Goffs

Two-race maiden King Of Cloughan (St Mark's Basilica) was, at odds of 33-1, the outsider of Joseph O'Brien's three runners and he paid a handsome compliment to his Leopardstown conqueror and TDN Rising Star Nola Soul (Justify), a Listed Chesham Stakes contender, with a taking performance in Wednesday's new-look Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. "We thought bringing King Of Cloughan back in trip was the right move, but it was hard to fancy him because he'd been beaten in two maidens," the winning trainer said. "We liked the...

The Jersey Stakes-bound Green Sense (Starman) topped the Goffs London Sale in Kensington Palace Gardens on Monday evening at £700,000. That was despite the fact the Joseph O'Brien-trained Group 2 winner was led out of the ring unsold at £675,000 initially.  However, a private deal was brokered during the sale, with Brittany Linton, chief executive of US outfit Boyd Racing, signing the docket.  "David Redvers is a good friend and he gave us some advice and connected us to the owners," said Boyd Racing's Randy Boyd. "We're very excited about...

It seems a mere blink of an eye ago, but the inaugural Goffs London Sale took place in June 2014 in groundbreaking fashion. War Horse made an appearance, and was for a few brief moments ridden by Johnny Murtagh, while the first foal by Frankel to appear in any sale ring was, understandably, a show-stopper which made the national and television news. The auction has evolved over that time when it comes to the business of horse-trading but what has not changed is that its cocktail party feel offers, for...

Charlie Appleby trainee Inner City Blues (Blue Point), who was Godolphin's sole purchase during this year's breeze-up season, was making his third pass through a sales ring when becoming the €900,000 top-priced colt at last month's Arqana Breeze-Up sale, having previously sold for €180,000 as a Goffs November foal and 375,000gns as a Tattersalls Book 1 yearling. The grandson of G3 Prix Eclipse victrix Souvenir Delondres (Siyouni) was all at sea during the initial stages of Saturday's Tomahawk Restaurants Supporting Macmillan EBF Maiden at York, but delivered a knockout blow...

A gelded son of Way To Paris led the way during Part 2 of the Goffs Arkle Sale on Thursday. County Galway point-to-point trainer John Staunton struck the winning bid of €65,000 for the top lot, Ballymarkham Stud's Way To Paris three-parts brother to high-class handicap chaser Downmexicoway (Champs Elysees) out of a half-sister to top hurdler Get Me Out Of Here (Accordion) (lot 573). "I've bought him for Basil Holian, who owns Downmexicoway," reported Staunton. "I trained him and he bought him off me. Basil saw this gelding was...

A total of six lots made €200,000 or more during the second day of the Goffs Arkle Sale Part 1, and top of the heap was Noosa Sport (No Risk At All). The three-year-old filly sold to Gordon Elliott Racing for €240,000. Consigned by Liss House, lot 320 is a full-sister to G3 Prix Romati Chase heroine Geelong Sport (No Risk At All) and a half-sister to G1 Prix Maurice Gillois Chase victor Leader Sport (Nirvana Du Berlais). The day's highest priced gelding was Okekoko (Cokoriko) (lot 350) who went...

Mícheál O'Brien of Creighmore Stables was in a daze after topping Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs Arkle Sale with a Goliath Du Berlais gelding out of a Muhtathir half-sister to the Grade 3-winning hurdler Raffles Sainte (Saint Des Saints). Offered as lot 201, he was knocked down to Gordon Elliott for €275,000. "It's a serious result for my farm in east Cork. It's not a big place and to turn that sort of money is a big help," said the consignor, who had pinhooked the top lot for €40,000....

Last year's G2 Prix Robert Papin winner Green Sense features among 16 initial entries for the Goffs London Sale, held in association with ULYSSIA and Fitzwilliam Sports, which will take place at Kensington Palace Gardens on the eve of Royal Ascot (Monday, June 15). Starman filly Green Sense, who also finished third in the G1 Phoenix Stakes as a two-year-old, holds a choice of engagements at Royal Ascot. The Joseph O'Brien trainee is entered in the G1 Coronation Stakes and also has the option of the G3 Jersey Stakes. Another...

Coolmore and Westerberg's Endorsement (Wootton Bassett) attempted to make all and hit the board behind James J Braddock (Zarak) and Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) in last month's G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown and boosted the hopes of those G1 Derby candidates with a seven-length romp in Thursday's Listed King George V Cup back at the Foxrock venue. "His form is solid, it was nice to see him running well and Ryan [Moore] was very happy with him," commented Aidan O'Brien. "We didn't know how far he'd stay because a mile-and-a-quarter is...

Victorious Forever's George Scott trainee Mrair (Mehmas), the £880,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up topper who ran second to a quirky sort at Newmarket just over two weeks ago, confirmed the promise of that debut effort with a dominant performance in Monday's British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Lingfield. "I wasn't disappointed, the owner wasn't disappointed [with the debut effort] and we always wanted to get two runs into him before, potentially, going to [Royal] Ascot," explained Scott. "Ryan [Moore] educated him well and he did what he had to do....

Dalham Hall Stud resident Perfect Power (Ardad) became the latest freshman sire off the mark when his Alessandro Botti-trained son Rouhi made a winning debut in Sunday's Prix d'Orgemont at Chantilly. The 11-1 chance was awkwardly into stride and occupied a position in rear through halfway. Shaken up with 350 metres remaining, he went third entering the final furlong and swooped late to deny Calyx Express (Calyx) by a short-neck in the shadow of the post. Rouhi is the first of three foals out of a full-sister to the dual...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) shaped with a deal of promise at Naas two weeks ago and made a giant leap forward with a visually stunning TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, performance in Sunday's Revamp Conservation And Restoration Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh. "She had a lovely run the first day and we got her out [at Naas] in case she was an Ascot filly," the trainer explained. "She ran so well [on debut] and that is why she is back here. She could be...