Former top jockey Bryan Cooper was amongst the big spenders at the Tattersalls 2023 Derby Sale on Thursday.
The Gold-Cup winning jockey went to €170,000 to purchase Sionainn, a three-year-old son of Doctor Dino.
Cooper bought him on behalf of his father Tom who will train the horse for a new owner.
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The Kerryman, 30, made the shock decision to retire from the saddle in March.
But he is pursuing new passions and will be hoping Sionainn lives up to his tall price tag.
"We have waited for him all day," said Cooper. "He is for a new owner of Dad's who has given us an order.
"He is going home to be trained and, hopefully, he is a racehorse.
"I love the Doctor Dinos and I was in Willie's [Mullins] and rode the likes of State Man – his stock just have a great attitude."
It is the second purchase Cooper has made the sales after forking out €70,000 on Wednesday for a horse bred by former Ireland striker Kevin Doyle.
Cooper bought the second foal out of Grade 1 winning mare Augusta Kate, who was owned by a syndicate that included Alan Shearer, Ant and Dec and Lee Westwood. The Yeats mare will also be trained by Cooper's father Tom.
The sales topper so far is a half-brother to eight-time Grade 1 winner Douvan and to four-time Grade 1 victor Jonbon.
The Doctor Dino gelding, consigned by Coolmara Stables, went for €250,000 to Aiden and Olly Murphy after a sales ring battle with Henry de Bromhead.
Aidan said: "He was always going to make that kind of money and we were in a bit of a hurry so started from there," he said.
"He has a brilliant attitude, I’ve seen him each day he’s been here and he’s never turned a hair in all that time. He looks magnificent and is just a gorgeous horse.”
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