Willie Mullins buys British pointer Sonnet

There were three reasons to be delighted with the sale of four-year-old British point-to-pointer In A Sonnet at Goffs Aintree Sale yesterday evening.

First he was sold, second he made a profit and third he was bought by the current giant of Jump racing, Ireland’s Willie Mullins, who sent his bloodstock advisor Harold Kirk to the ring to secure the purchase of the horse. It took a bid of £135,000 before the hammer came down, a smart rise in value on the €40,000 In A Sonnet (pictured above) had cost Herefordshire-based owner/trainer Tom Lacey when he bought him last year as an unbroken store horse.

Lacey chose the four- and five-year-old maiden race at Maisemore Park on Sunday for the horse’s debut, and after he beat nine rivals in style it was off to the sales for his next public appearance.

In A Sonnet (Sean O’Connor) is clear at the last fence when winning at Maisemore Park on Sunday (Ce)

After thanking Mullins and Kirk, Lacey said: “He’s a lovely horse, by Poet’s Word – the sire of the moment – out of a black-type winning mare. This is a great result for us, and what is so lovely about selling to Willie is that he gives young horses plenty of time. We probably won’t see In A Sonnet again until next November or later, but that’s what he wants as a June foal. Not that Willie needs me to tell him how to train the horse.

“British pointers offer really good value, and plenty have gone on to win [under rules]. More and more people in Britain are having a go, which is great, and if we can get deeper races with more horses and decent ground then there is a good future. We still have a couple of horses at home to run, but whether they will depends on the ground.

“After this horse won at Maisemore he was checked over on Monday and was all good to come here. The form was current.

“I’m happy with the price because profit is profit and the reality is we have to sell. There’s no profit in training racehorses.”

Tom Lacey, who has no plans to tell Willie Mullins how to train In A Sonnet (Ce)

Mullins and Kirk have bought young point-to-pointers from Lacey in the past, and with some success. Champion chase winner Energumene was the stand-out, but Blackbow was another useful horse.

Kirk said: “I’ve bought a couple of good horses from Tom. He recommended this one so I’ll back him up again. The horse won well and in probably one of the better maiden races.”