Stewart buys 675k Blue Point colt to top Goffs Orby Day 1

Cover image courtesy of Goffs

John Stewart made a welcome first visit to the Goffs Orby Sale on Monday and, despite taking a little time to acclimatise to the European style of bidding – with auctioneer Nick Nugent partly to blame – the Resolute Racing man spent €1,555,000 ($2.78 million) on four lots, headed by the sale-topping Blue Point colt at €675,000 ($1.2 million).

The Blue Point sale-topper headlined a rock-solid opening session to the Orby Sale with 199 of the 227 horses offered selling at a clearance rate of 88%. The €26,218,500 ($46.7 million) turnover was up by 3% on last year, while the €131,752 ($235,000) average climbed 10% and the median climbed 25% to €100,000 ($178,000).

Resolute Racing bags sale-topping Blue Point colt on Goffs Orby debut

Bred by John Connaughton, winner of this year's small breeder of the year category at the ITBA Awards, and presented by Tom Whelan's Church View Stables, the Blue Point colt (Lot 51) is a half-brother to Bay City Roller (New Bay).

Stewart commented, “Really good pedigree. We are really high on Blue Point – he rates really good on our system. (He is) one of the top colts that we had for today and we're really excited to get him. I felt like we got a good price on him as well so we are happy about that. It's a proven family and the dam is just going to improve. He will probably end up with Francis Graffard, who trains most of our horses here in Europe. This is my first time here at Goffs. It's good fun.”

While Connaughton was not in attendance at Goffs, Whelan reported the 93-year-old to be delighted with the price the colt fetched, before describing himself to be in awe of the strength of the market in recent weeks.

Whelan said, “I spoke with John on the phone. Unfortunately he couldn't make it today but he is delighted. We've had a great run, thank God. This is a fine horse. It's unbelievable, really.”

Whelan went on to single Goffs out for praise, going as far as saying he believed his horses made the most they could conceivably make at Kildare Paddocks.

“It's been easy for me,” he said. “I've only had two horses through the ring so far – one made €260,000 and the other made €675,000. Three horses of our own made over €100,000 at Fairyhouse as well. In fairness, we've had good stock but it's been an amazing couple of weeks. I can't complain.”

He added, “I have been standing outside doors at sales for 45 years now and I can never remember the volume of people turning up to a sale as we had at Fairyhouse last week. We might not have the same volume here at Goffs but the majority of the big boys are here. If you have the horse, I don't see why you would need to sell it in Newmarket. It all boils down to bringing the right stock. Look at the two we've just sold. There would want to be some interest for them to sell for more abroad than they sold for here today.

“I just feel, if the horses are here, Goffs will get the people here to buy them. It's as simple as that. If you have a really nice horse, you will sell it the same here as anywhere else.”

Resolute Racing’s other purchases were the McCracken Farms-consigned Ghaiyyath filly (Lot 10) for €230,000 ($410,000), a Frankel colt (Lot 96) from the Castlebridge Consignment for €550,000 ($979,000), and a €100,000 ($178,000) Camelot filly (Lot 64) from Baroda Stud.

Redvers's new partnership swoops for daughter of Irish Guineas winner Hermosa

Purchasing on behalf of a new unnamed partnership, David Redvers went to €625,000 ($1.11 million) to secure a Wootton Bassett filly (Lot 168) out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa (Galileo) that was consigned by Baroda Stud.

The Wootton Bassett filly is likely to be trained in France, according to Redvers, who purchased the filly whilst standing alongside Henri Bozo of Ecurie des Monceaux.

Redvers said, “She has been purchased on behalf of a new partnership that includes Henri Bozo. We have found it increasingly difficult to buy broodmares. We put a partnership together to see if we could find some proper broodmares with a view towards having them with the upside of racing. What hasn't been said about the stallion and this family?”

He added, “She's babyish and will improve with time. She will come back to Tweenhills to get broken in and will go across the Channel where Henri can look after things from there.”

€550k Sea The Stars colt to Victorious Forever

Billy Jackson-Stops has settled into his new role buying on behalf of Victorious Racing, which has now been rebranded as Victorious Forever to incorporate the amalgamation of KHK Racing's interests. The new buying team came up trumps at €550,000 ($979,000) for the Glenvale Stud-consigned Sea The Stars colt (Lot 89), who, according to Jackson-Stops, will join trainer George Scott.

The bloodstock agent said, “He has been bought for Victorious Forever and he will go to George Scott. His Highness (Shaikh Nasser) was really keen on him and obviously it is a pedigree that everyone knows well. When we put the horse up to him this morning, he told us to push hard for him. We only have a very small number of horses on the list and that was one who really struck a chord with him.

“So, George will train the horse and he has already had a bit of success with Sea The Stars this year. Victorious Forever is a pretty exciting partnership so hopefully we have some nice horses to run next year.”

Bleahen's golden touch

Take a bow, Luke Bleahen. As if turning US$3,000 ($4556) into €90,000 ($160,000) with a colt by a stallion - Highly Motivated -hardly anyone at Tattersalls Ireland had heard of last week wasn't enough, the shrewd young pinhooker repeated the trick here on Monday when his €22,000 ($39,170) City Light colt (Lot 127) rocked into €115,000 ($205,000) to Rabbah Bloodstock.

“I'm pure delighted,” Bleahen said. “I'm so grateful to Mr Ryan and Mr Abdullah, to Mr Woods who underbid him, and to everyone else who bid – Tom Taaffe and a contingent from America, Edgar Byrne and his Scandinavian clients, Dermot Farrington with Ralph Beckett, and Anthony Bromley.

“It was a great feeling, selling a horse with so many shrewd judges on him like that. Usually you're standing there waiting for the next bid, but they came thick and fast this time.I think the French premiums were a big draw, and he was the only lot by City Light in the sale. I have a Hello Youmzain colt tomorrow who's also the only lot by his sire here. Maybe being a little bit different helps sometimes.”

He added, “Most of the credit goes to Wesley Hayes, who's at home with me and Dad every day of the week, and puts in hours of work. I've also got Calum Harte here doing his first sale for me, and he hasn't missed a beat in every show. I'm very lucky to receive all the help that I get.

“I'm also grateful to Goffs for attracting so many international clients. Just look at the list of people on the City Light colt. He had eight vets and was popular all the way through.”

Incentive schemes keeps Bond Thoroughbreds coming back for more

The strength of Bond Thoroughbreds, who struck gold at the Curragh on Sunday when the Paddy Twomey-trained Black Caviar Gold (Havana Grey) landed the G3 Weld Park Stakes, has been one of the major talking points throughout the sale season.

Bidding through bloodstock agent Jason Kelly, Bond Thoroughbreds spent €1.32 million ($2.35 million) on four yearlings, headed by a €440,000 ($783,000) Frankel filly (Lot 124) from Tally-Ho Stud and a €420,000 ($748,000) Wootton Bassett colt (Lot 67) from Castlehyde Stud. Both horses will be trained by Christopher Head in France.

Meanwhile, the Mehmas colt (Lot 23) picked up from Church View Stables for €260,000 ($463,000) and the €200,000 ($356,000) Havana Grey colt (Lot 170) from Pier House Stud will be trained by Twomey.

Bond Thoroughbreds were represented by Phenomenal Filly in Saturday's Goffs Million. Not only did that filly scoop €35,000 ($62,300) for finishing fifth behind Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien's Dorset in the showpiece race, but she also picked up a €50,000 ($89,000) bonus for winning her maiden at Leopardstown back in July.

Naturally, Charlie Bond described himself as a big fan of the Goffs Million series. He said, “It helps when we have won two of the (bonus) races. Paddy has won two of them, so that's €70,000 each time, which is a massive incentive. It's unbelievable how well we get treated by Goffs when we come here.”