Goffs UK

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....

Back after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, the 2022 Goffs UK Aintree Sale was topped by the winning point-to-pointer Croke Park (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) (lot 8) at £400,000. A 4-year-old gelding who ran second at Lingstown on debut in March, the Ballyboy Stables-consigned bay was purchased by Gordon Elliot Racing. His half-brother, Etre Francais (Ire) (Anzillero {Ger}), has placed third in a French listed hurdle. This is the family of the graded-winning chaser Oiseau de Nuit (Fr) (Evening World {Fr}). Second on the buyers' sheet was lot 1,...

Riviera Equine & Haras d'Etreham's 3-year-old colt Lassaut (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) followed up a Dec. 12 debut third going 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville with a taking one-length triumph upped to one mile at Chantilly coming back for his sophomore return in Wednesday's Prix de la Broutillerie. The Jean-Claude Rouget trainee, sent postward as the 16-5 second favourite, was the slowest of eight into stride and raced in rear through halfway. Easing to the outside for a clear passage soon after passing the quarter-mile marker, he came under urging approaching...

Goffs UK has sold six Royal Ascot winners in the past six years at its Breeze-Up Sale, and the firm released the catalogue for its latest edition of that sale with 186 juveniles set to go under the hammer on Apr. 21. The breeze will take place at Doncaster on Apr. 19 from noon, with an inspection day on Apr. 20. Perfect Power (Ire), whose own sire Ardad (Ire) was also a Goffs UK Breeze-Up graduate, proved the star of last year's sale. A £110,000 purchase by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook...

Following 23 years with the Tattersalls group, including a stint as director of sales at Tattersalls Ireland, Harry Fowler joins Goffs UK has bloodstock manager. Fowler also runs Rahinston Farm & Stud in Co. Meath with his wife Lorna, and will be based there. Fowler will join the Goffs inspection team and attend all Goffs sales as well as traveling to other sales and race meetings across the country to interact with new and existing clients. Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent said, "Harry brings a wealth of industry knowledge,...

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...

Jerry McGrath has been named the new Goffs UK Bloodstock Manager. Formerly a jumps jockey before his career ended in a fall at Lingfield a year ago, he will begin his role on Feb. 7. During his riding days, he was part of Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows team since 2008, and won over 200 races total, including a pair at the Cheltenham Festival. During the summer months, McGrath worked with Clive Cox and was part of the team that selected Group 1 winner Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at the Goffs...

Bernard Condren has been appointed to Head of Sales of Goffs UK and will join the company beginning Feb. 7. Bernard, who began bid spotting at Goffs in 2000, made his debut as an auctioneer at Goffs in 2006. Previously, Bernard spent 11 years with Racing TV. "Bernard will continue to be on the rostrum at all Goffs sales whilst also becoming a full-time auctioneer at the Goffs UK's sales in Doncaster, Aintree and Yorton," Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent commented. "His role will also see him join the...

The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association's NH Stallion Showcase, scheduled for Jan. 25, will feature 18 NH stallions, including freshman sires G1 St Leger hero and Shade Oak Stud's resident Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Chapel Stud's G2 York S. winner Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}). The 18 stallions, many of whom are among the record 31 stallions registered to the 2022 TBA Elite NH Mares' Scheme, will be shown in Yard B at the Goffs UK sales complex. "There is an increasing exciting selection of British-based stallions available to NH breeders and...

The late Harry Beeby, formerly a DBS (now Goffs UK) Chairman, has been honoured by that sales company with the renaming of the Premier Yearling S. held at York's Ebor Meeting. Created by Beeby and his son Henry in 1997 to ensure the growth of the Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sales (now the Premier Yearling Sale), the six-furlong event will now be known as the £250,000 Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling S. The juvenile race is open to graduates of the Premier Yearling Sale and Silver Sale and will...