THE largest consignors at this year’s Go For Gold Sale are MBF Sporthorses, who have 11 lots entered under their own banner and three in partnership with Higgins Sporthorses, who have six other lots catalogued in their own name.

When they turn up at Barnadown, all will be turned out to perfection and ready to showcase themselves before potential purchasers or their agents. As the vendors of previous sales toppers, these producers know exactly what the market is looking for and have put in a lot of work sourcing youngsters to fit the bill.

The first of MBF Sporthorses’ entry, MBF Fire And Flame (Lot 10), is a flashy four-year-old chesnut KWPN gelding by Carambole, whose Guidam-sired dam comes from the family of Olinda (1.60m) and is grandam of Mees VD Watermolen (1.45m). Their final offering, MBF New Trend (Lot 88), is a three-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Future Trend. This bay’s dam Mimicry (CCI1*) is a Carrick Diamond Lad half-sister to the Warrenstown You 2 gelding Balham Houdini (CCI4*-L) and to the dam of Speedwell (CCI4*-L) and MGH To You (CCI3*-S).

Also included in their draft is the Belgian Sport Horse MBF On Cloud (Lot 21), a striking four-year-old grey filly by Mitchy de la Saveniere, two three-year-old Selle Francais geldings, MBF Blackjack (Lot 34) and MBF Pirate (Lot 46), the three-year-old Zangersheide gelding MBF Easter Monday (Lot 52). There are also five three-year-old ISH geldings and the three-year-old ISH filly MBF Holloway (Lot 58), who is by Diarado out of a Future Trend half-sister to the OBOS Quality 004 mare Lissavorra Quality (CCI4*-L).

There is a lot to like about the three horses being sold by MBF/Higgins Sporthorses, most especially MBF Fly On The Wall (Lot 65), a three-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Chacfly PS out of a Colman half-sister to the 1.60m jumpers Arino du Rouet, Kanonja and Carbon Girl Z.

There are three fillies among the Higgins Sporthorses’ consignment including the Ennisnag Stud-bred ESI Natacha (Lot 9), a four-year-old filly by Hos d’O who, registered with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland, is out of a Diamant de Semilly full-sister to Piman de la Deviniere (1.60m). Sold in partnership with Mary Kehoe, the home-bred Lot 35, one of five lots in the sale by Castlefield Kingston, is out of the Colman mare Hadine van’t Zorgvliet (1.45m).

The first of the three geldings in the draft is the KWPN-registered Silvertip JS (Lot 20), a four-year-old VDL Mattias grey gelding whose dam, the Embassy II mare Jolly Jewel JS has previously bred the A La Carte NRW mare Jacoba Stud Nirvana Jolly JS (1.45m).

Trade Horse offerings

Other vendors with multiple lots entered include Trade Horse Ltd, who have two four-year-olds among their six-strong draft. The first of these is the KWPN-registered Sapphire Rose MTB (Lot 14), a quietly-produced Colorit half-sister to the Zirocco Blue VDL stallion Kensington W (1.50m) from the family of Jaganita (1.60m).

The first three-year-old catalogued is Trade Horse’s Ridgehill Dignifier (Lot 32), a bay gelding by Dignified van’t Zorgvliet out of the unraced French thoroughbred mare Embla (by Kapgarde), who comes from the family of Rebel Fitz, the winner of 18 races.

Between them, the Skeltons had five horses selected for the sale, two of whom were bred by Simon McCarthy. The first of these, the only four-year-old among the consignment, is the ISH gelding Borris Donny Darling (Lot 12), a bay son of HHS Cornet who was placed in a Dublin young event horse qualifier and, more recently, won a DAFM/HSI development class at Wexford Equestrian.

McCarthy also bred the three-year-old filly Solsboro Kelpie (Lot 81), a bay daughter of Another Pleasure from the family of Master Ballinteskin (1.50m) and Cillbhrid Oscar (CCI3*-L). There is sure to be a lot of interest also in the Skelton’s well-related three-year-olds Borris Level Best (Lot 68), a bay gelding by SIEC Livello, and Borris Mi Genie (Lot 71), a bay filly by Cormint.

H&J Sporthorses have a four-strong draft of geldings heading to the sale, the sole four-year-old being Wheelagower Last Orders (Lot 16), a Jorado half-brother to the Cinsey gelding DP Dancing Light (1.40m). This is the family of the 1.60m performers MHS Going Global and MHS High Hopes and the CCI5*-L eventer MHS King Joules.