Goffs

Tally-Ho Stud resident Persian Force (Mehmas), who has registered six placings from his first nine runners, made a breakthrough when his gelded son Dragon Force prevailed on debut in Wednesday's Prix de l'Appe, a five-furlong claiming race, for Amy Murphy at La Teste. "All three of mine ran well and that's the first winner for the sire," Murphy said. "We've just moved to La Teste, so I'm delighted to get that first winner on the board. It's a very good result all-round and, hopefully, it's the first of many." Breaking...

A son of Mehmas (lot 197) brought £880,000 from Stroud Coleman Bloodstock to seize the lead during the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale at Doncaster in the late afternoon. "He did a very good breeze, has a very good pedigree and we're all trying to buy an Ascot runner," Anthony Stroud said. "He comes from Tally-Ho, who does a fantastic job. He just had the make and shape of what we're looking for in a breezer. Obviously it's a great deal of money and is a lot more than one would...

Who runs Diamond Stables? That was the message floating around the WhatsApp groups on Tuesday after Rodrigo Goncalves, the man behind the relatively new breeze-up outfit, sent out a Persian Force colt [lot 59] to rock up the Doncaster straight on breeze day.  The term new is a loose one as this is far from the Brazilian native's first rodeo. Goncalves has been associated with some very good horses and become a familiar face on the sales circuit through his time spent working with Robson Aguiar. It's likely that nobody...

Kia Joorabchian has outlined shopping plans for this week's Goffs Breeze-Up Sale, where he says the focus will be on securing colts that Freemason Lodge-based trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy can point towards Royal Ascot.  The Amo Racing boss was a high-profile absentee from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale last week. Instead, he elected to make the trip to Ocala for the OBS breeze-up sale.  His no-show at Tattersalls, where he spent over £3 million on seven horses last year, was keenly felt by a market that returned to 2024...

According to betting forecasts, Saturday's G3 Dubai Duty Free Fred Darling Stakes was at the mercy of Shadwell's G2 Rockfel Stakes fifth Touleen (Lope De Vega), but the Owen Burrows trainee had to give best to Opulence Thoroughbreds' Rockfel ninth Sukanya (Havana Grey), who produced a late surge to register a 16-1 surprise. The winner does not hold an entry for Newmarket's G1 1000 Guineas, but remains engaged in the Irish equivalent. "She's a very good filly and had a very high level of class last year," insisted Channon. "My...

Ballylinch Stud resident Bayside Boy (New Bay) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Ralph Beckett-trained son Blessed Voyager shed maiden status at the first time of asking in Friday's Dubai Duty Free EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury. The 11-1 chance, his sire's second representative to hit the track, was positioned within range of the leaders racing fifth through the initial fractions. Making smooth headway once past halfway, he launched his challenge on the stands' side entering the final furlong and was pushed out to...

Forz Europe's G2 Debutante Stakes third Evolutionist (Night Of Thunder) closed her juvenile campaign with a podium finish in the G1 Fillies' Mile and punched her ticket to a Classic campaign with an impressive tally in Sunday's one-mile G3 Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp. "We've run a few nice horses in the last ten days or so and a few have disappointed," admitted Karl Burke. "I don't think the string is in top form, but it's nice to see her do that and I'm very, very happy. We always...

Ryan Conran has exploded onto the breeze-up scene with She's Perfect (Sioux Nation), who finished first past the post in the French 1,000 Guineas, Group 3 scorer Coto De Caza (Sioux Nation) and Lincoln runner-up Rogue Diplomat (Calyx) just some of the high-profile graduates that have flown the flag for the 32-year-old's Lacka House Stables operation.  On the eve of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, Conran shares all about his approach to breezing, philosophy towards risk and much more in the latest breeze-up focused Q&A. You've had a lot of...

Debut point-to-point winner Wordfromhome (Poet's Word) topped a record Goffs Aintree Sale on Thursday evening. Offered by Monbeg Stables, lot 9 sold to Highflyer Bloodstock and Paul Nicholls for £320,000. Second dam Howaya Pet (Montelimar) won a Grade 3 chase and is the dam of graded hurdler Johnnywho (Califet). J P McGrath Bloodstock and Nicky Henderson shelled out £290,000 for Royal Response (Getaway) (lot 23), the highest-priced filly in the sale. Part of the Milestone Stables consignment, the winning daughter of G3 Lombardstown Chase heroine Royal Choice (King's Theatre) is...

Al Pacino's Inch By Inch speech in the film Any Given Sunday resonates strongly with jockey Killian Leonard, who has been making waves on the breeze-up circuit in recent years.  With the Miami Sharks down and appearing almost certainly out in the Super Bowl final, Al Pacino, who plays coach Tony D'Amato, tells his team that they can claw themselves back into the game, 'inch by inch, play by play'.  He goes on, "The margin for error is so small. I mean, one half step too late or too early,...

Whereweallbelong, who won his debut point-to-point by a staggering 36 lengths, is one of 16 lots entered in the Goffs Aintree Sale next week. The sale will be held at Aintree's winners' enclosure on opening day of the Randox Health Grand National Festival after the last race on Thursday, April 9.    Consisting exclusively of four-year-olds, the catalogue features another nine debut point-to-point or bumper winners, and final entries will be confirmed next week. The son of Saint Des Saints (lot 110) is a full-brother to Grade 3-placed hurdler Saint Felicien,...

The breeze-up season gets underway this month with the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale - which takes place from April 13 to 15 - followed by the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale - on April 21 and 22. Few trainers have enjoyed better luck than Richard Hughes when it comes to sourcing horses from that sphere.  The Group 1-winning handler has big-race targets for breeze-up graduates Rose Ghaiyyath (Ghaiyyath), America Queen (Havana Grey) and Nobody Knows (Wootton Bassett). Meanwhile, the Group-placed Bella Lyra (Oasis Dream) has recently been sold to continue her...