Charm Spirit

Sales action returned to Arqana on Tuesday with the first session of the two-day Summer Sale, at which the Haras du Mesnil stallion Doctor Dino was all the rage among the National Hunt stores on offer.  Haras de Montaigu's Doctor Dino colt topped the day's trade when sold for €240,000 to Nat Barnett. After a lengthy exchange in the ring, the son of the Listed-placed hurdler Out Of Risk (No Risk At All) was secured to join trainer Hugo Merienne.  "We bought three yearlings here in November and came back...

It may have started more by necessity than by desire, but Martin Hughes has now hit the heights that most small breeders can only dream of with his sprinting sensation, Shaquille (GB). A year ago this week, the son of the treble Group 1-winning miler Charm Spirit (Ire) made a winning debut at York. In the ensuing 12 months, he has taken Hughes, who bred Shaquille with Michael Kerr-Dineen, and his friends in the partnership on quite a ride, often with heart in mouth, but on all bar two occasions...