Small-scale breeding is not for the faint-hearted. The hours are long and hard, the costs are high and disappointment is never far away. But on the first day of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale on August 27, the Knox family received a result that not only makes the effort worthwhile, but could inspire others to take the plunge.

Trading in Doncaster proved solid from the start, but none of the 243 lots on offer could match the £240,000 (US$318,286, £1 = US$1.33) price tag set by the Havana Grey Mare from Turning the hay.

The decisive part of the auction involved Mark McStay, who stood with Paul and Charles Shanahan at the top of the steps to the left of the stands, while his main competitor Paddy Twomey was stationed on the upper deck opposite the auctioneer.

At times it seemed as though Twomey had the initiative, but when McStay nodded in favour of a £10,000 increase to £240,000, the Group 1-winning trainer shook his head and gave up.

The six-figure sale also gave the transaction a distinctly international flavor, as the successful broker revealed that his purchase had been made on behalf of a major owner from the other side of the Atlantic.

“She was bought for Ira Gumberg of Skara Glen Stables in America, whose family bred From dishwasher to millionaire said McStay. “She’s a beautiful filly who was very well presented by Sarah Fanning. Havana Grey speaks for herself; he gets fast two-year-olds and this looks like a particularly fast filly. She’s like Queen Mary.

“That’s what Doncaster has been known for over the years and she was by far the most outstanding physically, at least as far as the mares on the sale grounds go.

“She will go to Donnacha O’Brien, a trainer who has already won Royal Ascot and who has brought me luck. He already had a young horse that won Royal Ascot with Fortuna Gate and let’s hope this mare is his next. Skara Glen Stables are very important owners in America, so it’s fantastic that they have decided to buy a very beautiful mare here.”

The filly, whose mother is a presentation Half-sister of the Athasi Stakes winner Twilight Spinner was bred by Northallerton-based Jeremy and Muriel Knox and their son Josh. The family explained that not only was this result a personal best, but it had taken 30 years to achieve.

“We are a very small breeder with only five mares,” said Josh Knox. “The last five generations of this lineage are in our family. My late grandparents, Ken and Pat Knox, had Miss Mercy, then Shrink, Spinatrix and now Twist Of Hay. They bought Miss Mercy and started breeding. She was just a cheap little purchase, but she has become the foundation mare for this whole family.”

“We always knew we had a great horse in this mare, but all the stars aligned. We found the right father at the right time and she has developed into a really good individual with a great gait. We have been doing this for 30 years and this is by far our greatest success.”

Of the 243 lots that went under the hammer in the 10-hour session, 200 found a buyer with a hammer price of 82%. Total sales reached £8,209,500, down 11% from the comparable session in 2023. The average price was £41,050, down 14%, while the median was £31,000, down 11 points.

The Premier Yearling Sale will continue on August 28, with the closing session beginning at 9:30 a.m. local time.