“IF I had to put my money where my mouth is, I’d say Regent’s Stroll is the smartest of our bumper horses to go novice hurdling next season. He was very good in his two bumper wins at Ascot and Newbury, and he’s a cracking horse to look forward to. I’ve already schooled him; he jumps well, and he could be our Gallaghers (Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival) horse for next year.”
So said champion jockey Harry Cobden in an interview last week.
Regent’s Stroll was one of the top lots at the Goffs Spring Store Sale at Doncaster in 2022, fetching £175,000. You won’t need to have that much in your pockets to buy a potential star at next Tuesday’s edition.
At the 2022 sale, Warren Ewing paid £21,000 for a store he named Saint Kristobal. After he won his point-to-point Saint Kristobal sold for £155,000. Other 2022 graduates who proved real bargains include three-time winner Push The Button (£20,000) and the mare Wyenot (£31,000), now a three-time winner for Henry Daly and blacktype placed.
Not many from last year’s sale have had a chance to show their ability yet but one of the top two lots in 2023 was Talk to The Man (£100,000) who has since won his point-to-point for Monbeg Stables, as has £50,000 buy Keop Des Bordes.
Another eyecatcher from last year’s store sale is Don’t Mind If I Do (£75,000) who actually finished second to Regent’s Stroll in the £100,000 Goffs UK Spring Sale Bumper at Newbury at the end of March.
Warren Ewing also spent £40,000 at last year’s sale on a King’s Theatre three-year-old. Named Whinney Hill, he fInished second on his point-to-point debut and was sold to Gigginstown for £140,000 earlier this year.
Back-to-back British records for stores have been set over the last two years, with a top price of £200,000 in 2022 followed by a £210,000 high last year. Now the sale is back to one day and there are 273 entries in next Tuesday’s edition.
As in previous years, all stores will be eligible for the £100,000 Spring Sale Bumper, the world’s richest bumper, which will be held at Newbury in March 2025. It is supported by the Bumper Bonus prizes which will award the winning trainer a free six-month lease of a two-stall horse box from leading manufacturer TheAult with the winning vendor receiving a generous bespoke wine package from Charles Murphy wines.
The sale features progeny of many of the leading young and established sires including Blue Bresil (14 lots), Buck’s Boum (2), Crystal Ocean (7), Diamond Boy (5), Getaway (12), Great Pretender (2), Goliath Du Berlais, Beaumec de Houelle (6), Doctor Dino, Jack Hobbs (4), Jeu St Eloi (3), Golden Horn, Jukebox Jury (5), Kapgarde (5), Masked Marvel (2), Milan (2), Montmartre, No Risk At All (4), Order of St George (10), Poet’s Word (5), Vadamos (6) and Walk In The Park.
Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent commented: “This year we have really focused on quality by distilling the sale down. The expansion of the sale to two-days back in 2021 allowed the sale to grow its market share significantly and saw it attract more top end stores which created new British records and clearly demonstrated this sale’s ability to deliver at the very top of the market.
“Our goal this year, from the outset, was to refine the catalogue to a more select offering whilst importantly maintaining the quality, top end stores. We feel we have achieved that as we have produced a select, one-day sale which will once again feature some of the finest stores to be offered at public auction in 2024.”
Catalogue highlights
Lot 4: Walk In The Park gelding out of the dual Grade 3-winning mare Polygona.
Lot 110: Bullet Train half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner The Worlds End.
Lot 111: No Risk At All filly out of the listed-placed mare Brise Vendeenne who is a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winner Vroum Vroum Mag.
Lot 136: Blue Bresil half-brother to the Grade 2 winner Wouldn’t You Agree.
Lot 155: Doctor Dino gelding out of the Grade 2 (AQ) placed mare Elvira who is a half-sister to the Grade 3 (AQ) winner Keeny.
Lot 156: Walk In The Park half-sister to the Grade 2 placed Lady Adare and Sabrina and out of the listed-winning mare En Vedette.
Lot 160: Wings Of Eagles half-brother to the multiple Grade 1 winner Bellshill.
Lot 161: Jukebox Jury gelding out of a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winner Master Minded. His own-brother He Can’t Dance topped the 2024 Goffs Aintree Sale.
Lot 196: Jack Hobbs filly out of the Grade 2-winning mare Highland Retreat.
Lot 209: Cokoriko gelding out of the listed-winning and Grade 1-placed Katkovana.
Lot 237: Kapgarde gelding out of the listed-placed mare Ludo Sol who is an own sister to the Grade 2 winner Saxo Sol.
Sale info
Sale: Goffs Spring Store Sale at Doncaster
Date/time: Tuesday, May 21st (10am)
Lots: 275
Tel: 0044 1450 372222
Web: goffs.com