‘It was hairs on the back of my neck stuff’: O’Brien on the record-breaking Vinnie colt

Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Until 2024, there had never been a seven-figure horse sell at a 2-year-old sale in Australia or New Zealand. And now there are two.

David Ellis splashed out NZ$1.65 million on the I Am Invincible colt from dual Group 1 winner Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel) at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale to take the record from Yulong's purchase of a Written Tycoon filly at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.

Not ready as a yearling but thriving at two

The colt was consigned for sale as a yearling by Segenhoe Stud who catalogued him for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale but withdrew him, then added him to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where he passed in.

“He’s owned by a lovely couple, Christopher and Susannah Grace. Shillelagh has lived with us most of the time (since she retired from racing). She went home for a bit then came back but otherwise has been here,” said Segenhoe Stud’s Peter O’Brien.

“This colt got to Easter, and he was a magnificent animal, but a few weeks leading into the sale he was growing a lot and sleeping a lot. Basically, the sale was bad timing for him, maybe a bit early, so he was passed in. They took him to New Zealand, gave him a good break and aimed him at this sale. Easter just came too quick for him, but now he’s ready and he’s shown everyone how good he is.

“When I saw him breeze, it was hairs on the back of my neck stuff. Hisaction is so good and he did an incredible time.” The colt breezed in the fastest time of the catalogue, covering 200 metres in 9.97s.

“Shillelagh has had the three Vinnies in a row. Christopher and Susannah raced the first two fillies from her. The New Zealand filly (Irish Legacy) was Group quality. She has Group 1 ability but she’s erratic, kept missing the start. Shillelagh herself is unique mentally, she’s tough as nails but when she retired here she was quite edgy and her first foal is very like her.”

Her first foal is Group 3-placed winner 4-year-old mare Irish Legacy (I Am Invincible) while her second foal, 3-year-old filly Kilkenny (I Am Invincible) debuted on Wednesday.

Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Irish Legacy (I Am Invincible) won on debut as a February 3-year-old last season, then ran third in the G3 Mufhasa S. at her second start. She then had two unplaced efforts before being spelled. She trialled recently.

“Kilkenny is a lovely filly. Waller has a big opinion of her. I’m not sure what happened today, but it’s just one start.” Kilkenny (I Am Invincible) debuted on Wednesday at Canterbury, running seventh.

“Shillelagh was covered by Vinnie this morning, actually, and she has a nice Snitzel filly at foot who they’ll probably race. Everyone on the farm loves Shillelagh. She’s unique and special. (The sale) is a great story for racing. Just lovely people who love their horses. It’s great to see people like that get rewards.”

‘We are very fortunate’

Christopher Grace purchased his first horse when he was 21, and now he’s bagged a massive sale to top off a lifetime of breeding achievements. “We were lucky enough to win a couple of Group 1s with Shillelagh. Te Akau trained her for us here and won four races, then she went to Chris Waller and he won four more with her including two Group 1s. She’s been mated to I Am Invincible four times and once to Snitzel," said Grace.

Shillelagh has had three live foals to I Am Invincible, then missed in 2022 so had no foal in 2023. Her Snitzel filly was born last week, on November 13.

“I’ve been breeding for a long time. I bought my first horse at 21 who was the top price yearling that year in 1961 for 2300 guineas. Now I’m 83 and I’ve just sold the highest price 2-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere. It must be time to stop,” joked Grace.

“We are very fortunate. We run a little boutique nursery and try to breed some nice horses, and we’ve had some success. Shilellagh is a bit tough for me, so Peter (O’Brien) looks after her for me. She came here once but injured herself kicking the truck, so I sent her back and said, ‘You’d better look after her.’”

As a broodmare sire, Savabeel has 32 stakes winners as a damsire including Listed winner Madiera Sunrise (I Am Invincible).

“Invincible Spirit has done well with this family. We bred two good ones from Galway. John O’Shea won eleven races with one (Kirwan’s Lane) and the other Johny Johny won 10 races. We are fortunate to have had a bit of luck.”

Galway (NZ) is a full sister to Shilellagh, and she has produced G2 The Ingham winner Kirwan’s Lane (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) who won 11 races and over $1.9 million, and G3 Sweynesse S. winner Johny Johny (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Charm Spirit (Ire) is a son of Invincible Spirit (Ire).

Top 10 2-year-old sales in AusNZ

This colt becomes the second seven-figure horse to sell at a 2-year-old sale in the Southern Hemisphere after the Written Tycoon filly from Group 1 winner Soriano (NZ) (Savabeel) made $1 million at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.

The previous record, set in 2023, was NZ$825,000 for Megastar Heart (Star Turn). He is now the winner of two of his four starts including the Listed Oxlade S.