Trainer Michael O’Callaghan pulled off a remarkable pinhooking feat when he sold juvenile colt Crypto Force at Goffs London Sale this week for £900,000 achieving a sensational result with the son of Little Avondale shuttle sire Time Test (GB).
The Curragh horseman had purchased Crypto Force for 160,000gns at the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale and trained him to win a maiden first time out before putting him through the sale ring once more.
Crypto Force was knocked down to bloodstock agent Hamish Macauley on behalf of Amo Racing’s Kia Joorabchian, and the colt will remain in O’Callaghan’s care.
“The horse will stay with Michael. We don’t have too many horses of his type and we feel he could potentially be a Derby horse next year. He’s shown he is good and he’s tough,” Joorabchian said.
“I’m racing in Ireland now and I know how hard it is to win races there. I have much more appreciation of how hard it is to win maiden races.
“The way he finished his race was very strong and I think he will go further. He’s in the [Listed] Chesham Stakes on Saturday and, while that’s not the reason we bought him, he is likely to run.”
His sire Time Test shuttles to Little Avondale Stud in New Zealand where his oldest crop are two-year-olds and have made a favourable impression headed by stakes winner Leedox and stakes-placed Timeless.
He stands for a fee of $10,000+GST.
