TONY Williams, the new managing director of Goffs UK, took charge of his first sale in his new role and celebrated with a 58% increase in turnover, a 26% rise in average and a 25% jump in median. These improvements were largely the result of the strong trade in horses-in-training on Tuesday.

More than a quarter of the sale aggregate was contributed by yet another large draft from Godolphin, Sheikh Mohammed’s organisation selling 32 lots for £600,100. Among the consignment were six of the top 10 lots, including the best price of the sale. This was achieved by the four-year-old King’s Best gelding Wolfcatcher, a winner twice in France for Andre Fabre before he transferred to John Ferguson and won over hurdles at Market Rasen last December. This flat season he raced for Charlie Appleby and ran at Royal Ascot. Ian Williams secured him for £78,000.

The Kevin Prendergast-trained Catch A Wave had a timely update as he won a nursery at Leopardstown a week before the sale, adding to a maiden victory at Bellewstown in August. The son of approve, a €27,000 yearling buy, was knocked down to Sean Flannery at £70,000, the Goffs man acting for the Qatari trainer Debbie Mountain.

A supplementary entry from Colin McKeever’s Loughanmore Farms, Ballyhome was a comfortable winner of a point-to-point at Loughanmore in mid-October on his third start. At £60,000 he was easily the more expensive of two purchases at the sale by A & K Plastics.

That price was matched by another supplementary entry and this was Stormy Clouds, a two-year-old daughter of Sir Prancealot. Listed-placed and earner of £221,140 from three victories this year, she was sold from Richard Hannon’s East Everleigh Stables to Matt Houldsworth for £60,000. She was bought for her breeder Tally-Ho Stud and will be covered by their new sire Mehmas.

Two lots sold for £50,000 and the first to this price was Godolphin’s Confident Kid, a three-year-old son of Dubawi who has been placed a number of times this year. A half-brother to the Group 3 winner Be My Gal, he is a grandson of Palacegate Episode who raced with distinction for Jack Berry back in the nineties. Confident Kid cost Oakgrove Stud, where he was bred, less than a tenth of his yearling purchase price of 500,000gns.

David Loder’s Lodge Farm Stables made a supplementary entry for Midas Gold. The four-year-old son of Rip Van Winkle won a bumper at Southwell on his only start in August and Tom Malone gave £50,000 for him and he will now join Brian Ellison.

Four other lots brought £40,000 or more and all were part of the Godolphin draft. J.D. Moore gave £45,000 for the three-year-old Sea The Stars colt Foresee, a winner at Maisons-Laffitte this year, and the colt will now be trained by Tony Carroll. This was £1,000 more than the price paid for Venturous, a winner at Doncaster and Newmarket last year as a two-year-old. The gelded son of Raven’s Pass will now be trained by David Barron. Neil Mulholland recruited Most Celebrated to his team when he gave £43,000 for the three-year-old son of New Approach, a winner of a mile maiden at Windsor back in June. Later in the day Gavin Hernon, acting for Seventh Lap Racing, paid £40,000 for Repercussion.

On Monday 87 yearlings sold. This end-of-season trade produced just a pair of yearlings in the range of £20,000 or more and the best of these was Battlefield Stud’s Frozen Power half-brother to the listed winner Mick’s Year Man who also won the Brocklesby Stakes. From the family of Group 1 winner and champion juvenile Le Vie Dei Colori, the colt was knocked down to David Easterby for £26,000. He had been purchased as a foal for 10,500gns.

Hall Farm Stud’s Son of Lethal Force out of the stakes-placed Tagula mare Raggle Taggle sold to Bobby O’Ryan on behalf of Middleham Park Racing for £20,000. He is from the first crop of the European champion sprinter.

At the conclusion of the sale group chief executive Henry Beeby commented: “Today’s horses-in-training sale proved, yet again, that we will return outstanding prices for this category when we have the horses to promote as we have enjoyed a lively trade for the wide variety of flat and NH horses offered, none more so than the large Godolphin draft and several of the point-to-pointers that travelled across from Ireland. Yesterday followed recent market trends with a selective trade although, as is the norm, there was plenty of competition for those that held the most appeal. As ever we are indebted to every vendor and purchaser, and thank them for their business.”