Crystal Ocean Four-Year-Old Sells For Sales-Topping £400,000

Crystal Ocean’s first point-to-point winner Cristal D’Estruval (4g Crystal Ocean – Aurore D’Estruval, by Nickname) topped a record-breaking renewal of the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale when selling for £400,000.

Harry Derham will take charge of Colin Bowe’s debut winner, after securing the bay in tandem with bloodstock agent Ed Bailey. After revealing that the top lot was bought for an existing owner, Derham commented: ““When I am at the sales, I like to be critical of a horse, try and think what I don’t like about them – I could not find anything wrong with him.

"He is just my kind of horse; I just love him. He is very athletic, and you are not going to see a better four-year-old model than him and one who has gone and done the job already.

"He has jumped, galloped and stayed, good ones just get on and do it. His winning time was very good on deep ground, and I just think he is a very good horse.”

Bought by Bowe with Cametique Horses for €67,000 at the Goffs Arkle Sale, Cristal D’Estruval displayed a game attitude at Lisronagh last month, rallying to deny the even-money favourite, with the pair finishing 20 lengths clear of their nearest rival.

“He was always a lovely horse," Bowe reported. "He has been very easy to train, very straightforward, and gives the sire a good start. He has gone to a very good trainer, so hopefully he can kick on now. They don’t all work out, but he has always had a good walk, and he went down well here.”

Bred by The Beeches Stud and Grange Stud, Cristal D’Estruval hails from the first crop of Crystal Ocean, also responsible for impressive debut bumper winner Watamu and the 109-rated stayer Wild Waves.