (AUD 830,640) on Saturday. He had been pin-hooked for $160,000 by the Irish nursery at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.
The Vinery legend sired him from USA stakes winner Generosity (Unbridled’s Song). The best of her four winners to date has been Hard Spun colt Integrity (Elusive Quality Stakes LR).
The Arqana colt was purchased on behalf of a client from Hong Kong. “For us, he was the pick of the sale,” said Coleman. “He breezed very well and did a good time. More Than Ready has had a lot of success in Hong Kong so he makes sense for over there.
“He looks a very straightforward sound, fast horse.”
More Than Ready had a 2yo colt sell for $650,000 at the Ocala Sale in March. He was purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds whose CEO Amer Abdulaziz Salman also bought Vinery’s All Too Hard – Sacred Choice colt at last year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions.
Named Phoenix Global, he won a Gold Coast 2yo trial on May 1 for trainer Toby Edmonds.
More Than Ready has a draft of five colts and a filly catalogued for the Fasig-Tipton 2yo Sale in Maryland next week which is being held in conjunction with the Preakness Stakes Gr.1 at Pimlico.
Among them is Lot 70, the full-brother to stakes winner Ready To Act (Keeneland Beaumont Stakes Gr.2).
More Than Ready is just finishing his latest northern book in Kentucky before shuttling back to Vinery for a $66,000 (inc gst) service fee.
