By MIKE DILLON
How much nerve do you need to auction yourself up to $3.6 million?
Plenty.
Even when it's not your own money.
Tictic Trinidad, the Filippino thoroughbred manager who successfully nabbed the $3.6 million Zabeel-Diamond Lover colt out of the Karaka sales complex on Wednesday night, says temperament is the only thing that matters.
In horses and humans.
But particularly in humans in the rarified atmosphere of paying a haystack of money for a horse, where there is always the risk they may not run faster than the pet Labrador.
Pandemonium is the only word to describe the atmosphere around the salering Wednesday night.
It was excitement few of us have seen around horses and probably never will again.
It wasn't because it was $3.6 million.
More because $1.2 million was everyone's ceiling guess.
The ferocity and speed of the bidding between two international bidders, one in Manila, the other in Dubai, was staggering.
Tictic Trinidad said during bidding he was more focussed than at any previous point in his life.
"I wasn't excited, I get very sharp in those situations.
"I could see (Sir) Patrick Hogan and John Cameron (New Zealand Bloodstock's international manager) dancing around and that made me even more steady."
But Trinidad happily admits he didn't know everything that was going on - he had absolutely no idea who the other player was in the red-hot bidding duel that got down to a head-to-head war from $1.6 million on.
" I thought it was Eric Watson.
"The only thing I knew for sure is that is wasn't Demi O'Bryne (world reknown bloodstock judge).
"I know Demi's style well and he would never bid that quickly. He goes much more slowly."
It wasn't just casual observers who were carried away with the excitement of the bidding dual.
Circumspect trainer Paul O'Sullivan has seen everything in the horse world and doesn't expect to see anything like this again.
"It was madness. The excitement was electric.
"It was a battle between two men with massive disposable incomes and egos to match."
If adrenalin is not the world's most powerful natural drug, it must come close.
Trinidad's composure left him completely with the adrenalin rush of signing the sale receipt at $3.6 million and there was no one more animated in the excited crush around Sir Patrick Hogan's stabling area five minutes later.
It wasn't Trinidad's money, he bought the horse on behalf of his boss, San Migeul beer baron Eduardo Conjuangco.
But the pressure is almost greater - he recommended the horse after he inspected him when he and the boss flew into Auckland last Friday in Conjuangco's private jet, the trip from Manila being to view just the one horse.
Trinidad's neck is on the line and he's delighted.
He says that in his extrensive world travels in the thoroughbred industry he hasn't seen a horse to match the Zabeel colt.
"I've never seen anything even like him for conformation, breeding and temperament.
"When I saw him my mouth dropped open."
Hogan mentioned the horse to Trinidad at the Sydney Easter horse sale last year.
"Patrick said he had this exceptional colt. I haven't been to New Zealand for 18 years, but I knew I had to come and have a look because Patrick doesn't talk bullshit."
Trinidad says that exceptional moments like Wednesday's sale demand absolute professionalism on the part of the auctioneers and has several times thanked New Zealand Bloodstock for their part.
"I was in the crowd when the world's two highest priced horses were sold in Kentucky and this was conducted at least as well.
"Each time I dropped the bids down from $100,000 to $50,000 the auctioneer accepted it. Everything was done perfectly."
Trinidad heads back to Manila delighted.
"We liked eveything - except the price tag."
Only time will tell whether it was money well spent.
There is a saying to breed the best to the best and hope for the best.
Here's hoping.
Racing: Nerves of steel for sales ring
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