Doncaster Racecourse

DONCASTER, UK-It had felt like an apt morning to start a breeze-up sale: find a sunny nook away from the north wind, and it was a glorious spring day; find yourself exposed, and you felt a bitter parting shot of winter. That kind of polarity is pretty standard in this sector, but a stunning Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale --headlined by a £500,000 Harry Angel colt from Tally Ho who became the most expensive Flat horse ever sold in this ring--allowed many vendors to bask, almost dazed, in their own personal...

Coolmore and Westerberg's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Golden Fleece S. victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}--Rhododendron {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) allayed any and all concerns that his ability may be blunted by the heavy going and powered through the mud at Doncaster to register a record-breaking 11th renewal for Aidan O'Brien in Saturday's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. The trainer admitted a late scratching might be on the cards if conditions were not suitable for the July 2 Naas maiden winner, but was pleasantly surprised by the state of...

Aidan O'Brien has trimmed his overnight entry of eight down to two for Saturday's £200,000 G1 Vertem Futurity at Doncaster, Europe's final juvenile Group 1 contest of the season. TDN Rising Star and G2 Golden Fleece S. victor Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the mount of Ryan Moore and has been allocated stall six for the one-mile test. He is set to be joined by Navan maiden winner Salt Lake City (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will depart from the eight box. The home defence is spearheaded by John...

Back in vogue when successful in last month's seven-furlong G2 City of York S. on the Knavesmire, Marc Chan's 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}--Ceilidh House {GB}, by Selkirk) continued his renaissance at his specialist distance with a one-length victory over the same trip in Sunday's G2 Cazoo Park S. at Doncaster. Positioned third in the slipstream of eventual third Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) through the early fractions, the odds-on favourite quickened beyond that rival approaching the final furlong and was comfortably on top in the closing stages...

Racing returned to Britain's shores Sunday as Doncaster's rescheduled G2 Coral Champagne S. initiated a barrage of non-stop European stakes action with Juddmonte's 550,000gns Tattersalls December foal Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) prevailing in a three-runner affair to add to his victory over the reopposing Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {Ire}) in last month's G3 Acomb S. at York. The May-foaled chestnut had earlier backed up a June 30 debut fifth at Newbury with a July 15 graduation back there, accounting for Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega...

Before the sad news broke of The Queen's passing on Thursday, the final fields were drawn for Leopardstown's G1 Irish Champion S. and Doncaster's G1 Cazoo St Leger. There will be seven contenders for the Irish Champion, while if racing continues in Britain on Saturday--a statement is due from the BHA on Friday--there will be nine heading to post for the world's oldest Classic. The Aga Khan's G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse hero Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) will depart from stall two in the Irish Champion, with...

DONCASTER, UK—There may be "wars, and rumours of wars", but somehow for the bloodstock market it seems as though these things really will just pass. Having emerged from the economic shock of the pandemic with record business last year, the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-Up once again raised the bar as investors seemingly remain impervious to dramatic new volatility in the geopolitical environment. The juvenile sector had been first to take the Covid broadside in 2020, and no meaningful comparisons can duly be made with the auction salvaged—in conjunction with one...

DONCASTER, UK—Having seen their rivals open up with two booming aces—graduates of the Tattersalls Craven Sale won both the big Classic trials at Newmarket last week—the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-Up returned serve at the weekend with an equally timely advertisement for the auction staged here on Thursday. First and foremost, of course, the G3 Greenham S. success of Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) was another win for the whole breeze-up sector, reiterating consignors' ability not just to showcase precocity and professionalism, but to lay a foundation for continued development. At...

The catalogue for the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-Up Sale was augmented by lot 110A, a colt by Clodovil (Ire), on Tuesday. From the family of black-type winners Haatef (Danzig), Sayedah (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), and Shimah (Storm Cat), the colt will be offered by Glending Stables. There have been six Royal Ascot winners in six years out of the sale, led by dual Group 1 winner and G2 Norfolk S. victor Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}). Doncaster Racecourse will host the 187-strong catalogue to breeze over their course at 12 p.m....

Tom Marquand will represent Ireland in Racing League 2022 having been the first pick at this morning's jockey draft at Doncaster Racecourse. A total of 108 jockeys signed up for the inaugural draft, with the seven team managers each selecting seven riders in a pre-agreed order to ensure a fair allocation. Ireland team manager Kevin Blake said, "I am really happy. Six out of the seven were selections I thought I might get and the exception to that I am very happy with. It is a nice mix of British-based...

The point-to-point mare Criquette (Fr) (Crillon {Fr}) (lot 269) topped the second and final day of the Goffs UK Doncaster January Sale on Tuesday. Offered by James Doyle's Baltimore Stables, the 5-year-old won a Borris House point-to-point in December and hammered for £52,000 to Jerry McGrath and Stewart Blackenbury. Second in Tuesday's proceedings was the 5-year-old mare I Am Gonna Be (Ire) (Barely A Moment {Aus}), who went for £37,000 to Mark Dunphy and Derek O'Connor. The Maike Magnussen-consigned pointer has placed in two of her last three starts and...

Tom Dascombe trainee Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) became the first winner for his freshman sire (by Iffraaj {GB}) when registering a one-length win in Saturday's Listed Virgin Bet Doncaster S. at Doncaster's Town Moor venue. Flaming Rib bagged a trio of nursery handicaps--at Thirsk, York and Chester--in his three most recent outings and continued on an upward trajectory with a first black-type triumph in this straight dash. The 13-8 second choice was sharply into stride and claimed an immediate lead. Holding sway throughout, he was not for catching once...