THE final figures from the first store sale of the year, the Goffs UK Spring Store Sale, painted a mixed picture on Monday. Cutting the catalogue by 27% to 199 lots saw the average price increase by 3% to £26,346 and the median remain at £20,000, but the number of six-figure lots dropped from five to just one.

Comparisons to 2023 fared worse, when 285 lots produced an average price of £29,327 and median £23,250, with five fetching between £100,000 and £210,000. From 2023 to 2024, the clearance rate dropped from 81% to 70%, and rose to 75% this week.

A notable difference, which could be a contributing factor to the top of the market constricting, was the top buyers. Last year, Ryan Mahon and Dan Skelton bought five lots totalling £377,000, while Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls spent £245,000 on just two lots.

This week, Mahon and Skelton’s sole purchase cost £56,000, while Malone bought one for £50,000 and combined with Jamie Snowden for another worth £30,000. Nicholls, meanwhile, teamed up with his daughter Megan to buy a Nathaniel gelding for £75,000.

Monbeg Stables spent the largest amount in 2023, their 14 buys totalling £529,000, which dropped to £106,000 last year and £95,000 this week. The top buyer this week was agent Jerry McGrath, who spent £240,000 on four lots, followed by Anthony Honeyball’s £198,000 outlay on four horses.

Another possibility is that the more desirable horses simply weren’t on offer, and looking back to 12 months ago, there was a marked difference in the breeding of the most expensive horses.

The top 12 lots were either foaled in France, out of a French-bred mare, by a French sire, or ticked all three boxes. This week, five of the 12 filled the same criteria.

French fancy

Of course, there’s also a possibility that the popularity of French pedigrees has somewhat cooled, but top lot honours did go to a French-bred daughter of Doctor Dino, who was knocked down to Olly and Aiden Murphy for £120,000.

John Bleahen’s Lakefield Farm offered the bay, named Guenamite, who is the second produce of a Martaline half-sister to Grade 1-winning chaser Le Patron.

“She’s gone to a fantastic trainer,” Bleahen commented. “Olly’s had so many winners last season, he’s on his way up, and Aiden is a fantastic guy too. They’re a great team.”

Unsold as a foal at the Arqana Autumn Sale, Monday’s sales-topper was later purchased privately by Bleahen, he explained. “The lady I bought her off is a tough customer and she cost quite a bit of money, but she was one you just had to have. She’s from a beautiful line; she’s just a queen.

“I spend six weeks of the year in France, going out for a few days a month when we have the time. We’ve been lucky enough to have some great ones, but they’re just so hard to find. When you see them, you just have to buy them, because they don’t come around too often.

“Every field you go into, it’s a new dream. You see this beautiful thing down the end of the paddock, and usually when you get down there it’s got three legs. But every time you get out of the car, the dream is alive.”

Olly Murphy will also take charge of an Order Of St George gelding bought by Jerry McGrath from Hegarty Bloodstock for £80,000.

Murphy is familiar with the pedigree, having trained the gelding’s half-brother Thunder Rock to win two listed chases and place at Grade 1 level.

“I loved the individual, I thought he was one of the most athletic horses in the sale,” McGrath commented. “Order Of St George has had another good year on the track and point-to-pointing. I thought this horse had a lot of depth and substance for one by the sire.”

BATSFORD Stud stallion Passing Glance has lived through many a fad and fashion, but at the grand age of 26, he experienced his best results in the ring on Thursday.

These three-year-olds - his largest crop numbering 69 - were bred off the back of their sire’s first Grade 1 success, with another two top-flight winners following.

Anthony Honeyball trained a Grade 3 winner by the sire and will be hoping to add to that with the two geldings he bought for £85,000 and £60,000 apiece, bettering Passing Glance’s previous high of €50,000.

On his priciest purchase, Honeyball noted: “This one had a really nice pedigree, with loads of blacktype in the family. I’ve got a new ownership group in mind for him. They’ve not quite finalised numbers or given themselves a name yet, but they do have a WhatsApp group at least, so that’s something!”

Passing Glance’s most expensive offspring benefitted from the accomplishments of siblings Romeo Coolio and unbeaten listed winner Ascending Lark, increasing his value from €20,000 as a foal.

On both occasions, he was sold by Peel Bloodstock, whose Will Kinsey joked: “I wish I hadn’t sold him as a foal now! No, the mare owed us nothing. We’ve sold everything out of her as foals and all of them made good money.

“Matt Coleman ended up buying this horse for a syndicate of lads. They’ve had a right good touch, and I’m delighted for them as it’s win-win. We’re always delighted for the next man, as hopefully they’ll come back again and again. That’s what this business is about.”

Anthony Honeyball’s £65,000 purchase was sold by Lulham Bloodstock and is a half-brother to two blacktype horses, out of a dual listed winner.

WILLIE and Mandy Bryan’s Worthen Hall Stables enjoyed a good day at the office, selling their two offerings for £85,000 and £75,000 apiece.

The most expensive of the two, a Walk In The Park gelding out of a blacktype King’s Theatre mare, was sold on behalf of a syndicate, and was bought on behalf of another, according to Jerry McGrath.

“He’s been bought for a syndicate to go point-to-pointing with the intention of being resold,” the agent explained. “A bunch of owners wanted to do something a bit different and have teamed up together, and I think he’ll go into training with Rob James.

“He’s a lovely, big, athletic type of horse. It’s a lot of money to give for him now but he’s by a good sire and I think he deserves that sort of price. They asked me to try to find a nice horse and this is what I came up with.”

Willie Bryan was full of praise of Monbeg Stables’ £75,000 purchase, a half-brother to a Grade 2 performer. “The Getaway was just a beautiful horse,” Bryan commented.

“If he wins an Irish point the sky’s the limit with him really. He’s a very uncomplicated athletic individual. I couldn’t recommend him highly enough to people.”

Belleville Bloodstock was another consignor in clover after selling Slavetotherhythm, a Nirvana Du Berlais gelding, to Highflyer Bloodstock and Alan King for £75,000, having paid €35,000 for him just six months prior.

Luke and Lucy Cummins’ operation has enjoyed a fantastic few months, with graduate Haiti Couleurs winning at the Cheltenham Festival and following up in the Irish Grand National.