National Hunt

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...

A total of 11 wild cards have been added to the Arqana Summer Sale on July 1. Comprised of nine horses-in-training, one in-foal mare and a black-type filly, the lots are from both Flat and National Hunt disciplines, with the highlight being G2 Italian 2000 Guineas hero Fayathaan (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) as lot 503. One of four from Roberto Biondi's Channel Consignment, the 3-year-old colt is joined by group winner Elisa Again (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 487); 2021 G2 Derby Italiano runner-up Juan de Montalban (Ire) (Lope de Vega...

Tattersalls Ireland announced the cancellation of the February NH Sale, which had been scheduled for Apr. 7. Despite exploring all possible options to hold the sale safely, Tattersalls Ireland was informed by the Department of Agriculture that staging a bloodstock sale in Ireland while facing the continuing effects of the pandemic would not be permitted. Lots catalogued for the February NH Sale will now be offered in conjunction with the yearling section of the November NH Sale. "We explored every avenue to hold the sale and to offer vendors the...

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the National Hunt foals, fillies and broodmares that usually sell at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale will now have their own separate session on Nov. 19, and the catalogue is now available. Selling that day are 161 horses after three days of National Hunt horses-in-training, 2-year-old stores, and NH yearlings on Nov. 16-18. There will also be a 23-lot dispersal of Haras de la Croix Sonnet among the breeding stock. Online bidding will be available at www.arqanaonline.com.

Eleven-time Group 1-winning hurdler Apple's Jade (Saddler Maker) will be among the 522 lots catalogued for the Goffs December National Hunt Sale, which takes place Dec. 9-10 at Kildare Paddocks. Comprised of foals, yearlings and breeding stock, the catalog is now available online. Retired in March of this year, Apple's Jade, who is in foal to Walk In The Park, will be offered by Gigginstown House Stud as Lot 515 Thursday, Dec. 10. The winner of 15 career races, the 8-year-old became the first mare to achieve 11 top level...

Racing Welfare marks its jumps season return with a 'Virtual West Open Day' Sunday, Nov. 8.  Sponsored by Sporting Life, the Virtual West Open Day will offer video content from the region's racehorse trainers as well as footage of racing's premier horses, jockeys and personalities. Also featuring a jumps schooling session and insights from a vet and farrier on Instagram, the Virtual West Open Day will present a live point-to-point Facebook demo with Derek 'Tommo' Thompson from Chaddesley Corbett. For more information on the Virtual West Open Day, visit www.racingwelfare.co.uk/westopenday/....

The one-day Goffs UK Autumn Sale catalogue is now online. Set to begin at 10 a.m. at Doncaster on Oct. 22, the sale will be split into three portions: the Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale (lots 1-195), the Silver Yearling Sale (lots 196-254) and finally the Autumn Yearling Sale (lots 255-308). Jumpers primarily feature in the Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale, but there are a few Flat performers sprinkled in like the 89-rated two-time winner Confide (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (lot 49) from Lodge Farm Stud. The Silver and Autumn Yearling Sales offer...

Two 3-year-old gelding stores, by Diamond Boy (Fr) and Soldier of Fortune (Ire), respectively, both brought £80,000 in consecutive lots to top the Goffs UK Summer Sale at Doncaster on Tuesday. Lot 25, named Boy Adely (Fr) and consigned by Lakefield Farm, was snapped up by Twiston-Davies Equine to briefly hold sole topper honours. His dam is a Bering (GB) half-sister to MGSP hurdler Monsieur Lecoq (Fr) (Diamond Boy {Fr}). The next lot in the ring, lot 26, from Ballincurrig House Stud, equaled that price on the bid of Shaun...

Overbury Stud's Kayf Tara (GB) (Sadler's Wells--Colorspin {Fr}, by High Top {Ire}), a leading National Hunt sire in Britain for many years, has been pensioned due to declining fertility, Racing Post reported on Monday. Champion jumps sire nine times in Britain, the Meon Valley Stud-bred and 210,000gns Tattersalls Houghton September Yearling is credited with champions in that sphere like Carruthers (GB), Edwulf (GB), Identity Thief (Ire), Special Tiara (GB), Tea For Two (GB) and Thistlecrack (GB). A winner of four top level races, including two editions of the Irish St....

Racing at Kempton could be assured for the foreseeable future after the Jockey Club announced it has submitted plans for a smaller-scale residential development on part of the racecourse estate. In Jan. 2017, the Jockey Club unveiled a shock proposal to close the Sunbury venue, with the land submitted for consideration following the local authority's 'Call for Sites' to address unmet local housing needs. The decision caused huge dismay in the racing world, with trainer Nicky Henderson fearing it would be "a nail in the National Hunt coffin" if the...

At the close of trade on Tuesday, the Tattersalls Ireland February National Hunt Sale saw a record median of €9,250, an increase of 23% on last year's mark. The gross for the 168 lots sold was €1,928,950, while the average was €11,482. The top price was €60,000 for a yearling colt (lot 259) by No Risk At All (Fr) at €60,000. Consigned by Rahinston Stud, the son of Sardagna (Fr) (Medaaly {GB}) was knocked down to Ryan Mahon and Colm Donlon. The bay is a half-brother to Amore Alato (GB)...