‘My Legs Went To Jelly’ – Massive Pinhooking Profit For Fearghal Hogan At Book 1

[Wandering Eyes]

It can be easy to read the headlines from Book 1 and conclude that this is a sale for the big boys and, unless you have millions in the bank, you cannot compete. 

Pinhooker Fearghal Hogan put that theory in the bin on Wednesday when a St Mark's Basilica colt that he bought for €120,000 sold for a whopping 800,000gns to Amo Racing. 

It was the type of pinhooking profit that left Hogan puffing for air down in the gangway as the numbers kept on climbing. And when the gavel eventually fell, the man behind Apollo Bloodstock nearly collapsed to his knees.

“My legs just went to jelly,” Hogan said. “I don't even know what was going through my mind. I couldn't believe it – it's just an unbelievable feeling. I knew the horse was going really well yesterday. We had 20 vets on the horse. And today, he just took off again. I had a good feeling going to bed last night that something good was going to happen. Now, I didn't think he could go and make 800,000gns. But I thought that maybe he might make half of that.”

He added, “I rang my mother straight away. She doesn't really understand the horse business so she can't wrap her head around it. To see that kind of money exchanging hands, she was just like, 'oh my God.' I really can't explain what I am feeling. I'm still in shock to be honest.”

Hogan purchased the St Mark's Basilica colt at the Goffs November Foal Sale last year. He admits that taking a chance on the progeny of a first-season sire was a big risk but qualified the six-figure outlay by saying he was a massive fan of St Mark's Basilica as a racehorse and that this colt was an excellent model by the multiple Group 1-winning son of Siyouni. However, saying all of that is well and good now, but because Hogan admits there were times this year where he didn't feel so clever. 

He explained, “Spending €120,000 on a foal, that's a big throw for me. And people were laughing at me during the summer when St Mark's Basilica wasn't going as well as he is now. Everyone kept reminding me that St Mark's Basilica was a half-brother to Magna Grecia but I kept telling them to keep the faith. I loved St Mark's Basilica as a racehorse and I loved this foal at the sales. Basically, I just took a chance and St Mark's Basilica has enjoyed an excellent second half to the season. He looks as though he's going to be a very good stallion.

“The first-season sires are so dangerous and oftentimes you can be either a hero or a zero when you pinhook a foal by one of them. But I loved everything about St Mark's Basilica so I wanted to take a chance on him, basically, and that's what happened. There were one or two other people involved and I am delighted for them. Fair play to Pa Doyle of Galbertstown who consigned him for me as well – he's done a brilliant job.”

Hogan added, “I'll be completely honest with you, my costs are massive. I rent a farm on the Curragh and I have one girl, Jackie Mooney, who works for me and I would be completely lost without her. My landlords Philip and Sheena O'Connor are unbelievable as well. But there are a lot of people who have helped me and they know who they are. Even the vets not ringing and annoying you for money and having a farrier who works with you, all of those things matter because, as a pinhooker, you only get one payday every year. After that, you might be short on cash so there are so many people who help you through the tougher times and I just want them to know that it is appreciated. People in the horse game are great people. It really is a great game. The good days can be just around the corner and, if you don't try, you'll have no chance. If you can keep your head above water during the bad years and just survive, survive, survive, you can hit on a result like this. When you do, you don't even remember the bad times!”

The post ‘My Legs Went To Jelly’ –  Massive Pinhooking Profit For Fearghal Hogan At Book 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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