Montjue / Finsceal Beo Colt
A son of ‘Montjeu,’ out of ‘Finsceal Beo,’ (Latter Irish translation “Living Legend”) is heading to Ballydoyle, Fethard, Tipperary, having sold for €2.85 million to Michael Vincent (MV) Magnier, son of Coolmore supremo John Magnier.
Montjeu, who won the French and Irish Derby’s as well as the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe and the King George, was a high-class sire for Coolmore, who died last year aged 16. During his lifetime he sired three Derby winners as well as the Champion Hurdler ‘Hurricane Run.’
The 2006 European Champion filly Finsceal Beo is one of only two horses ever to win both the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the English 1,000 Guineas. She missed her chance at a “Triple” when she ran second in France to Darjina in the 2007 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp Racecourse.
While not quite a Goffs Orby sale record, Montjeu is the most expensive yearling of the past 25 years, outshining the previous €2.4 million paid for Jane Eyre in 2007, latter which until now was the second most expensive horse ever to be sold at an Irish auction. The record of €3.1 million still stands unsurpassed by Authaal, the Irish St Leger winner; latter a Shergar colt purchased in 1984.
An opening bid of €1 million for the colt were initially sought, however the auctioneer had to revert to €100,000 to get proceedings underway. Bids quickly bounced back and forth in quick succession, eventually silenced by the winning bid of €2.85 million.
The Al-Eile Stud bred colt is the third foal out of Finsceal Beo and his sale remains the highest price for any yearling in the northern hemisphere for this year.
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