The TDN: O'Brien Lands Sister To Globetrotting Sensation State Of Rest For 750k

By Brian Sheerin

A Sea The Stars (Ire) sister to globetrotting sensation State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) found a fitting suitor at the Goffs Orby Sale with Joseph O'Brien, the man who trained that Tinnakill House graduate to win at the highest level in America, Australia, Britain and France, going to €750,000 to secure the star attraction on Tuesday.

Tinnakill House has enjoyed the ride of a lifetime with the family of State Of Rest having signed for the granddam of the four-time Group 1 winner, Monaassabaat (Zilzal), at the Goffs November Mares Sale back in 2007.

The journey reached its crescendo on Tuesday when the hammer fell to O'Brien to deliver what was clearly an emotional success for Dermot Cantillon and his wife Meta Osborne.

“My big wish is that she goes on and becomes a super race mare,” – Dermot Cantillon

Speaking shortly after the sale, Cantillon said of lot 48, “We had a lot of footfall down to the stable and I was always confident that she would make a good price. I'd like to say a big thank you to Mrs Tsui for giving me the opportunity to breed to the stallion. We're not in a situation where we can breed to those top stallions regularly so to have a foal share was great.”

He added, “I'd also like to say a special thank you to the late John Clarke. It was John who facilitated the foal share and, without him, we wouldn't have had that beautiful filly here today. Then of course my own staff, my family for supporting us; you don't come across a filly like that many times in your life and my big wish is that she goes on and becomes a super race mare.”

State Of Rest's dam Repose (Quiet American), who has also produced the dual Group 3 winner Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), was sold to Juddmonte in May of last year. Tuesday's headline act was the last remaining offspring the County Laois farm had of that brilliant family.

The Cantillon family with the sister to State Of Rest | Sarah Farnsworth

Recalling how the mating to Sea The Stars for Repose came about, Cantillon continued, “I was at the Goffs Orby Sale at Doncaster and I met John. He was looking at Tranquil Lady going around the ring and I told him it was a nice filly who was going to sell well and that the two-year-old was quite nice as well. That was State Of Rest. He said, 'she might be one we'd be interested in doing a foal share with,' so that's how it came about.”

He added, “I bought Monaassabaat here in 2007. It's been a long time in the making but we have done very well. A lot of people will say we are selling one of our crown jewels but sometimes you have to do that to keep the whole show running.”

🗣️ “she's a lot of quality and the mare has proven herself.” @JosephOBrien2 buys the half-sister to his G1 winner State Of Rest. Lot 48, by Sea The Stars, was consigned by @TinnakillHouse and has been sold for €750,000 @Goffs1866 Orby. pic.twitter.com/jTmXeDR5F7

— TDN (@theTDN) September 26, 2023

State Of Rest retired to Rathbarry Stud in Ireland with Saratoga Derby, Cox Plate, Prix Ganay and Prince Of Wales's S. triumphs to his name. O'Brien said that he was keen to secure the little sister to one of the smartest horses that he has trained and confirmed that he fully expected to have to shell out high six figures to get the job done.

He said, “Obviously State Of Rest was a horse who progressed from two to three and this filly had a lot of quality and is medium-sized. We loved her from the moment we saw her and Sea The Stars is one of the best stallions in the world and the mare has proved herself as an outstanding producer. She will make a fantastic racing prospect in the short term and a brilliant breeding prospect further down the line. She will run for an existing client.”

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