HENRIETTA Knight set a new British record price paid for a National Hunt store horse at Goffs UK on Monday when paying £200,000 for a three-year-old gelding by Adlerflug.
The horse was consigned to the Doncaster sale by Michael Moore's Ballincurrig House Stud on behalf of Claire and Chris Bonner, who bought the German-bred for €19,000 at the BBAG yearling sales.
The record surpassed the 185,000gns achieved by a Roselier four-year-old gelding at the old DBS complex back in 2002 – a world record price at the time.
It has not been decided who will train the horse but Knight is known to favour Irish trainers and Grech has had success this season with both Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, the latter saddling Brandy Love to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle for Grech at Fairyhouse.
Also starring in today’s store horse sale was Worthen Hall Stables’ Walk In The Park gelding, a half-brother to the listed winner and group-placed Didtheyleaveuoutto and out of a half-sister to Denman. The three-year-old achieved the third highest price in the Spring Sale’s history when selling to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for £175,000.
Today’s average price of £32,224 just surpassed the record day one figure achieved on the corresponding day last year while 19 lots made or surpassed the £50,000 mark.
The second and final day of the Spring Store Sale will commence tomorrow at 11am.
DAY ONE STATISTICS (compared with 2021)
Offered: 128
Sold: 105 (82%)
Aggregate: £3,383,500 (-4%)
Average: £32,224 (+0.3%)
Median: £26,000 (-5%)