The 2026 store sales got off to a solid start on Monday, as the Goffs UK Spring Store Sale posted improved figures across the board following a fine season in which three graduates scored at Grade 1 level.

Previous success at the sale was to the fore of Paul Nicholls’ mind as he and daughter Megan combined to purchase the £140,000 top lot from Mill House Stud.

“We loved him, he was our pick of the sale,” Megan said of the Golden Horn half-brother to Grade 1 hurdler Luccia.

“Dad thought we needed to come here and try to find as similar a type as we could to Regent’s Stroll, who obviously won the sales race.

“They’re not easy to find, but this horse showed well every time we saw him. He’s athletic and forward-going, just really nice, and he’s from a top family and by a proven sire, so there’s plenty of positives in the pedigree.”

Like his multiple blacktype-winning sibling, Monday’s highlight was bred by Paul Sandy of Pump and Plant Services, who raced their dam with Nicky Henderson to place in three stakes races on the flat.

“He's been very, very busy over the last two days, he had so many lookers,” Mill House Stud’s Juliet Minton reported. “He’s shown himself really well and he hasn't put a foot wrong. He deserved to make that sort of money as he's a cracking individual and ticked every box.

“Earth Amber lives with us, and this gelding was born at home. Luccia is being covered by Golden Horn and she has a Goliath Du Berlais foal at foot. Earth Amber is in foal to Postponed.

“The Cracksman yearling filly out of Earth Amber is in the sale on Thursday, along with Caspari, the five-year-old full-brother to that filly who has won his last two starts.”

The top lot was conceived at a fee of £10,000 while Golden Horn stood at his original base of Dalham Hall Stud, though he has since moved to Overbury Stud. Monday’s sale will have uplifted British NH breeders as home sires filled the first three positions in the sires’ table.

Shade Oak Stud’s Logician filled the top spot by turnover, thanks to his first three-year-olds that also include unbeaten listed hurdle winner In Between Days. Golden Horn was next in line, followed by Nathaniel, with fourth placed filled by the late Blue Bresil.

All positive

The £140,000 top lot was one of two six-figure stores, compared to one last year, helping to push the average to £28,152. It marked a year-on-year increase of 7%, while the median rose by 5% to £21,000.

The clearance rate improved by two points to 79%, with 148 horses selling for a total of £4,082,000 – a 16% rise on last year’s turnover.

A French-bred filly topped last year’s sale at £120,000 – the same price bid by Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley for Liss House’s Kapgarde filly on Monday. The highest-priced filly of the day will join rookie trainer Dan Horsfordon behalf of owners Rupert and Jenny Martin.

“The filly was our pick of the sale,” said Horsford, who spent 15 years as assistant trainer to Alan King before setting up near Marlborough.

“She has a great temperament, she's a great mover and she has a great mind. I just hope she's lucky for Rupert. He’s been a great supporter of mine - without him I wouldn't be doing this. We’ve been given a great opportunity, and we want to make the best of it.”

On how the partnership came about, Rupert Martin explained: “When I took on the yard, Dan was the underbidder, but things changed and Dan ended up coming on board with me.

“He's really impressed me, he's a young man who wants to go places and if I can help him advance on his career path, I will. He's already improved some of the horses we had. We had four winners out of five runners in January and February, so he knows what he’s doing.”

Martin’s new recruit was one of eight purchases made by Highflyer Bloodstock on the day, with their total spend of £514,000 more than double their nearest rival – the Nicholls duo – in the buyers’ table.

Late in the session, the agency’s Tessa Greatrex gave £85,000 for a Crystal Ocean gelding from Tom Costello’s Rathfolan Farm. It marked a significant upturn in popularity for the gelding, who cost €20,000 as a foal.

The profitable pinhook will join Ben Pauling, with whom Costello has some history, the consignor revealed.

“My family has been dealing horses for a good number of years now, we sold Best Mate to Henrietta Knight, and I sold Ben his Cheltenham Festival winner Le Breuil,” he said.

“This was a beautiful horse - one of the nicest I’ve had in a long time. I think he’s going to do well. I’m delighted he’s going to Ben, as he’s a top-class trainer.

“I bought him as a foal. He’s always been a lovely horse and he’s by Crystal Ocean, who looks like being a very decent sire and has been getting a lot of good winners recently. Everybody seems to be very positive about him. Fingers crossed this one does very well too.”

Commenting on trade, Costello said: “The nice horses are selling well but the market is selective. However, when you do have something special you get well rewarded.

“I’ve got some more lots for Goffs Arkle in a few weeks, but I make sure to bring something nice to Doncaster every year. We’re always very well looked after here.”

Not outdone

Costello’s brother John also celebrated a successful outcome for his Fenloe House, who sold a Karaktar gelding to Anthony Bromley for £82,000.

“I bought him on a farm in France when he was about two months old out in the field beside his mother,” John Costello explained.

“He was a gorgeous foal with a lovely pedigree. He was always such a beautiful athlete. Karaktar is an up-and-coming sire, he already has Il Est Francais.

“I’m delighted to come here with a nice horse, delighted with the team who bought him and I’m very happy with the price.”

Olly and Aiden Murphy bought the 2025 top lot from John Bleahen’s Lakefield Farm, and the buyers and consignor renewed their association with a No Risk At All gelding that brought £86,000.

“I loved him, I thought he was one of the standouts of the sale,” said the trainer said of the April-born bay, who had gone unsold for €48,000 as a yearling.

“He’s a real good physical and is obviously by a fantastic sire in No Risk At All. He looks like he’s got loads of quality and is one to crack on with. He’s been bought on spec, as the majority of our stores are, so we’ll find a nice owner for him.

“I’ve had plenty of winners by No Risk At All and he’s siring top-class horses over here and in France and Ireland. He’s a top-class sire and his stock seem very straightforward to train.

“You’ve got to keep restocking. You’ve no chance of finding the next good horse unless you keep buying them. We’ve been buying plenty of form horses but we’ll be busy during the sales season and keep the whole thing going. We’re looking forward to a busy six weeks.”