Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock has an intriguing dinner party guest list and is up next for our questionnaire.
Proudest moment of 2023?
Pride is best avoided in the racing game! Having said that, watching Emily Upjohn (GB) run a very close second to Paddington (GB) in the G1 Eclipse Stakes was a great event to be just a small part of. The filly, who we bought as a yearling for 60,000gns, had already won the G1 Coronation Cup brilliantly on her previous start. She was giving Paddington 7lbs and went down by just half a length. Gathered in a packed winner's enclosure at Sandown afterwards, you could feel an electric atmosphere. She had been beaten by a top-class colt who was really on the top of his game, but she lost nothing in defeat. Hopefully she might go one better this year…
What is your biggest ambition for the new year?
Stay healthy and be lucky.
Give us one horse to follow and why?
I watched a horse of Godolphin's called Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) win the G3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket last October. William Buick set some pretty fierce fractions on him and he looked a very good horse to me. He's 12-1 for the Derby.
And a young person in the industry to keep an eye on…
Harry Eustace is a young trainer in Newmarket who really impresses me. With luck on his side, he has a big future ahead of him.
Who do you think will be champion first-season sire this year?
Pinatubo (Ire) is a very obvious selection but, looking to the future, I've seen some very good stock by St Mark's Basilica (Fr).
And the best value stallion in Europe?
Sioux Nation at Coolmore. He's standing for €27,500 and is going great guns. I love him.
What's the one horse you wish you'd bought in 2023?
The Blue Point (Ire) half-brother to Battaash (Ire) and The Antarctic (Ire) at Tattersalls October Book 1, offered by Paul McCartan's Ballyphilip Stud. He made 1.5m guineas and was bought by Godolphin. A stunning yearling out of a fabulous mare by a very exiting young sire from a great hotel: what more do you want?
Biggest regret?
Not playing enough golf.
Biggest influence on your career?
John Gosden, who puts up with some rather long short-lists compiled by me at the yearling sales. John has an enviable work ethic and is obviously a brilliant trainer, not unlike Major Dick Hern, who I worked for over 30 years ago, who was also an amazing horseman. Tim Richards, who is an absolute gentleman and a very talented writer, who I worked with when I was Newmarket correspondent for the Racing Post many moons ago. Tim taught me the art of discretion and I recall that, in the days before the internet, a quite significant stallion had passed away prematurely. Unsure how to play the story, I rang Tim to ask his advice. “Oh, I'd sit on that for a day or two, Old Boy,” he said. “No point in rocking the boat over that.” Superb advice – but not something that would happen these days!
If you could sit down for dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be and why?
President John F Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare.
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