Lanigan Joins Four Star Sales as Bloodstock Advisor

David Lanigan has joined Four Star Sales, according to an Aug. 18 announcement by Kerry Cauthen, the company's managing partner.  Lanigan will serve as bloodstock advisor, helping the company's clients in all areas, but emphasizing on the private purchase of horses in training and racing management.

Four Star Sales has been one of North America's leading Thoroughbred consignors since its inception in 2002.  

Lanigan closed his Newmarket training operation this spring to prepare for his family's planned return to Lexington. He worked for over five years with the renowned Sir Henry Cecil as his assistant trainer before embarking in 2007 on his own notable 13-year training career. He ended with over 200 winners including top stakes horses Main Sequence, runner-up in the 2012 Investec Epsom Derby (G1); Meeznah, winner of the DFS Park Hill Stakes (G2) and I-Shares Lillie Langtry Stakes (G3) in 2011; and Worth Waiting, winner of the 2019 Charm Spirit Dahlia Stakes (G2) and the 2018 Prix Minerve (G3) and Smarkets Betting Exchange Aphrodite stakes.

Joining Four Star Sales brings things full circle for Lanigan. Twenty years ago, before he went to England as assistant trainer for Cecil, he worked with Cauthen at John T.L. Jones Jr.'s Walmac International. 

"We are very excited to have David join our team at Four Star," said Cauthen. "David has a great understanding of all the different aspects of the Thoroughbred business. He learned the sales and breeding side from his parents at Tullamaine Castle Stud in Ireland and during his 13-year training career where he regularly sold race horses both privately and at training sales. David has also returned to America for the September Sale every year since he began training. He recommended the purchase of several top stakes winners from that sale. He knows well what it takes to select and train top-quality horses on both sides of the Atlantic."

"As I begin with Four Star I will be focusing on the bloodstock side, and I have been sourcing private sales of racehorses from England that we believe can move up in class in the U.S.," Lanigan said. "Also, given the concerns over travel during the pandemic, I have had inquiries from European and other overseas owners to advise on purchases at the upcoming yearling and breeding stock sales. I expect that I may have a few more of those as the sales draw closer. While I was training in England I attended the September Sale every year to buy yearlings for several overseas clients and to inspect the stock of my clients with breeding operations in Kentucky, such as Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Runnymede Farm, and the Niarchos family. We sourced Main Sequence and Meeznah, among others, from those trips. Both were stakes winners in England and Main Sequence returned to the states and was a tremendous performer here.

"Amy and I always knew we would return to Lexington one day and started considering it seriously last summer," he continued. "Though I genuinely loved my time with Henry, and training on my own in Newmarket and Lambourn, I am extremely excited to return to the states. I couldn't hope to work for a better company or have a better team to work with than Kerry, Tony, Ashley, and Elizabeth. They have a wonderful clientel and I believe I can add to the service they offer and hopefully bring some new connections to Four Star."

Cauthen added, "David's honest manner, skill, and tenacity will definitely make him a great fit in the U.S. bloodstock market and also a great fit for Four Star."