Doncaster Racecourse

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...

With his stayers' division dominance seemingly on the wane this term, Bjorn Nielsen's talisman Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) assuaged any doubts that the old lustre had been lost by outclassing a reduced field in Thursday's G2 Doncaster Cup. Shorn of G1 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) in the build up, the 18-furlong marathon was led by The Grand Visir (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as Frankie Dettori anchored Stradivarius five lengths off the tempo passing the judge first time. That margin had nearly doubled by halfway, but it...

Buyers are required to register at Goffs Online to bid online at the 2021 Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, Arqana announced on Saturday. Registrations for bidding online are now open. Online bidding on the sale will only be available at Goffs Online, not Arqana Online, the French sales company stressed. For the second year in a row, the 2-year-old sale, which features 158 juveniles, will be held at Goffs UK's Doncaster sales complex due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The breezes, which will start at noon, will be conducted at Doncaster Racecourse on...

Buyers were out in force during the first day of the Goffs UK Spring Sale at Doncaster, which resulted in record trade across the board at the end of the first of two days of selling NH stores. A gelded son of Kayf Tara (GB) (lot 101) drew the highest price of £165,000 when knocked down to the duo of Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls. Consigned by Lulham Bloodstock, the bay is a son of Gaye Sophie (GB) (Environment Friend {GB}), already the dam of Grade 2 hurdler Silver Hallmark...

DONCASTER, UK—This, too, shall pass. At a time when we can all benefit from a length of perspective, there are worse places to come than here. True, those who arrive with no knowledge of the town's venerable Turf history must be perplexed by the names chiselled onto posts in the revamped forecourt of the railway station: Blair Athol, Robert the Devil, Ormonde, Hyperion. To those in town for the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, however, these and all the other St Leger winners so honoured remind us that our stewardship of...

The Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze Up Sale breezes, which took place at Doncaster Racecourse on Tuesday, are now available to view at on each horse's pedigree page at www.goffsuk.com. Inspections will take place today (Wednesday), with the sale starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Apr. 22. There are 177 juveniles catalogued for the sale, which features a Caravaggio half-brother to Group 1 winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) (lot 25) among others.

Saturday was unofficially Jim Bolger day, with his breeding operation excelling with two group 1 successes and a trio of pattern-race wins across three countries. Chief among them was Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who sported the family silks as he carried off an attritional renewal of Doncaster's G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. As the ground deteriorated on Town Moor, the race which has so often been a key pointer to the following season's Classics lost a vital player with Ballydoyle withdrawing the likely favourite Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). What...