Sioux Nation

Sheer unbridled enthusiasm. That's exactly what was on show at the November Foal Sale at Goffs this week where, on top of a millionaire lot, turnover climbed by 26% to €32,640,000, the average by 34% to €48,717 and the median by 21% to €29,000. Those are the types of figures that compare favourably to even Book 1 of the Orby and they left Goffs chief Henry Beeby understandably delighted at close of play on Thursday. He commented, "The cream of the Irish foal crop is our proud boast and I...

Pa Doyle could not have said it any better than he did. It was at this sale 12 months ago that, when asked to sum up trade, the Galbertstown boss coined the phrase, "those pinhookers are as brave as lions." That sentence had as much relevance a year ago as it did on Tuesday when Paul McCartan, Michael Fitzpartick, Barry Mahon and Philip Stauffenberg--absolute titans of their profession--fought it out for some of the best foals on offer at Goffs.  It was McCartan, the master breeder and pinhooker who has...

Wootton Bassett (GB) has had his fee increased to €300,000 as he prepares to embark on his fifth season at Coolmore Stud in 2025, while European champion two-year-old and Derby winner City Of Troy has been introduced at €75,000. This year Wootton Bassett's first crop of Irish-bred two-year-olds have swept all before them, featuring four individual top-level winners in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Camille Pissarro (Ire), Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Tennessee Stud (Ire), Criterium International hero Twain (Ire) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Henry Matisse (Ire). This season Wootton...

This year has seen a 6% decrease in the number of live foals registered to date in the General Stud Book, according to the Return of Mares, which has been published by Weatherbys. The returns to September 30, 2024 show that a total of 12,578 foals have been born in Britain and Ireland, 840 fewer than the 2023 figure of 13,438. It marks the first time in the last decade that the overall foal crop has fallen by more than 4% from one year to the next. The 6% drop...

Mohammed Sultan's Coto De Caza (Ire) (Sioux Nation--Coto {Ire}, by Fast Company {Ire}), last seen finishing third in Ayr's Sept. 24 Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes, stepped forward to claim a career high with a determined effort in Friday's G3 Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes. The Simon and Ed Crisford trainee, who posted clear-cut wins at Beverley and Goodwood in July, accepted a tow racing second in the smaller stands' side grouping, and third overall, after a slick getaway in this five-furlong dash. Easing to the fore with a...

Galbertstown Stables boss Pa Doyle described trade at Goffs this week as "very strong for the nice horses" after selling a Sioux Nation half-brother to Diego Ventura (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) to Tally-Ho Stud for €135,000.  That was the highest-price paid on Friday as the curtain came down on Book 2 where a 72% clearance rate [down 3% on last year] was posted. The turnover for 322 sold was down 18% to €6,603,800 while the average fell by 8% to €20,509 and the median by 14% to €15,000.  As is clearly...

NEWMARKET, England--For the second consecutive year Havana Grey (GB) and Whitsbury Manor Stud were responsible for the highest-priced yearling at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale as a filly by the in-demand stallion went the way of Alex Elliott, acting on behalf of Amo Racing, for 140,000gns during Tuesday's session at Park Paddocks. Lot 419 was the headline buy on a productive day for Elliott, who signed for the top three lots from the session in some shape or form. Lot 376, a Sergei Prokofiev colt offered by Chasemore Farm, is...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a half-brother to Coolmore sire Sioux Nation. 15.45 Pontefract, Mdn, £22,000, 2yo, 6fT DASH DIZZY (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) represents Nurlan Bizakov and the Charlie Johnston stable and is a half-brother to Scat Daddy's G1 Phoenix Stakes and G2 Norfolk Stakes-winning sire Sioux Nation. Unsold at...

Reappearing for the first time since finishing eighth in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown in September, Al Shira'aa Farms' Ocean Jewel (Ire) (Sioux Nation) showed she is a bright prospect for 2024 by taking Sunday's G2 Lanwades Stud S. at The Curragh. Held up halfway down the field early by Billy Lee, the Willie McCreery-trained 8-1 shot swooped on the front a furlong from home in this contest registered as the Ridgewood Pearl and readily asserted for a 1 1/4-length success from Goldana (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}). The even-money...

DONCASTER, UK--Royal Ascot dreams abound for the connections of Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who not only have that unbeaten star to look forward to, but a host of high-class two-year-old prospects as well after Anthony Stroud snapped up speedy fillies by Havana Grey (GB) and Sioux Nation (lot 119) to the tune of £720,000 on behalf of the ownership group at the Goffs Breeze-Up Sale. But Doncaster was dominated by the Derryconnor Stud-drafted diamond by Havana Grey, who led the way at £420,000 to provide top consignor Katie McGivern...

DONCASTER, UK--What a difference a year can make. It was at this sale 12 months ago when Gary de Souza left us poor scribes befuddled. Consigning under the imaginatively-named Gary Bloodstock [!], his Sioux Nation filly, who would later go on to be the Group-placed Gunzburg (Ire), rocked the clock before being knocked down to trainer Paddy Twomey and bloodstock agent Mark McStay for £160,000.  But where was de Souza when it came to getting a quote on Gunzburg, who could conceivably be described as a life-changing filly in the...

Making headlines at a sale with big-figure results is all well and good, but any breeze-up consignor with their eye on the future understands that a more significant indicator of sustainable success is how those graduates go on to perform on the racetrack. Cormac Farrell, a trainer and a trader of both breeze-up and point-to-point horses, is a firm believer in the concept. After launching CF Bloodstock in 2023, the horseman has ambitious goals in mind for his fledgling operation's future. "I want to produce horses that go on and...