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12 Tuesday, October 19, 2010 racingpost.com INTERVIEW PETER DOYLE IT’S IN THE BLOOD Julian Muscat talks Peter Doyle (centre): to the bloodstock now buys around 80 per cent of agent who has become Richard Hannon’s a key figure in Richard annual yearling Hannon’s success intake

HE Doyle family tend to make their first shot count. Father Jack won the inaugural pony-jumping T competition at the Royal Dublin Society Horse Show in 1912. His first Grand National runner, Revelry, went off favourite in 1947 – and fell at the first. And when a bout of tuberculosis forced him to quit training, the first horse he bought as a bloodstock agent was Another Flash, subsequently winner of the 1960 Champion Hurdle. Jack’s son, Peter, has posted a few of his own since he started trading in 1976. One of the first stores he bought and sold was Silver Buck, who went on to win the 1982 Cheltenham Gold Cup. The first yearling he bought in tandem with Liam Browne was Dara Monarch, a Classic winner who cost 5,000gns – the minimum bid – at Tattersalls in 1980. And the first horse he bought with Richard Hannon, at Deauville in 1988, won a brace of Listed races. That marked the beginning of an surprise. He ascribes it to a rigorous facets to Hannon’s successful stable, anything off his own bat, he’d have axis without equal in the sport. Doyle pre-sale routine that sees him and his beyond buying the right horses. It is had nothing to train.” Two years ago DOYLE’S DIAMONDS now buys around 80 per cent of team examine every yearling at every genuinely a family effort, from Canford Cliffs was the last horse to Hannon’s annual yearling intake. Of auction he attends. When the shortlist Hannon’s wife Jo to his daughter sell; Hannon’s clients felt £50,000 Canford this year’s vintage, Canford Cliffs, is compiled he will then see every one Fanny, who helps Doyle compile his was plenty for a son of Tagula, but Cliffs Dick Turpin, Paco Boy and Zebedee at least twice more. sales shortlists, and his son Richard, Robin Heffer, a new owner, took him Purchase were all sourced by Peter Doyle “The ones you like make an impact who will take over the licence. The on. “I imagine Robin will be good for price: £50,000 Bloodstock. And when both men on you straight away,” he says. “For whole show is underwritten by loyal one or two this year,” Doyle smiles. Prize-money eventually retire, Hannon’s son, that reason, you remember them well. owners Hannon goes out of his way to Hannon aside, Doyle has between won: £645,951 Richard jnr, will take up the baton The first horse I saw at Fairyhouse entertain. 30 and 40 regular clients. Many dip in Big-race wins: two years ago was Dick Turpin and I and out, but he does regular business Irish 2,000 with Doyle’s son, Ross. The young HEN the sales round is tyros have already unearthed Paco told Ross that no matter how much he around the world. Nothing, however, Guineas, complete Hannon St James’s Boy and Zebedee for themselves. made, we wouldn’t be leaving without can be as rewarding as his association gathers all those Palace Stakes, Could one man function without him. In the end he cost only with Hannon, who is threatening to € owners at Herridge for Sussex Stakes the other? It’s an interesting question. 26,000.” retire if, as seems likely, he wins his the mother of all Hannon has trained the winners of Doyle believes his intense, pre-sale W second trainers’ title at the season’s champagne lunches – and promptly 113 two-year-old races this year sifting is the key to his success. When close. Dick sells the yearlings off. As the years alone. He could probably win a seller he first met Hannon at Deauville, “I have no idea what he will do,” Turpin pass he has become increasingly with the stable hack. Doyle concedes Hannon told him he was on holiday Doyle says, “but I don’t think he will nervous he will be left with too Purchase the point with a genuine smile, but and wouldn’t be buying anything. ever retire from coming to the sales. price: €26,000 When, “a few jars later”, Hannon’s many on the books, yet that rarely Or the races, for that matter. He loves then, his record pre-Hannon was Prize-money hardly shabby. resolution waned, Doyle had the happens. it too much to give it up. As he says won: £722,776 Doyle knows well that a lid must be “Good trainers make everything a shortlist ready. They bought two and himself, when he retires the name on Big-race wins: lot easier,” he admits. “The first were underbidders on 20 others. kept on prices. “Richard never gets the licence will not change. And the Richmond yearling I bought for [the late] Paul Doyle maintains there are many orders,” he says. “If he didn’t buy show will go on.” Stakes, de Moussac was Savoureuse Lady, a Greenham Caerleon filly who Andre Fabre Stakes, Prix Jean Prat trained to win a Group 3. Now Andre is a great trainer. I bought other Hannon taught me ‘the rhythm’ yearlings for De Moussac by young Paco Boy stallions that turned out to be bad BLOODSTOCK agents have several is not keen on a horse, they won’t £400,000 in prize-money.” Purchase sires, like Henbit and Wassl, yet he guises. For those working in buy it. In recent years the quality of price: trained them to win good races. harness with trainers, as Peter Hannon is not one to spend yearling has increased even if the 30,000gns “In 1990 I bought them a yearling Doyle does with Richard Hannon hours looking at yearlings ahead of brief remains the same. “Prices Prize-money for 30,000gns by Law Society, (right), it is imperative the agent a sale. “One year at Goffs, Richard may have come down but the type won: £1,004,213 understands the type of yearling saw a horse for a few seconds just of horse we want is becoming more another disappointing sire,” Doyle Big-race wins: his trainer prefers. as it was about to be knocked down expensive,” Doyle explains. continues. “Andre came up to me at Lockinge Stakes, Regular paddock-watchers can in the ring,” Doyle recalls. “Having said that, I don’t think Royal Ascot and told me it was the Queen Anne spot a Hannon-trained horse from “He immediately told me buying expensive horses will ever Stakes, Prix de la best two-year-old he had. But it was 100 paces. They come with strong to bid on it and we got be the goal. Why change a winning beaten on its debut in November and Foret, Bet365 frames and project a rugged it for IR13,000 gns. It formula?” Mile I thought: ‘Typical trainer, talking up demeanour with bold, turned out to be Why indeed? “Last year Richard his horses’. The following season he inquisitive heads. “Over the Hurricane Alan, insisted he wanted to cut back on won his maiden, then a Listed race, years we have learned to who won Group the [70] yearlings we’d brought the then a Group 3 and then the [Group recognise what Richard likes in a races and previous year,” Doyle recalls. “So Zebedee 1] Grand Prix de Paris. He was horse,” Doyle says. “He taught me more than one evening in Newmarket he asked Purchase price: favourite for the Arc but injury ruled about the movement of a horse, how many we’d got, and when I 70,000gns him out. Homme De Loi was his allied to music. He calls it ‘the told him 73, he said: ‘Jesus, we’ll Prize-money name.” rhythm’; a bit like a serenade, never sell them on’. In the next won: £162,819 As Doyle, 64, remembers past perhaps. breath he asked me whether there Big-race wins: “It must also have a good were more yearlings selling that purchases he offers details that allude Molecomb attitude,” he continues. “The way it night, and when I replied that there Stakes, to a photographic memory. He has an walks is important, as is the head. were, he said: ‘Well, we’d better go uncanny recall of dates and places, Tattersalls There must be width between the and see what we can find’.” Millions Auction the money he paid, how this yearling eyes, with a good, big ear. And we One thing is plain. The Stakes, Flying was small, how that one turned out in don’t like to buy horses with too Doyle/Hannon alliance has some Childers Stakes front. Yet he is surprised at your many faults.” If one of the two men way yet to run.