AMERICAN owner Larry Best bought the top lot at Wednesday's combined Goffs UK/Arqana Breeze-Up Sale when paying €715,000 for a filly by War Front.
Consigned by Brendan and Vanessa Holland's Grove Stud in Fermoy, the filly is out of Beauty Parlor, a Grade 3 winner by Elusive Quality. The Hollands bought the filly for $185,000 at Keeneland last September. Agent Kerri Radcliffe signed for the top lot on behalf of Best, who races as Oxo Equine in America. It is the first time Best has bought a horse in Europe.
Radcliffe said: "I am pleased to say that I have bought her for Larry Best’s OXO Equine, which I believe is his first European purchase. She will head to Saratoga but I am not sure who will train. I met Larry at the sales in America and he kept telling me "ring me when you see something exceptional", so I rang him on Sunday night.
"This filly breezed very well and she has been an absolute queen since, she’s been so professional throughout the shows. I am delighted for the vendors, who have done an amazing job keeping the horses so long in such uncertainty."
Six lots in the Arqana section made in excess of €400,000. Late in the day, Hong Kong trainer John Size picked up a son of Street Boss for €682,000. The colt was consigned by Malcolm Bastard who bought him for $120,000 at Keeneland last September. Matt Coleman of the Stroud Coleman agency acted on behalf of the purchaser today, and the underbidde was Coleman's business parter, Anthony Stroud.
Street Boss is the sire of Rapper Dragon, one of the top performers in Hong Kong in 2017.
Agent Jamie McCalmont, on behalf of Coolmore's M.V. Magnier, paid €577,500 for a colt by Exceed And Excel consigned by Johnny Collins' Brown Island Stables.
Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables was responsible for two of the top lots. The leading vendor sold a colt by first-season sire Shalaa for €506,000 and it will be trained by Joseph O'Brien for owners John Murrell and Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez.
Browne was also responsible for a colt by American Pharoah who made €495,000. He will race for Hong Kong owner Marc Chan but will be trained in England by Simon and Ed Crisford.
Agent Alex Elliott paid €506,000 for a Shamardal colt offered by Longways Stables (Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell), and it will be trained by Roger Varian, while Godolphin made a welcome return to the sales ring when spending €418,000 on a Kingman filly from Yeomanstown Stud.
One of the standout lots on pedigree was the three-parts brother to Kameko, which was consigned by Roger Marley's Church Farm. Unsurprisingly, David Redvers of Qatar Racing stepped in to buy the colt for €220,000.
Tom Goff's Blandford Bloodstock was the leading purchaser on the day, spending over £1.1 million on 10 horses. Agent Stephen Hillen spent a total of €737,000 on four horses in the Arqana section of the sale.
Of the 73 horses offered for sale during the Arqana section of the sale, 64 were sold for a clearance rate of 83%. The average price was €156,265 (up 20% on last year) and the median €83,600.
GOFFS UK SECTION
A colt by Kingman topped the Goffs UK section of the sale when selling to Jamie Lloyd of Meah Lloyd Bloodstock for £290,000. The grandson of Invincible Spirit was bought by MC Bloodstock for £130,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Sale and was re-offered by Jim McCartan's Gaybrook Lodge Stud who prepared him to Breeze at Doncaster. He will now ship to California to be trained by Richard Baltas on behalf of Calvin Nguyen.
Al Shaqab Racing made their presence felt when purchasing a son of Dandy Man for £200,000 through Nicolas de Watrigant. The colt was bought by Ciaran Conroy's Glenvale Stud for 80,000gns last year and was prepared by Mocklershill who also sold a Hard Spun colt to Rabbah Bloodstock for £110,000.
American Pharaoh has had an incredible start to his stud career and Star Bloodstock sold a colt to Blandford Bloodstock for £175,000. He was bought as a yearling by Byron Rogers for $90,000 whilst Oak Tree Farm sold a colt to Filip Zwicky, who was bidding online from Scandinavia, for £110,000. The same vendor also sold an Exceed and Excel colt to Richard Ryan for £120,000.
King Power Racing were also active when buying a son of Mehmas from Kilbrew Stables for £165,000. The colt was bought privately after being led out unsold for €19,000 at the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale and provided a handsome return for Andrew and Riona Lynch.
Siyouni has a long history of success in the Doncaster sales ring and Longways Stables sold a colt to Blandford Bloodstock for £140,000 whilst a colt by Will Take Charge was bought from Yeomanstown Stud by Peter and Ross Doyle for £100,000.
Of the 99 horses offered for sale in the Goffs UK section, 83 sold for a clearance rate of 84%. The aggregate was £3.8 million and the average price of £46,625 was up 2% on last year. The median price of £30,000 was 15% higher than in 2019.
READ LEO POWELL'S REPORT ON THE DAY'S BUSINESS IN THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND
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