WHILE selling just three of the 11 lots on offer at the Goffs London Sale was disappointing, the Kildare sales company nonetheless continue to occupy this key slot on the eve of the Royal Ascot meeting. Hopefully they will be in a position to stage the sale, online this year, in person in 2022.

Offering lots with engagements at the upcoming meeting is one of the most lucrative aspects of the sale, and this year’s top lot, Zinc White, had entries in the Queen’s Vase and the King George V Stakes. As it turned out, he swerved both, the likely ground given as one excuse, and he is now to go juvenile hurdling after a month’s break.

A £50,000 Goffs UK yearling purchase by Alex Elliott from his breeder Lady O’Reilly’s Hollyhill Stud, the three-year-old son of Vadamos joined Ralph Beckett. He raced three times at two, over a mile or so, and showed only fair form. Gelded last October, he returned to racing this year with renewed zest, running and winning twice over 14 furlongs.

This week he sold for £310,000 to Dan Astbury and trainer Oliver Greenall, and while the duo were reluctant to name their buyer at the time of the sale, the gelding has since been registered in the name of a new owner, Mr S Beetham. Zinc White is a son of Lady O’Reilly’s Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Chinese White.

Proud boast

Two victories in two starts is the proud boast of Tipperary Sunset, a juvenile son of the first season sire Ardad, who sired the Norfolk Stakes winner on Thursday. Owned and trained by John Quinn, he is the first foal of a winning Dark Angel mare and cost Sean Quinn just £17,000 as a yearling at Goffs UK last year.

Now he has been sold to France for £200,000, Mandore International Agency’s Nicolas de Watrigant securing him on behalf of Alain Jathiere. That owner has some 40 horses in training in France.

Military Mission, a three-year-old gelded son of Mastercraftsman, lined up on Thursday for the King George V Stakes, but he will soon be heading to Australia to join Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. They combined with Johnny McKeever to give £170,000 for this Salisbury 10-furlong winner who at sale time was never worse than fourth in six starts.

Bought by Oaklawn Stud’s Clodagh McStay for 65,000gns as a foal, he failed to sell as a yearling and Mrs McStay still owned a share in him until recently, in partnership with the Military Syndicate.

Upbeat

Goffs group chief executive remained upbeat at the sale’s conclusion, and said: “Goffs London Sale has always been a sale like no other, and this year circumstances forced us to make it a virtual sale like no other.

“Like every auction house we have embraced online sales over the last 18 months, but we hope that this year’s virtual Goffs London Sale, which was conducted in the form of a live broadcast from Kildare Paddocks and London, broke new ground with its unique approach.

“We’ve always said that we judge this sale by different metrics and so, whilst selling three of the 11 lots offered would normally be a disappointment, the London Sale offers an opportunity for owners to cash in before Ascot or run at the royal meeting, and we wish existing and new connections every success over the next five days. That said, we sold horses to Australia, France and Britain which demonstrates the global appeal and reach of our totally unique London Sale.

“Of course next year we hope and pray that we’re back in the beautiful setting of Kensington Palace Gardens, sipping Chateau Léoube and rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of international thoroughbred racing on the eve of Royal Ascot”.