Goffs UK Set For Hot Start To Yearling Season

DONCASTER, UK—If trade is anywhere near as hot as the roasting temperatures across England this bank holiday weekend then the team at Goffs UK will doubtless be delighted. Rain or shine, there's every reason to expect that the British yearling sales season should get off to a positive start when the two-day Premier Sale opens for business at 10am today (Tuesday), followed by Thursday's Silver Sale.

The first test of the European season as a whole came in Deauville and results were better than expected, leading to record figures in almost all sectors. Admittedly Arqana's August Sale and the Goffs UK Premier Sale say rather different things on the tin but if the aim is to buy a racehorse who will take you places then there are at least three very good reasons why the sale yards were packed ahead of the start of the sale: Advertise (GB), A'Ali (Ire) and Daahyeh (GB). Readers will have varying views on whether the obsession with Royal Ascot is good or bad but few owners would turn down the chance to don a nice hat and head to Berkshire with a live chance in mid-June—witness the popularity of the unique boutique that is the Goffs London Sale—but arguably it is the company's Doncaster outlet which has done the best job of providing winners in this sphere for an international client base.

Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), bought at the Premier Sale two years ago by Dermot Farrington for £60,000, has been a terrific flag-bearer for the early days of the Phoenix Thoroughbred racing operation and he converted his G2 Coventry S. second place to victory in this year's G1 Commonwealth Cup—one of his three wins at the highest level. The 3-year-old's success was backed up by two juveniles bought from last year's sale. A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}), a £135,000 purchase for Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa, landing the G2 Norfolk S. and going on to win the G2 Prix Robert Papin, while Daahyeh (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) took out the G3 Albany S. for HH SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa after being selected by Oliver St Lawrence for £75,000.

Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) may have been headed at York on Saturday but she has continued to be the most regal of poster girls for a sale that has had a decidedly up-and-coming feel to it over the last five years. During that time, turnover has increased from £15,512,500 to £19,066,5000, with top prices also rising, from £230,000 to last year's record sum for a Gleneagles (Ire) colt of £380,000.

The record-holding vendor is Newsells Park Stud, which routinely has a sizeable draft for the Tattersalls October Sale and brings a select bunch to Doncaster most years.

“I know that most people will realise that we don't have the most precocious of broodmare bands. We try to breed Classic horses and horses that maybe stay a bit further, but it's a good sale and the guys here are trying to widen the spectrum of horses that suit this sale and if we become too narrow about where we go it's probably not too healthy,” said Newsells Park's managing director Julian Dollar as brothers Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien inspected members of his consignment on Monday afternoon. A strong Irish contingent, along with plenty of British trainers, and a few notable new faces from France, such as Henri-Francois Devin, ensured that despite the heat there was no lull in proceedings on the eve of the sale.

Dollar continued, “It's been pretty busy. We had some horses getting over 50 looks yesterday, which I always think is good for yearlings. With foals you can get 70 or even more but to get 50-plus looks on a yearling is pretty healthy. The results of the sale have been good and there are plenty of people here. If you're coming over from France or Ireland, the euro is strong and the pound is weak so it must make buying horses in the UK good for people outside the UK, and it's probably the best value for those owners and trainers based in the UK.”

A knee replacement operation has not slowed down agent Bobby O'Ryan as he patrolled the sales ground with his son Mouse and cousin Robin. A Doncaster stalwart, O'Ryan was full of praise for the yearlings he has been perusing over the last few days and said, “There's a really nice bunch of horses here, probably the best I've ever seen at this sale. The days of the little sharp 2-year-old are gone.”

Goffs UK's managing director Tony Williams admitted that the focus has shifted slightly when it comes to catalogue compilation. He said, “I keep hearing the old 'Donny 2-year-old type' quote and, make no mistake, a lot of these horses are 2-year-old types, but there are 2-year-old types who can go on to be good sprinters, and in addition to that there are sprinter-miler types. There are not many here who could stretch out to be stayers—predominantly they are sprinter-milers—and I think the level of stock has really risen.”

He continued, “Across the board when you go and have a look at them, they seem to be a really nice bunch of horses and everyone who is looking is saying that. I don't know whether we can achieve the top price that we did last year but I've seen a lot of horses you should make six figures, many more than they were last year.

“I always think if the first sale of the year—no matter where it is or what level it's at—if it kicks off well it sets it for the rest of the year. The Arqana sale was really good but from our perspective there were a lot of English trainers missing and they are here. The boys have done a fantastic job putting the catalogue together and we have worked hard to get buyers here. Every year we work hard trying to do that but it seems to be falling into place now and we've had such a good year on a track, not only the Premier Sale but also with the Silver Sale. Last year our Premier average was around £45,000 and I'd like to see that take another leap forward. If we could turn over more than £20 million I'd be really pleased. One never knows until it's over but it all has the right feel.”

After withdrawals, 450 yearlings are set to be put through the ring for the Premier Sale over the next two days. They include lot 319, Highclere Stud's half-brother to another graduate of the sale, the G2 Qatar Richmond S. winner Golden Horde (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}), from the first crop of Mehmas (Ire). In a catalogue with a strong representation from the freshman sires, Mehmas is joined by Adaay (Ire), Ajaya (GB), Awtaad (Ire), Belardo (Ire), Bobby's Kitten, Buratino (Ire), Charming Thought (GB), Coulsty (Ire), Estidhkaar (Ire), Fascinating Rock (Ire), Kodi Bear (Ire), Markaz (Ire), New Bay (GB), Pearl Secret (GB), Pride Of Dubai (Aus), Prince Of Lir (Ire), Territories (Ire), The Gurkha (Ire), The Last Lion (Ire), Twilight Son (GB), Vadamos (Fr), all of whom have members of their first crop for sale, as well as the debutant who led his peers at Arqana's August Sale, Shalaa (Ire).