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Tattersalls Ireland Moves NH Sale

The February National Hunt Sale, to be held at Fairyhouse in Ireland, has been moved to Feb. 23-24, Tattersalls Ireland announced on Wednesday. The decision was made due to continued uncertainty due to COVID-19 and the current lockdown in Ireland, which expires on Jan. 30.

“As has been the case since the outbreak of this virus, we’re having to respond as best as we can to rapidly changing scenarios, at all times balancing social responsibility and prevailing government restrictions with the best interest of all Tattersalls Ireland clients,” said Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins.

“Rescheduling the February National Hunt Sale to the end of February will provide clarity to our vendors and will maximise the potential for all purchasers to attend the sales complex. It is not the start of the 2021 sales season we had hoped for but we are confident that the measures we have in place will allow us to host successful sales once circumstances allow. Due to the later date in February we will continue to take entries until Friday, 22 Jan.”

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Breeders’ Cup Heroine Goldikova Dead at 16

Wertheimer et Frere’s 14-time Group 1-winning mare Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa-Born Gold, by Blushing Groom {Fr}), the only horse to win the same race three times at the Breeders’ Cup, has died aged 16.

“It is with immense sadness that we inform you of the death of champion Goldikova on Jan. 5, 2021,” Wertheimer et Frere Racing Manager Pierre-Yves Bureau told Jour de Galop. “Goldikova will remain in our memories as our best racemare with her 14 Group 1 wins, among which was a splendid Prix Jacques le Marois in 2009 and her historic triple in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”

Bred by Wertheimer et Frere out of their excellent producer Born Gold, Goldikova joined the yard of trainer Freddy Head in 2007 and was an immediate hit, winning her two juvenile outings with ease. She lost her unbeaten record on her 3-year-old debut when third in Longchamp’s Prix du Louvre, and found the great Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) too good in both the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane; she was second in the former, with Coolmore’s now-great producer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) back in third, and third in the Diane, with she and Zarkava split by Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), a half-sister to Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Goldikova returned to the winner’s enclosure next out in the G3 Prix Chloe and went unbeaten the remainder of the season, taking in the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix du Moulin before her first score in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, where she made Head the first individual to have ridden and trained a winner at the great meeting. He has since been joined by Joseph O’Brien.

Goldikova began her 4-year-old season with an uncharacteristically dull seventh in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan over the soft ground, but bounced back to win three consecutive Group 1s: the Falmouth S., Rothschild and the Prix Jacques le Marois by six lengths in what is credited as her best performance with an official rating of 131. Third when dropped back to seven furlongs in the G1 Prix de la Foret, Goldikova justified favouritism once again to defend her Breeders’ Cup Mile title back at Santa Anita, equaling the feat that Head had achieved aboard the great Miesque 21 years earlier in winning back-to-back Miles, a feat also accomplished by Lure in 1992 and 1993. Wise Dan won the race back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. Da Hoss had won non-consecutive Miles in 1996 and 1998. Goldikova was at the time one of 10 horses to win twice at the Breeders’ Cup, with Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) interestingly having also accomplished the feat in the 2008 and 2009 Breeders’ Cups at Santa Anita. A further nine horses have since won twice at the Breeders’ Cup.

Redeeming herself in the d’Ispahan with a half-length score to kick off her 5-year-old campaign in 2010, Goldikova traveled to Royal Ascot for the first time to take the G1 Queen Anne S. before winning a third Rothschild. She was second to the Guineas winner Makfi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) while attempting to defend her Marois title, but bounced back next out to go one better in the Foret before clinching a historic third Breeders’ Cup Mile win at Churchill Downs over the American champion Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat). That feat has not been matched since.

Returned to training at six, Goldikova bested Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) to win a second d’Ispahan before finishing second to Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) in the Queen Anne. In what would prove to be her final victory, she won a fourth straight Rothschild before finishing second in the Marois and the Foret to Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), respectively. Favoured for a fourth tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Goldikova looked to be sitting a dream trip stalking the pace on the rail and hit the lead a furlong from home, but lacked the necessary late kick to hold off the Woodbine Mile winners Court Vision (Gulch) and Turallure (Wando). Goldikova retired to the illustrious Wertheimer broodmare band thereafter with 17 wins from 27 starts, and just one off the board finish, and £4,364,886 in the bank. Goldikova earned three Cartier Awards (Horse of the Year in 2010 and Older Horse in 2009 and 2010), was the American champion female turf horse in 2009 and 2010 and was in 2017 inducted into the American racing Hall of Fame.

Peslier, who was in the saddle for all 27 of Goldikova’s starts, paid tribute to his former partner on Wednesday, saying, “It’s very sad that she has passed away. She was a champion and an amazing filly. We travelled all over the world together, going to America and winning three times at the Breeders’ Cup. We went to Royal Ascot and won and won many races in France as well, of course.

“It’s very similar to Frankie Dettori and Enable–when you ride an amazing filly like that, she will be in your life forever. We have both ridden many winners and many Group 1 winners, but a filly like this–winning 14 Group 1–it’s different. The owners were fantastic to keep her in training for as long as they did. She could have been retired, but the owners were like fans and they wanted to see her run.”

Goldikova was, somewhat remarkably, the ninth foal out of Born Gold, and the mare did her best producing in the twilight of her broodmare career, with Goldikova followed by the G1 Prix Vermeille scorer and Prix de Diane second Galikova (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), the G1 Prix Paul de Moussac scorer and the five-times Group 1-placed Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa) and the G3 Prix Vanteaux victress Gold Luck (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}). Goldikova is also a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Gold Sound (Fr) (Green Tune) and Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon), and the latter is the best producer out of Born Gold, having left behind five stakes horses including the G3 Prix Minerve scorer Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Gold Round is also the second dam of Prix Vanteaux winner Platane (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Goldikova produced a pattern race winner in her second foal, the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner and Prix de Diane third Terrakova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and from her four other foals of racing age just the filly Goldika (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) is a winner. Her newly turned 3-year-old is the Dubawi (Ire) filly Goldistyle (Ire) and she has a 2-year-old colt by Galileo (Ire) named Lehman (GB), both in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias. Goldikova was not in foal for 2021.

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Goffs Announces Changes to January/February Sales

Following the latest COVID-19 lockdowns in Ireland and the UK, several changes to the winter sales at Kildare Paddocks and Doncaster were confirmed by Goffs on Tuesday. The Goffs February Sale was divided into a virtual sale for breeding stock, older horses, and juveniles on Feb. 9-10 and a physical sale for weanlings on Mar. 2 at Kildare Paddocks. The Goffs UK Doncaster January Sale had also been separated into two sections as well, with National Hunt mares and horses-in-training to go under the hammer online on Jan. 26. The National Hunt weanlings and point-to-pointers will be conducted live at the Doncaster Sales Complex on Feb. 17.

A summary of the changes are as follows:

Goffs February Sale – Breeding Stock, Older Horses and Two-Year-Olds:

Circa 250 lots offered in a live online auction on their intended dates of Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 Feb.
Sale starts at 12 noon each day
A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Friday 8 Jan. The printed catalogue will be distributed next week
Format follows the successful Online Autumn Yearling and HIT sales held in November with no horses, vendors or purchasers on site

Goffs February Sale – Weanlings:

Circa 240 lots offered at a physical sale at Kildare Paddocks on Tuesday 2 Mar.
Horses available for inspection and presented for sale as normal
Sale starts at 10 a.m.
A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Tuesday 12 Jan. The printed catalogue will follow
Strict protocols similar to those in December will be in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all attendees, and compliance with the latest Government directives at the time

Doncaster January Sale – NH Mares and Horses-In-Training etc.:

Offered in a live online auction on Tuesday 26 Jan. as scheduled
No horses , vendors or purchasers on site
A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Tuesday 12 Jan. The printed catalogue will be distributed the following da

Doncaster January Sale – NH Weanlings and Point-To-Pointers:

Offered at a physical sale at the Doncaster Sales Complex on Wednesday 17 Feb.
Horses available for inspection and presented for sale as normal
A separate catalogue for this sale will be available and online in advance
Strict protocols similar to those in December will be in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees, and compliance with the latest Government directives at the time

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said, “Under the current lockdown measures in both Ireland and the UK, we do not feel it is prudent to hold a physical sale in this early part of the year and we have therefore selected alternative options that we believe will maximise the potential for vendors and buyers in all sectors.

“Where we feel it may be possible to hold an onsite sale and the category allows, these sales have been rescheduled to later dates and we will communicate any additional updates pending further Government advice. For breeding stock, particularly in-foal mares, the customer friendly Goffs Online platform, which proved a game changer throughout 2020, will facilitate their sales and international participation on the original dates. Feedback from the Autumn was very positive and clearly demonstrated that the concept works very well for these categories.

“Like everyone, we hope and pray that 2021 sees an end to Covid as vaccinations are rolled out. However, until such a time, we wish to reassure vendors and buyers that Goffs will continue to review our sales dates on an ongoing basis in consultation with our clients, industry bodies and other sales companies. As such we have again liaised with closely with Tattersalls and Arqana to ensure that any changes to our sales are in congruence with their plans. That consultation and planning should allow us to best serve the industry and carry out every sale this year as successfully as circumstances allow.”

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Posthumous Championship for Deep Impact

For the first year since 2008 there will be no Deep Impact (Jpn) foals born this season, but the late Shadai resident was still Japan’s champion sire in 2020, a title he has held without pause since 2012. That was the year his eldest runners were four; he had also been champion first-season sire in 2010.

He had already been responsible for former Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) but Deep Impact’s crowning glory among his many talented colts has come posthumously, with his son Contrail (Jpn) having become his sixth Derby winner–and third in a row–on the middle leg of taking the 2020 Triple Crown. Bred by Koji Maeda’s North Hills Farm, Contrail has been beaten just once in his eight starts when finishing second at the end of November in the Japan Cup to the country’s retiring champion Almond Eye (Jpn). There’s no shame in being defeated by the Horse of the Year and Contrail ended 2020 with a rating of 122, just two behind Almond Eye.

The 5-year-old Almond Eye has a huge following even beyond Japan and she is very much the star performer for her sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), who was the leading active sire of 2020. The 13-year-old sired Group 1 winners in three different countries in 2020, with Almond Eye being backed up by Tagaloa (Aus), winner of the G1 Blue Diamond S. in Australia, while Danon Smash (Jpn) took the G1 Hong Kong Sprint.

Like Deep Impact, Lord Kanaloa has been graced with huge books ever since his retirement to stud. From 2014, when he covered 254 mares, he climbed to a high of 307 in 2018.

While Deep Impact’s dominant father Sunday Silence still features as either sire or grandsire of six of the top 10 stallions in Japan in 2020, Kingmambo’s influence remains strong. That comes essentially through his late son King Kamehameha (Jpn), who was champion sire in the two years before Deep Impact’s long reign started and was fifth this time around, and through King Kamehameha’s sons Lord Kanaloa and Rulership (Jpn).

Sunday Silence’s 20-year-old son Heart’s Cry (Jpn) was runner-up in 2019 and slipped a place to third in 2020. His leading performer, Salios (Jpn), chased home Contrail to be second in both the Japanese Derby and 2000 Guineas and won the G2 Mainichi Okan.

The 2011 Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) was next in the table and among his group stakes winners in 2020 was the durable mare Lucky Lilac (Jpn), who has won at the highest level as a 2-year-old and at four and five. In 2020, she recorded her second win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup as well as victory in the G1 Osaka Hai, beating subsequent G1 Arima Kinen winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}).

The aforementioned Rulership (Jpn) is another among the Japanese ranks to have previously been represented by a top-flight international performer with his son Mer De Glace (Jpn) having won the 2019 Caulfield Cup. The 14-year-old’s sixth place finish in the sires’ championship helped boost the sire-of-sires claim of King Kamehameha, who, like Deep Impact, died in the summer of 2019.

Of note among the younger sires bidding to establish themselves, last year’s freshman champion Kizuna (Jpn), a son of Deep Impact, was 12th overall. He improved on his previous season’s tally of 27 2-year-old winners to make it 31 this time around. His second crop of foals, though still large at 138, was down from 184 in his debut season. He is yet to sire a Group 1 winner but had two Group 2 and two Group 3 winners last year.

His contemporary in the stallion ranks, Epiphaneia (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S, may have notched 50 fewer winners than Kizuna but he has the distinction of having a first-crop winner of the Fillies’ Triple Crown, Daring Tact (Jpn), who was also third behind Almond Eye and Contrail in an epic running of the Japan Cup.

Japan’s first-season sires’ list was headed by King Kamehameha’s Japanese Derby and Guineas-winning son Duramente (Jpn), who covered almost 300 mares in each of his first two seasons at Shadai Stallion Station and recorded 35 winners from his first group of runners. Close behind him on 32 was the good-looking Maurice (Jpn), a son of Screen Hero (Jpn) who won six Group 1 races in Japan and Hong Kong and has also shuttled to Arrowfield Stud in Australia.

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