Goffs Orby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Transatlantic Syndicate Magnolia Racing Blossoms at Goffs

Some enterprises of great pitch and moment take years to come to fruition. Some take just a few weeks.

The latter scenario is true of the new partnership between bloodstock agent Justin Casse and trainer Joseph O'Brien. When Magnolia Racing Syndicate spent €562,000 at the recent Goffs Orby Sale, the group was built on relationships years in the making, but sprouted quickly from an idea into action.

“I started kicking the idea of a transatlantic syndicate around three or four months ago,” said Casse. “The fine-tuning part of who would get behind me and support me in this came to mind in the last 30 days, when I left the Arqana sale in France.”

Magnolia Racing plans to purchase 10 or so yearlings at sales in Europe and America, race them as 2-year-olds in both North America and Europe and then sell them next fall and winter at horses-of-racing-age sales, said Casse. They picked up seven at Goffs, all with purchase prices between €42,000 and €125,000. The horses, all with turf pedigrees, will be trained by O'Brien at his base, Owning Hill in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

In just 30 days, Casse assembled a supportive group of partners. “Almost all of them have had some level of participation in racing, whether it be frequent attendees of the Derby, one-off pinhookers that have partnered with me, and handicappers,” he said. “There is one other industry professional involved.”

At Goffs Orby, they bought seven colts and fillies, just three of them for six figures; a Footstepsinthesand (GB) colt, a Zoffany (Ire) colt, and a Sioux Nation colt.

For Casse, it's a slight change of direction in career, but one that leads him back down familiar paths.

Casse's roots are in Florida, the scion of a family who made its name, in many ways, with 2-year-olds.

“The pinhooking and breeze-up part of me is looking at these horses for their value and what they could sell for if they run well,” Casse said, “as opposed to trying not to get carried away, and pay end-user prices.”

You might say the Casses are an American equivalent to the O'Briens; Justin and his brother, Mark, are the successful sons of a successful father; Joseph and his brother Donnacha, the successful sons of Aidan, perhaps the world's greatest trainer. Both O'Brien sons were champion jockeys in Ireland, and daughters Sarah and Ana have ridden professionally as well, while their mother Annemarie was the first in the family to be champion trainer. Training for just five years now, Joseph has already trained the winners of a British Classic, a Breeders' Cup race, and two Melbourne Cups.

The pair has partnered in the past; Casse purchased Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) for John Oxley for 525,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Under Joseph's care, she was a 'TDN Rising Star' and Group 1 winner.

“I've been fortunate enough to have horses now with Joseph since the first year he started and what I've witnessed has far exceeded the expectations that I had,” he said. “I believe that he's a special person going special places and more than anything, I'm just happy to be a part of that.”

The concept of family is clearly a strong one, and one that resonates.

“Working with the family has been rejuvenating, and it has had a profound impact on my personal life as well as my professional life,” he said. “I think that their ability to stay close-knit and support one another and also care for old relationships in such a valuable place like they do has really taught me some life lessons. Aidan and Annemarie's level of horsemanship is equally matched by their ability to get the most out of people with compassion.”

In many ways as well, their lives prove to be a different model from the kind of self-promotional ones we find in America.

“Checking your ego at the door is key,” said Casse. “It was hard for some people to get past the prospect of my only working for family members, so that was always going to be difficult. As much as having the last name Casse could get you very far, it could also have its challenges from time to time.”

But Casse, who spent a semester in London while at Florida State, where he graduated with a B.A. in International Affairs, has always had an affinity for Europe. From his forays, he has brought back to America the likes of Preakness winner War of Will (War Front), who now stands at Claiborne Farm.

“In America, the attrition rate of the horses is tough,” he said. “European racing has been easy for me to get behind because it has a very high percentage of horses who make it to the races, and so we have a fair shot to succeed.”

He's not the only one who has caught onto this, he observed. “Obviously, Goffs had the greatest participation of Americans that it ever had. There's a heightened focus on turf racing in America. There's a great product here (in Europe) that can be developed, but yet, the prospect is to take advantage of American purse money while having the horses begin here. I have American partners in the syndicate who love the idea of running at Saratoga or Kentucky Downs in $150,000 maiden races. Obviously, there's a lot of prestige in Europe as well and it's really a hotbed for selling young horses when they run well first out, and that is a very promising prospect as well. The horses that we have begun to purchase have reasonably tradable prices, and prices where we can profit from earning purse money.”

Casse's father Norm, of course, was a co-founder of the Ocala Breeders' Sale Company, among many other achievements. His farm, Cardinal Hill, was on Magnolia Avenue, and the elder Casse planted 30 of the trees up and down the driveway, giving his son the task of nurturing them. “The majority of our partners are from the South,” said Casse, where the magnolia tree is a symbol of the region.

Next up, Magnolia turns its eye toward Tattersalls and Fasig-Tipton October, where the 2022 purses at Kentucky Downs will make Kentucky-breds all the more appealing. While they'll get their start in Ireland with O'Brien, the forward types that they're buying could potentially race anywhere, and certainly in America.

Casse said that O'Brien would handle the Arqana October sale, while he'll head to Fasig. In Europe for two weeks now, he's been away from his 11-year-old son long enough.

“As much as the sales are important,” he said “we try to keep the sense of family more important.”

If there is one thing that Casse and the O'Briens have learned in their time in racing, it's that family trumps all.

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Dubawi’s Creative Force Leads A Godolphin One-Two In the Jersey

The betting suggested that there would be a Godolphin one-two in Saturday's G3 Jersey S. and that projection was right with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and James Doyle upstaging Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and William Buick to win the battle of the 5-1 joint-favourites. Always travelling strongly restrained towards the rear of the group racing up the middle, the chestnut who captured the Listed Carnarvon S. over six furlongs at Newbury May 15 moved through to take control of that pack with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Drifting left as the opening race's winner Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) had, Creative Force was nevertheless resilient to register a 1 1/4-length verdict over his stand's rail-running stablemate Naval Crown. The filly Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) closed to be 3/4 of a length away in third. “He's a little star and a yard favourite,” Doyle said. “The race panned out pretty straightforward for me–they went a really nice pace and travelled strong throughout. I could have done with a target for a bit longer, but they were going well on the stand's side so I had to be brave and press on. We weren't 100% sure about his stamina, but the dam's side was pretty strong so we were hopeful it would carry him through and he's very tenacious and that helped. He was in front a long way out, which is not ideal at Ascot and he coped with the ground pretty well.”

At this point, Creative Force's sole defeat came when 10th in the G2 Coventry S. here last June, after which he was absent until his 3-year-old bow at Newmarket in a six-furlong handicap at the Craven meeting Apr. 15. Beating the subsequent Palace of Holyroodhouse S. winner Significantly (GB) (Garswood {GB}), the smart Jumby (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and the G2 Sandy Lane S., G3 Pavilion S. and Wokingham H. winner Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) there, he went back over the same course and distance to deny Thursday's Britannia H. winner Perotto (GB) (New Bay {GB}) on the 2000 Guineas card May 1. In the Carnarvon, it was the first time he had encountered ground softer than good and he relished it to win by three lengths, but this was a new challenge.
Charlie Appleby was registering his 11th Royal winner and said, “Both horses turned up in great order and full credit to the team. I worked them together probably about 10 days ago and said to Marie [Murphy] and Alex [Merriam], the assistants, 'we don't want to be doing that again' as they are both very genuine horses and it was a stronger piece of work than I ideally wanted. From William's point of view, he said to me 'Charlie, it is such a hard choice'–full credit to the lads, they've given both of them a great ride and it's obviously nice to come here and have a 1-2.”

“We were hopeful on Creative Force's pedigree, and what he has shown us at home in his attitude and the way he is finishing out in his gallops and his races, that stepping up to seven furlongs would be within his realm and he's gone and duly obliged today. I think we'll probably look at something like the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville Aug. 8] dropping back to six and a half. He's got bags of pace, travels well and picks up well, so I think that'll be a nice race there to suit his profile. Potentially, the likelihood is the same for Naval Crown–they might just have to take each other on again and see if we can reverse the form.”

Creative Force was no secret at the 2019 Goffs Orby Sale, selling for €400,000 as the son of the Listed Fairy Bridge S. winner and G2 Blandford S.-placed Choose Me (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) whose previous best was the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. heroine Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Also responsible for the Listed Distaff S. winner and G3 Prix de Lieurey runner-up Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead), Choose Me is kin to the Listed Waterford Testimonial S. winner Shanghai Glory (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), while the third dam Ajuga (The Minstrel) was responsible for the G2 EuropaChampionat winner Bad Bertrich Again (Ire) (Dowsing) and the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Alumni (GB) (Selkirk). The latter is in turn the dam of the Czech champion Dux Scholar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who was runner-up in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and G2 Oettingen-Rennen. The fourth dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Champion S. heroine Cairn Rouge (Ire) (Pitcairn {Ire}), whose descendants include the prolific grade I-winning Ventura (Chester House). Next up from the dam is the unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Persuasive named Mr Zero (Ire). He was a 100,000gns purchase by SackvilleDonald at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
JERSEY S.-G3, £75,000, Ascot, 6-19, 3yo, 7fT, 1:29.06, sf.
1–CREATIVE FORCE (IRE), 127, g, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Choose Me (Ire) (SW & MGSP-Ire, $388,395), by Choisir (Aus)
2nd Dam: Hecuba (GB), by Hector Protector
3rd Dam: Ajuga, by The Minstrel
1ST GROUP WIN. (€400,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Godolphin; B-Owenstown Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £44,400. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0, $127,445. *1/2 to Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 7-9.5f, G1SW-Eng & MG1SP-Ire, $1,161,785; and Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead), SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Fr, $133,016. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Naval Crown (GB), 127, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £16,793.
3–Vadream (GB), 124, f, 3, Brazen Beau (Aus)–Her Honour (Ire), by Shamardal. O-D R J King; B-Crispin Estates Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Fellowes. £8,393.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HD. Odds: 5.00, 5.00, 28.00.
Also Ran: Rhythm Master (Ire), Fundamental (GB), Legion of Honour (GB), Tactical (GB), Spycatcher (Ire), Storm Damage (GB), Khartoum, Light Refrain (GB), Great King (Fr), Mehmento (Ire), Bellosa (Ire), New Mandate (Ire), Mutasaabeq (GB), Fast Raaj (Fr), Nando Parrado (GB). Scratched: Ace Aussie (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Stonestreet, Agent McElroy Strike it Big With European Buys

When Napa Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won Friday's first race at Keeneland, bloodstock agent Ben McElroy was more relieved than ecstatic. Some six months earlier, he purchased Napa Spirit at the Goffs Orby Yearling sale in Ireland with a set goal in mind. He was looking for a unique type of horse, one that could win in the U.S. and Europe, would be fast and precocious, like the grass and be a good fit for the Royal Ascot meet. Friday's win was the latest sign that he had more than accomplished his mission.

It was the second win in as many days with a 2-year-old European import for the team of McElroy, Stonestreet Stables LLC and trainer Wesley Ward. Thursday's first race at Keeneland was won by their filly Ruthin (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), who was bought at the Tattersalls October Yearling sale in Great Britain. Both will soon be on their way to Ascot for what their connections hope will be a successful ending to a story that took McElroy to the major yearling sales across Europe last year.

McElroy bought five yearlings in Europe last year for Stonestreet, a list that includes Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}), who finished second in her debut Apr. 8 at Keeneland.

McElroy isn't alone. More and more U.S. stables have been buying at the European yearling sales in recent years, looking for horses that can thrive in the U.S. Stonestreet and McElroy hit with the same formula last year. Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was bought for 190,000 guineas at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling sale and went on to win two group races, the GII Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot and the GI Darley Prix Morny.

“There is more turf racing now than ever in the U.S. and the prize money is very good,” McElroy said. “And horses stay sounder longer when they race on the grass.”

With Ruthin, McElroy stuck his neck out. Selling for 350,000 guineas (the equivalent of $474,776) she is from the first crop of sire Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and was the most expensive yearling by that sire sold at auction last year.

“Ribchester was a very high-class racehorse trained by Richard Fahey,” McElroy said. “He won the (GI) Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot and was very impressive in that race. He is son of Iffraaj, who is the sire of Wootton Basset (Iffraaj {GB}), who has turned into a sensational sire. I had a good feeling all along on Ribchester, based on the fact that he was precocious, very talented and is by Ifraaj.”

It was no surprise when Ruthin won Thursday, leading all the way in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden on the grass to win by six lengths. Sent out by Ward, who dominates the spring 2-year-old races at Keeneland, she was the 3-5 favorite.

“With the way that filly was working they had very high expectations for her,” he said. “We knew she had a lot of ability. She is a strong-willed filly. Every time we looked at her she reminded me more and more of Campanelle.”

The expectations for Napa Spirit weren't quite as high. He sold for €420,000 or the equivalent of $539,926. Sent off at 2-5, he lagged near the back of the pack early before his late rally carried him to a 1 1/2-length win.

“The colt is the bigger and stronger horse of the two and I think he needed that run,” McElroy said. “He is a very, very laid back horse, so we were relieved that he won in his first start. I was kind of nervous going in. Wesley thought he might need the race and that he will improve off the race. He's not as push button as the filly is.”

McElroy said he is a fan of Napa Spirit's sire, Invincible Spirit.

“Invincible Spirit is the sire of Kingman,” he said. “He stands for €100,000 and is a real high-end stallion. When I purchased (Napa Spirit), he was in early at that sale. For what he was physically and that he is by that sire, I'm not saying he was cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but we certainly didn't overpay for him. It's not like we were picking from the top. We were looking for horses that suit Wesley and what we thought might suit Ascot.”

One of the most prestigious race meets in the world, Royal Ascot, awaits Ruthin and Napa Spirit. Ward, by far the most successful U.S.-based trainer at Ascot, said Ruthin will go next in the Queen Mary. Napa Spirit's next start will be in the GII Coventry S.

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Oasis Dream Filly Tops Challenging Orby Sale

DONCASTER, UK—The weather brightened for the final session of the Goffs Orby Sale but it has to be said that the vibe did not. True, the clearance rate remained at a respectable level, with those vendors who decided to sell continuing to be realistic in their reserves. But there was a high number of withdrawals across the two days, with an extra bunch coming on Thursday morning as Wednesday’s results were digested. This, together with a dearth of international participation compared to normal, and minimal activity from the regular major buyers, led to results that are disappointing set against recent good years, though understandable perhaps in this grim year.

Everything about 2020 is out of the ordinary, and for Goffs, moving Ireland’s flagship yearling sale to Britain was described by Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby as “a monumental decision and one that we did not take lightly.”

He added, “I do not think anyone approached the sale expecting anything other than it to be tough but we salute our vendors for the way they adapted and read the market as evidenced by the 80% clearance rate which, whilst not up to recent years, demonstrates that vendors were pragmatic in their approach and worked with us to deliver the best results in the circumstances. That said, we absolutely recognise that the returns of the last two days have been hard on many vendors and we share their pain as we have always prided ourselves on delivering the best prices for the lots we offer. However, we are all aware of the havoc being wreaked on all walks of life by Covid-19 and the impact on the global economy so it is understandable that there are less orders around for racehorses from buying entities, big and small. Those challenges are, of course, exacerbated by the ongoing issues around prize-money that we read about on a daily basis, whilst there are several significant players from recent editions of the Orby Sale that are not present for one reason or another.”

As indicated, figures contracted significantly. Having converted the previous year’s returns to sterling, turnover was down by 44% at £21,142,000. The average of £67,981 was down by 35% and the median dropped by 18% to £47,000. Of the 474 yearlings catalogued, 389 were offered for sale and 311 of those were sold. The clearance rate for the final day was slightly lower than the sale overall, at 77% from 143 sold, bringing a second-day tally of £9,528,000, average of £66,629 and median of £45,000.

Roundhill’s Gem

Roundhill Stud brought just one yearling to the Goffs Orby Sale and the filly from the farm’s signature family duly ended up as the market leader, selling to Angus Gold on behalf of Shadwell for a sale-topping £450,000.

David Redvers had signalled his interest early for the Oasis Dream (GB) filly (lot 343) but Gold joined in the bidding from outside the ring and was intent on signing up the first foal of Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) as a future broodmare prospect for the Shadwell operation.

“Sheikh Hamdan said to concentrate on finding some fillies. We had a go on the Green Room filly yesterday, but I loved this filly. She is out of a Shamardal mare who had plenty of ability and she is from a tough-running family,” said Gold.

The Shadwell team has not been as active in the 2020 yearling market as it has been in recent years, but Sheikh Hamdan has been a notable supporter of the Orby Sale in particular and it brings a degree of reassurance to see him engage in the pursuit of some select fillies. The page for this particular yearling is chock-a-block with bold black type.

Princess De Lune won her Newbury maiden with ease for Roger Charlton before suffering a setback which saw her never reclaim that early promising form in three subsequent starts. Her full-siblings are the dual Australian Group 2 winner and promising young Swettenham Stud stallion Puissance De Lune (Ire) and the listed winner and Group 2-placed Queen Power (Ire). Then there is her three-parts brother Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix d’Ispahan, and her half-sister Serena’s Storm (Ire) (Statue Of Liberty) is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

“She’s a stunning filly and I hope she will be good for Shadwell,” said Roundhill Stud owner Bobby Donworth. “We did a lot of head-scratching about which sale to put her in but we felt we should support Goffs and this has worked out well. We also have a half-sister to Rizeena and the brother to Zabeel Prince selling next week in Newmarket so it made sense to split them up. Her dam had a huge amount of ability and she should prove to be a good broodmare.”

Donworth added that Princess De Lune lost her foal by Kingman (GB) this year but is now back in foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire).

Channel’s Sister To Haggas

On a morning with a number of late withdrawals, an early highlight was provided by lot 253, a Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane winner Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who sold to the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings for £360,000.

John Clarke conducted the bidding for the filly bred by Pat O’Kelly’s Kilcarn Stud and said afterwards, “Mrs Tsui absolutely loved the pedigree and though she hasn’t seen the filly herself she was very keen to buy her.”

The filly’s dam Love Magic (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and thus a half-sister to a decent performer by Sea The Stars in Australia in the exported Werribee Cup winner Tall Ship (Ire). The family also includes Magical Romance’s half-sister, the champion 3-year-old Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who landed the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks for Aidan O’Brien.

Clarke added that the filly will join William Haggas in Newmarket next year. Her dam has a filly foal by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and is now in foal to Frankel (GB).

Channel, who was her dam’s second foal, transpired to be one of the real bargains of the 2017 Orby Sale, where she was bought privately by Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International for just €18,000 before being resold at the Arqana Breeze-Up for €70,000.

No Hiding For This Angel

Peter Brant added to his collection of Orby yearlings on Wednesday when agent Demi O’Byrne outbid Richard Ryan for Yeomanstown Stud’s brother to the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Angel’s Hideaway (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at £355,000.

The late April colt (lot 438) is the result of the sixth mating with Dark Angel for the Kheleyf mare The Hermitage (Ire), a black-type earning 2-year-old in her racing days who now has three winners to her name, including G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Perfect Angel (Ire).

“She’s been good to everybody really,” said breeder and consignor David O’Callaghan of the mare bought for 29,000gns as a 3-year-old at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale. Offered as yearlings at Goffs, three of her previous offspring have fetched €200,000, €390,000 and €440,000, respectively.

O’Callaghan continued, “She’s turned into a bit of an Orby specialist and she has a colt foal by Dark Angel who will be coming next year.”

O’Callaghan admitted that the last two days of trade have been tricky but said, “We bring them to sell and we’ve got most of them sold. We’ve got to keep clearing the decks.”

Value Galileos

For months now there has been talk of this season’s sales being a buyers’ market and, indeed, for those with some money to spend at the higher level with an eye on the future, some lovely broodmare prospects can be found at a much more reasonable rate than usual.

That is certainly the case for lot 311, the Galileo (Ire) three-parts sister to Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was acquired by Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments for £185,000.

“With a pedigree like that she is worth that all day long,” was the assessment of agent Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland. “She’ll go to Jessica Harrington and she may take a little bit of time but she’ll make a lovely broodmare for Mr Zhang, who has mares in Ireland and Australia. He was very keen to support this sale.”

The March-born filly was sold by Manister House Stud on behalf of Coolmore and the same breeder also offered another daughter of Galileo through Baroda Stud (lot 305). The filly is out of the Australian G1 Ascot Vale S winner Nechita (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) and was bought by Cathy Grassick for £140,000.

Churchill Gets The Nod

The first crop of the dual Guineas winner Churchill (Ire) will take to the track next season and a number of those nascent racehorses found favour with Orby buyers. Thirteen of the Coolmore sire’s 16 horses offered over the last two days were sold at an average of £86,423.

At the head of that list was lot 336, a colt bred by Brian O’Neill and pinhooked last year by Hamish Macauley for €125,000 at the Goffs November Sale. Returned to the ring by Glenvale Stud, the half-brother to Group 3 winner Onenightidreamed (Ire) (Footsetpsinthesand {GB}) was bought for £220,000 by Jamie McCalmont.

Johnny Murtagh, Jessica Harrington, Paddy Twomey and Keith Dalgleish are among the trainers taking charge of Churchill’s Orby graduates, while Peter and Ross Doyle went to £140,000 to buy lot 321, the Kildaragh Stud-bred and -consigned colt out of the listed-placed Orcia (Ire) (Shamardal). The Kavanagh family has raced three generations of the colt’s female family, including his grandam, the French listed winner Amathia (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who is a multiple black-type producer.

The National Stud’s freshman sire Time Test (GB) had just one filly at the Orby Sale but she made it to the list of six-figure lots when sold to Daithi Harvey for £100,000 on behalf of Highland Yard. The daughter of Sunny Again (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) (lot 425) was offered by Mount Coote Stud and is a half-sister to this season’s St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}). She will head back to Ireland to be broken in by Ben Harvey before being trained by Gavin Cromwell.

From No To Yes

Lot 388, the full-brother to champion sprinter and young stallion Ten Sovereigns (No Nay Never), was marked as withdrawn from the sale on Wednesday morning but later appeared among the results as a private sale to Mitsuru Hashida, the trainer of Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) who runs in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

No Nay Never recorded another Group 1 winner at the weekend when Jeff Smith’s Alcohol Free (GB) landed the Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. and his offspring at the Orby Sale included lot 314, the second foal of the Pivotal (GB) mare Novantae (GB), who sold for £125,000 to David Redvers on behalf of Cornthrop Bloodstock. The filly was consigned by Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud, which bred her in partnership with American agent Gatewood Bell, who bought Novantae for €33,000 at the Goffs November Mares’ Sale. Though only placed in her racing days, the first three dams of the 7-year-old are all black-type winners and her immediate family includes this season’s exciting juvenile Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G2 Superlative S. for Godolphin.

Sale Transfer Essential

Reflecting on the two days of trade at Goffs’s sister complex in Doncaster, Henry Beeby said, “The Irish National Yearling Sale has long been part of the fabric of Irish life as it is a significant occasion with a rich history and tangible relevance to the bloodstock community as well as the wider Irish public. So to move the Orby Sale to the UK was a monumental decision and one that we did not take lightly. However, we had to take action in what we felt were the best interests of every vendor given the circumstances in which we all find ourselves as so many had entrusted us with many of their best yearlings despite the uncertainty that existed at the time of entry.

“We are, of course, fortunate to have the world’s newest sales complex in the UK and it is a source of some considerable pride that so many newcomers to Doncaster this week have been so complimentary about the facility we built as DBS. It allowed us to showcase the superb yearlings that made up Orby 20 and we repeat our thanks to each vendor for their support. We recognise that the move presented huge logistical issues and extra costs for everyone, and that it caused some debate, but our feeling is that the large crowd of potential purchasers that arrived from Sunday demonstrated the enduring appeal of the Orby Sale as a rich and consistent course of quality.”

He added, “It is plain that Orby 20 is way behind its recent predecessors. Whether that is mirrored elsewhere in the coming weeks remains to be seen but we send our best wishes to everyone selling in Newmarket as this is one interlinked industry whilst we have worked with closely with Tattersalls throughout this crisis as both organisations have done everything in our collective power to provide as near as normal a market place as possible.

“In fact if there is one achievement from this week it is in the staging of a Thoroughbred auction, and we are indebted to many people and entities for their hard work, adaptability and cooperation, not least Doncaster Council who worked with us to find solutions rather than problems. So I want to repeat our sincere thanks to every attendee for their good humoured acceptance of the protocols in place to protect everyone and ensure compliance with the latest Government directives. I know they were irksome, annoying and tiresome but we are grateful that everyone acknowledged their necessity. Let’s hope that Orby 21 is back where it belongs. In Ireland doing what it does best—selling the best for the best to the best.”

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