Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
It was two years ago at this Sale where O'Brien and British-based Brummitt first combined to secure two yearlings, including the subsequent dual Group 1 winner Russian Camelot, who they paid 120,000 gns (AU$228,000) for from the draft of Camas Park Stud.
Having purchased four yearlings last year, they were back again on Tuesday, purchasing a colt by Tamayuz (GB) and a filly by Nathaniel (Ire).
"We obviously put a lot of our faith in Jeremy for our European purchases and he hasn't let us down. The first one he bought was Russian Camelot and the ones we bought last year are magnificent horses. I very much leave it to him," O'Brien told TDN AusNZ.
"We obviously put a lot of our faith in Jeremy for our European purchases and he hasn't let us down." - Danny O'Brien
O'Brien certainly did not require convincing on Lot 156, the Tamayuz colt offered by Ballyhimikin Stud out of the family of champion mare and Group 1 winner in both France and Hong Kong, Pride (Fr) (Peintre Celebre {USA}).
"I could see with the videos which you get a look at, he's just a really, really attractive looking horse. This colt was Jeremy's pick of the Sale and we were very happy to buy him," O'Brien said of the colt who cost 130,000 gns (AU$247,065).
His dam is the G3 Prix de Flore winner Fate (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is a half-sister to the champion Pride, from a family which also includes G1 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), G1 Irish St Leger winner Touching Wood (USA) (Roberto {USA}) as well as G3 Ballyroan S. winner Nickajack Cave (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}), who is being prepared for the G1 Melbourne Cup by Peter Moody.
"It's a big strong page, obviously the mare was a stakes winner and Group 1-placed and is a half to a champion mare in France, so there is plenty to like about his pedigree." O'Brien said.
"The brief is always to run them up to 2000 metres at least. He shouldn't have too much trouble doing that."
Watch: Lot 156 parade
Pair secures first filly
For the first time at the Tattersalls Sale, Brummitt and O'Brien purchased a filly, paying 80,000 gns (AU$152,000) for Lot 126, the filly by Enable's (GB) sire Nathaniel, and offered by Deerfield Farm.
The chestnut is out of G3 Prix du Petit Couvert winner Dibajj (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), whose first foal, a colt by New Approach (Ire), reached 190,000 gns (AU$361,095) at the same sale last year.
Dibajj is a half-sister to Listed winner Black Sea (Fr) (Dubai Destination {USA}) from the family of Group 2 winner Chineur (Fr) (Fasliyev {USA}).
"It’s the first time we have bought a filly. It’s the same thing in that we are looking for middle distance fillies and she was one of Jeremy's picks for the Sale. Again, she's out of a stakes winner and so you can't go too far wrong there. Jeremy thought she was a really attractive, athletic, nice filly and we were happy to be involved there," O'Brien said.
Lot 126 - Nathaniel (Ire) x Dibajj (Fr) (filly)
The pair are expected to be the first of several purchases by the Brummitt/O'Brien partnership at Tattersalls this week.
"We bought two the first year in 2018, and we bought four last year, and we might get between four and six this year," he said.
"The horses will go straight from the Sale to quarantine and will be here in three weeks. We get them straight out and break them in and away they go."
Not a hard sell
Given the success of Russian Camelot, who has won both the G1 SA Derby and G1 Underwood S. just seven starts into his career, O'Brien has had no problem getting more clients involved with his international purchases.
"We’ve got more of our clients that have seen the journey that we have produced with Russian Camelot. There are a few of them involved with the 2-year-olds that we got from last year's sale. It’s been pretty well received from our clients and it’s just hard to access those middle distance horses here in Australia," he said.
"We have bought in New Zealand as well. We have a nice horse for this year's (Victoria) Derby called Young Werther, who we bought in New Zealand, and we've done well there, so we go looking for winners wherever they are."
"We go looking for winners wherever they are." - Danny O'Brien
Russian Camelot will look to extend his Group 1 record when he tackles Saturday's G1 Neds (Caulfield) S. as a short-priced favourite and O'Brien is confident everything is on track.
"He's great, he's really in great order," he said. "He's a rising 4-year-old now, and he is such a big strong colt and he thrives on it."
Russian Camelot (Ire) will line up in Saturday's G1 Neds (Caulfield) S.
Cambridge secures Almanzor colt
The other Australasian connection in action on the buyers' bench at Tattersalls was Cambridge Stud, who came together with Haras d'Etreham to buy a colt by Almanzor (Fr) for 100,000 gns (AU$190,000).
Lot 177 was offered by Highclere Stud and is out of the Listed winner Gemstone (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has already produced the Listed winner UAE Jewel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from the family of G1 2000 Guineas winner Bachelor Duke (USA) (Miswaki {USA}).
Meanwhile, a filly out of Australian stakes winner Crafty (Manhattan Rain) by Sea The Stars (Ire) was picked up for 300,000 gns (AU$570,000) by Sunderland Holding from the draft of Manister House.
