Racing: A two-year-old colt by American sire Forestry sold for a world record fee of $16 million at the Fasig-Tipton Calder selected two-year-olds in training sale today.
Seattle Dancer had previously held the record at $13.1million in 1985 but that price was smashed when top bloodstock agents Demi O’Byrne and John Ferguson went head to head in Miami.
After a protracted battle it was O’Byrne, representing Coolmore principal John Magnier and partners Michael Tabor and Derek Smith, who got the nod at a new record price.
"He’d better be good," O’Byrne said. "Time will tell. He breezed awfully well, and he’s a good-looking horse with a good pedigree."
Ferguson is agent to Sheikh Mohammed.
The bay colt caught the eye when racing a furlong in 9.8 seconds - a lightening quick speed - during a pre-sale workout.
Fasig-Tipton CEO Boyd Browning said: "None of us has ever had the experience of selling a horse for $16m, or anywhere near that, in our lifetime. That was fantastic; that was wonderful; and that was extraordinary."
Forestry stands at Taylor Made farm in Kentucky for a fee of $100,000.