National Hunt

A colt by Walk In The Park (Ire) led the way with a €49,000 final bid at Tuesday's one-day February National Hunt Sale at Fairyhouse. Sold by Walshtown Stables on behalf of breeder Liam Flavin, lot 109, who is out of Be Mine Tonight (Ire), was purchased by pinhooker Dick Frisby. Consignor Donie Murphy said, "We always thought he was a nice sort, this is the right sale for him as he was a June foal. The mare is three from three and there are a few more from her...

G2 Prix du Petite Couvert heroine and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye-placed Air De Valse (Fr) (Mesnil des Aigles {Fr}) (lot 51) is one of 356 lots in Arqana's February Sale catalogue which was released on Friday. Slated for 11 a.m. local time on Feb. 14-15, the sale features horses-in-training on the Flat and over jumps, maidens, broodmares, stores, 2-year-olds, and yearlings. There are also five wild card slots available, three for horses-in-training and two for the breeding stock portion. Joining Air De Valse, is winning debut hurdler Marvin Flight (Fr)...

Nineteen National Hunt stallions will participate in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) NH Stallion Showcase at the Goffs UK sales complex in Doncaster on Tuesday, Jan. 24. This coincides with the first day of the Goffs UK January Sale. All stallions will be available to view between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. that day. Among the participating stallions are dual group winner Bangkok (Ire), Arc hero Golden Horn (GB), G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB), Group 1 winner Planteur (Ire), and G1 Irish Derby victor Jack Hobbs (GB). A nomination...

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Mucking out at Guirys 1 in Coolmore Ireland on my year out from University. I think there were 20 foals in the barn - 18 by Sadler's Wells and two by Danehill. Biggest influence on your career? Ultimately, my father, who introduced both my brother William and I to racing. He loved his National Hunt and we spent many a happy afternoon at Huntingdon and Towcester. Later in life, both Richard Henry and Simon Mockridge played major roles in my experience and development. Favourite...

The Winter Breeding Sale catalogues, featuring lots from all disciplines, was unveiled by Auctav on Wednesday. Held on Thursday, Dec. 1, beginning at 11 a.m., the Auctav Winter Breeding Stock Sale of Stallion Shares features stallion shares and breeding rights of trotters, National Hunt and Flat stallions. Lot 4 is a half-share in three-time Group 1 winner Persian King (Ire), while there is also a breeding right in G1 Irish Derby hero Latrobe (Ire) as lot 5. Later on Dec. 1 beginning at 4 p.m., there will also be the...

The 2021/22 UK Jumps Champions were crowned during the bet365 Jump Finale at Sandown Park on Saturday. Brian Hughes, who became only the fourth NH jockey to ride a double century of winners in a season, was named the UK Champion Jumps Jockey for a second time. His win total sits at 204, 99 ahead of Sam Twiston-Davies in second. Hughes, who won the title in 2019/20 said, "It is something at the start of the season I set out to try and do and it is great that it...

The man for all seasons stands at the top of the Sharpridge gallop and doesn't need the delirious commentary of the skylarks to tell him that spring is now right on the heels of winter. Alan King can see that straight in front of him. The first pair to emerge from the murk of the distant valley floor includes his latest steeplechasing star, Edwardstone (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}), doing his first work since winning at the Cheltenham Festival--and with a gusto that suggests he can eke out one last novice...

Twenty-three people remained in custody Tuesday night after searches took place in racing stables throughout France, Italy and Spain, according to a report in Wednesday's Jour de Galop, which reported that those held come from "every racing discipline," who are being investigated for equine doping, organized crime, and association with criminals, the paper reports. While the JDG listed several of those arrested, none came from the Thoroughbred discipline, but were all National Hunt or trotting trainers. They said that the investigation has been ongoing for a year, and was launched...

A gelding by Walk In The Park (Ire) (lot 166) topped Sunday's session of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale at €85,000. Out of Windermere Sky (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}), the bay was offered by Walshtown Stables, agent and went to Adrian Costello of Park Farm. Windermere Sky is a full-sister to Lord Windermere (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}), a dual Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winner and a half to Sub Lieutenant (Ire) (Brian Boru {GB}), a Grade 2 winner over fences and hurdles. "The sire is one of the leading stallions...

Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}--Dubai Sunrise, by Seeking the Gold) will stand his first season as a National Hunt stallion alongside Jet Away (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) at Arctic Tack Stud in Ireland. The son of Farrh's debut fee will be €3,500 with a concession for filly foals. Bred by Godolphin, the bay raced for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and raced for all bar his final two starts for trainer Mark Johnston. Dual listed-placed as a juvenile, Dee Ex Bee ran second in the 2018...

Starting in January, British and Irish point-to-point winning performances will be designated as wins in sales designated as a National Hunt sale. Currently, British and Irish point-to-pointers are classified as runners, but not as winners in the horse subject detail or dam summary line. As part of this change, sales will now be designated as either flat or National Hunt. Flat sales will continue to not treat point-to-point victories as wins. In a joint statement, Simon Kerins of Tattersalls Ireland and Nick Nugent of Goffs said, "This rule change gives...

There is a hint that normalcy is returning to the Deauville sales ring, with the Arqana Summer Sale back up to its normal two-day stand beginning on June 30. A quality mix of 593 National Hunt and Flat horses plus wild cards are slated to be offered over the next two days, and the unraced 2-year-olds were put through their paces over the Deauville-La Touques Racecourse on June 29. The juveniles kick start the sale, which begins at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, and continues with 156 young store horses and...