Fastorslow relation sets the early pace at €110,000 on the second day of the Goffs Arkle Sale

A gelding from the first crop of Goliath Du Berlais will represent the same connections as his close relation, the dual Punchestown Gold Cup winner Fastorslow, following his purchase for €110,000 at the Goffs Arkle Sale on Wednesday.

Johnny Collins' bay made the early running during the second session, and was the first store of the day to breach the six-figure barrier, to add to the 13 horses which managed that feat on Tuesday.

Ger Morrin was bidding on behalf of Sean and Bernadine Mulryan, in whose colours Fastorslow has distinguished himself over the last couple of seasons, and Morrin confirmed that this gelding will join the triple Grade 1 winner on the Curragh.

"He's heading to Martin [Brassil]," he said. "He was a lovely neat horse. Martin said he reminded him of Fastorslow, and he's a three-parts brother. 

"The sire is doing very well in France, and I hope this fellow will be a star. He won't take forever; he'll come to hand quick, and he's a great mover."

Foaled on February 1, the gelding is the first foal out of La Grande Zohra, who is an unraced Martaline half-sister to Fastorslow and a half-sister to the Grade 3 Grand Prix de la Ville de Nice Chase second Meredith. 

Their dam, Popova, was second in the Grade 3 Prix Andre Michel Hurdle, and is a winning Kahyasi half-sister to the Group 2 winners Prairie Star and Pacific Rim, and to Premiere Danseuse, who is the second dam of this year's Nell Gwyn Stakes winner Pretty Crystal.

Collins sourced the French-bred gelding whose sire, Goliath Du Berlais is, like Fastorslow, by Saint Des Saints, as a foal in November 2021 for €23,000 and the sale was the third six-figure one of the auction for the Cork-based pinhooker and consignor, who found all three in France.

On Tuesday he sold a Tunis half-brother to last season's Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle winner Blueking D'Oroux to that horse's trainer, Paul Nicholls, for €150,000, and his Zarak half-sister to Yala Enki made €100,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock.

Goliath Du Berlais was unbeaten as a four-year-old and triumphed in the Grade 1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure before joining his sire on Haras d'Etreham's National Hunt stallion roster. 

His oldest crop are just three but already in France he has sired five winners, including Sobriquette, who was placed in the Grade 3 Prix Sagan and Listed Prix Girofla on her most recent runs. Another of his winning daughters, Entourloupe, was second in the Listed Prix d'Iena at Auteuil last weekend.

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