By Brian Sheerin
While records were being broken at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Sale on Friday, leading breeze-up handler Diego Dias showed that there is always another way to get a horse sold when sending out Gaenari (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) to finish second in the opening maiden on Guineas weekend.
It was just over a month ago when Dias was forced to buy back Gaenari after she failed to put in the breeze he felt she was capable of doing. Devoid of any other options, Dias, backed by Star Bloodstock's Matt Eves, threw a set of silks on the filly nobody wanted at Doncaster.
It looks to be a shrewd move now, given the filly was beaten just a neck by the fast-finishing Joseph O'Brien-trained Nemonte (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) in that six-furlong Curragh maiden.
Dias and Eves are now dreaming of Royal Ascot with the filly and the Brazilian native says that he hopes to secure a sale before the G2 Queen Mary S.
Good Day which my first 🐎runner I like to thanks Star Bloodstock to believe and listen when I say she's good, big future ahead for Gaenari looking forward to the next step for her, Royal Ascot 🎩 in my mind🤞🙏 https://t.co/pR0MSnd9hl
— Diego Dias Bloodstock (@DiegoDi41476096) May 26, 2023
“It was almost a dream start,” Dias commented on his first ever runner. “The filly ran really well and was only caught in the last few strides. We brought her to Doncaster but she didn't put in the breeze that we knew she could and then nobody wanted her. She went into the ring and there was absolutely nobody for her–not one bid–so we bought her back for £3,000.”
He added, “We knew she was better than she showed at Doncaster. At the end of the day, horses are not machines and, sometimes they just don't turn up on the day. But on her homework at home, we knew that she had the potential.”
Gaenari was bred by Tally-Ho Stud, who sold the horse at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £23,000 to Byron Rogers and Star Bloodstock.
Of course, it is not the first time Eves has thrown a set of silks on a horse, with eagle-eyed observers remembering that it was his light blue and purple colours that were carried initially by Joseph O'Brien's listed winner Lady Penelope (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) a few years ago.
Dias said, “I bought Gaenari with Byron Rogers at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £23,000 off Tally-Ho Stud. We had no other option but to race her and I just appreciate that Matt sent her to me.
“We were quietly confident that she would run well, even though it looked a good maiden, and I think we will go to Royal Ascot with her now. The Queen Mary would suit her because she is a very quick filly.”
He added, “She could be sold before Royal Ascot. She is for sale and, if someone were to buy half of her and she stay in training with me, that would be the ideal option but we'll see what happens in the next few days.”
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