The Strikin Viking

Race entries

Out of a mare that has already produced an individual with a 108 RPR...

The number of people who came up to us during the day, following our purchase of this INNS OF COURT colt for 65,000gns, to say how much they loved the colt and that he was very well bought, was virtually countless, some very shrewd judges indeed were among the list.

Tally Ho were the consignors of our Group 1 winner The Platinum Queen, who we purchased from this sale in 2022 for 57,000gns and they’re responsible for presenting this fabulous colt to clock the 9th quickest time overall, with his final sectional proving quicker than the horse who recorded the quickest time of all, and given races on the track are 5f+, rather than the 2.3f of the Breeze Up race it could easily be asserted that he’s likely to prove well ahead of his 9th finishing position once racing ‘for real’.

Watch his walk and profile video, here:

Watch his breeze video, here:

He’s a gorgeous individual who walks with a certain swagger, like he knows he’s good. He’s a bigger than average individual and it’s fair to say he’s the sort of horse who could improve still, with age, not that he needs to. His sizeable physique is probably the reason why he took a little time to get going in the breeze itself, having been a tad green too early, changing his legs a couple of times going into the dip on the Rowley Mile, but then became much more balanced and really strode on as he met the rising ground. As he passed us at the furlong pole, I wrote one word in my sales’ catalogue - “whoosh!” - enough said. He’ll have learned plenty from his breeze and, as we’ve said, he’ll continue to improve, no end.

We think he’s been very well bought and we see Kevin Ryan who excels with Breeze Up graduates, The Grey Gatsby, Astaire, Bogart etc etc, as the perfect fit for this colt. Were we to pigeonhole this colt at a particular distance, we’d suggest that 6f or thereabouts would be ideal and he looks as though he’ll be ready to rock n roll by the time the 6f 2yo races start, later this month, although we will, of course, be guided by Kevin and his team as he gets to know the colt a little better, he could be fully effective at 5f or even stretch out further than 6f, that’s one of the beauties of the racing game, it’s such fascinating fun finding out.

He looks the part and gallops the part, so if you’d like to play your part, please jump aboard!

Further pedigree update: Caulfield 04-May-24. Half-brother CHORLTON LANE (IRE) (2020 g. by Mehmas (IRE)), wins the $130,000 handicap. Now the winner of 5 races and £193,252 at home and in Australia.

Here's Kevin with an update on him:

On the gallops/walking home (11th May):