Darby doubles down on winning Tattersalls formula

Darby Racing and de Burgh Equine struck twice on the second day of the Tattersalls August Sale in Newmarket, snapping up a pair of Northern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-olds by Galileo (Ire).

The recent success of imports such as Harpo Marx (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Canasta(Fr) (Makfi {GB}) and Spirit Ridge (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) has emboldened Darby Racing's confidence in buying tried horses out of international sales and it went to a combined 180,000 gns (AU$363,228) for two Galileo 3-year-olds at the Newmarket sale.

Iowa (Ire), a winner of one of his 12 starts for Aidan O'Brien, cost Darby Racing and its agent Hubie de Burgh 100,000 gns (AU$196,350), while stablemate Father's Day (Ire) is also headed to Australia after the maiden galloper was secured for 80,000 gns (AU$157,080).

The purchases come just a few days after Harpo Marx, another son of Galileo who was purchased by Darby and de Burgh for 60,000 gns (AU$117,881) from Ballydoyle through the 2019 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, won the G3 Premier's Cup, defeating another Darby Racing horse sourced from Tattersalls, Spirit Ridge.

Scott Darby told TDN AusNZ, that when you were on a winning formula, it was important to stick to it.

"It’s really good that we can tap into these sorts of bloodlines. We have got that connection over there, with Hubie de Burgh, who has all the inside information and all the knowledge and experience, and it is really starting to pay off on the track," he said.

"I think these two will be very popular with our owners."

Iowa is out of Bridal Dance (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who has produced a pair of Group 2 winners in Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Royal Dornach (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). He broke his maiden in the Ulster Derby at Royal Down in June and was subsequently fourth in a Listed race at the same track.

"The horses that perform well in those handicaps, they are a good class of horse. The question is always there when you buy a horse from Aidan O'Brien, why are they getting rid of them? But the answer is pretty simple, they are looking for the elite of the elite and they have got another 100 yearlings ready to come in," Darby said.

"The tried horses they sell, win all over the world and if you do your homework, particularly on what works best here in Australia, you can have a lot of success."

Father's Day has had just two starts, his most recent when second in a Tipperary maiden in June. He is a three-quarter brother to The United States (Ire), who was a Group 1 winner in Australia under the ownership of Lloyd Williams.

He is out of Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who is a half-sister not only to The United States but two other Galileo Group 1 winners in Hydrangea (Ire) and Hermosa (Ire).

Darby said the colts' rich pedigrees will certainly be helpful when it comes to syndicating them.

"The pedigrees are through the roof and that really excites our owners about how well-bred we are buying these horses. It's incredible," he said.

Iowa will go to the Mark Newnham stable when he arrives in Australia, while Father's Day will head to Bjorn Baker. Darby said he expects to buy anything up to six horses through the Northern Hemisphere tried horse sales in 2021.

"You just have to have them in your stable these days. You look at most of the middle-distance races in Sydney, they are just dominated by these horses and if you are not playing in that market, then you are just not competing," he said.