Tony Noonan rated the Zabeel-Sound Lover colt the horse of the Karaka sale and backed his judgment to the tune of $470,000.
The Mornington trainer, fourth on the Melbourne trainers' premiership, fell for the Zabeel colt before Christmas.
"Between our team we inspect every horse in the catalogue and this was the one I really wanted," said Noonan after winning a persistent bidding duel.
No, he did not know who he was bidding against.
"But I wish whoever it was had stayed at home."
Noonan has had luck with the stock of Zabeel.
"I've probably got nine of them at home. There are some nice ones I bought here last year that haven't raced yet.
"This bloke is a lovely, loose-moving sort with a ton of scope."
Noonan has the colt syndicated already. "We'll leave him here with Dean Hawthorne, who was part of the team that helped find him."
Sixteen lots earlier Noonan paid $255,000 for a Zabeel-Showtime colt.
Racing: Noonan in love with purchase
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