'A fantastic race to have' - leading trainers set for a crack at valuable Goffs Hundred Grand bumper

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The Goffs Hundred Grand, the world’s richest bumper, takes centre stage at Newbury tomorrow with a 20-strong field set to go to post. 

This year’s renewal has a total prize fund of £111,000 and is restricted to four- and five-year-olds purchased at the 2024 and 2025 Doncaster Spring Store Sales.

The race was first run in 2007 and has developed into a good starting point for future stars. Diamond Harry won the first two renewals, while subsequent runners include Grade 1 winners My Tent Or Yours, Riverside Theatre and Tea For Two.

Last year's race saw subsequent Leopardstown Grade 1 novice hurdle winner Talk The Talk finish second, while the third-placed Klub De Reve landed last month’s Grade 2 Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton. The 2024 winner Regent’s Stroll subsequently sold for £660,000 at the Doncaster Summer Sale shortly after that success, before going on to finish second in an Aintree Grade 1.

This year’s field is headed by the Dan Skelton-trained Diamond Street, a winner by ten lengths on debut at Doncaster in January. Skelton won this race last year with Kadastral and is also represented by The Mad Poet, fifth in a Listed contest at Cheltenham in November. 

The leading trainer said: "We’re happy with both horses – they’re very nice types and we’ve had this race in mind for some time. Mad Poet would prefer better ground, while Diamond Street, who was very good at Doncaster, would want a bit more cut. We’re looking forward to running them both for good money."

Anthony Honeyball, who won the race in 2023 with Crest Of Glory, saddles Bailly’s Comet in this year’s contest. The £85,000 purchase is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Romeo Coolio.

Honeyball said: "The Spring Store Sale is one we’ve supported for many years and we’ve bought some really nice horses there. Crest Of Glory won this race and Dartmoor Pirate, who we bought at the same sale, has gone on to win the Great Yorkshire Chase this season, so it’s a sale we have a lot of confidence in.

"Bailly’s Comet won his bumper at Wincanton and then finished third in the Listed four-year-old bumper at Cheltenham on New Year’s day, which was a good, competitive race. I feel like he’s done everything he can leading into this. It’s a fantastic race to have. When you go to the Spring Sale, you’re always thinking about buying one to run in this valuable bumper, so to have a runner in it is very exciting."

Tim Kent, Goffs UK managing director, said: "The Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper has developed into a race that consistently highlights the quality of our Spring Store Sale graduates with horses such as this season’s Grade 1 winner Talk The Talk a prime example.

"The bumper’s guaranteed stake of £100,000 makes it the richest bumper in the world but this year it will see its stake increase to over £111,000 due to the popularity of the race. That’s a significant amount of prize money on offer and it’s great to see a large field with so many owners and trainers vying for that prize. We wish all connections the very best and we are looking forward to a great race on Saturday at Newbury."

The priciest contenders examined

Bailly's Comet
4g Passing Glance - Miss Bailly (Kapgarde)
£85,000

Bailly's Comet sold to Anthony Honeyball for £85,000 at last year's Spring Store Sale and has already shown his hand with a debut win at Wincanton in November. He followed that with a respectable effort when third in a Listed contest at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

The four-year-old is a half-brother to Romeo Coolio, a three-time Grade 1-winning novice chaser this term, and Listed-winning hurdler Ascending Lark. He should in time become another fine performer over hurdles and fences for his dam. 

Spanish Stroll
5g Walk In The Park - Daphne Du Clos (Spanish Moon)
£75,000

Spanish Stroll was well beaten in ninth on his debut at Kempton last month, although he's worth another chance given his lineage.

The £75,000 graduate is by reigning champion jumps sire Walk In The Park and the first foal out of Daphne Du Clos. The Spanish Moon mare was a Listed bumper winner for Nicky Henderson, but was unlucky to have a truncated career after that, although she did also win over hurdles. 

Lady Hope
4f Nathaniel - Mary Eleanor (Midnight Legend)
£55,000

A granddaughter of fabulous racemare Lady Rebecca, Lady Hope lines up for her debut in this competitive affair. A £55,000 purchase by Peter and Ross Doyle and Paul Webber, the four-year-old is out of the winning Mary Eleanor, meaning she is a half-sibling to the promising Blue Run. That Blue Bresil gelding opened his account over hurdles for Henderson at Southwell last month and looks to have a bright future.

The pair's dam is a daughter of the hugely popular Lady Rebecca, a three-time winner of the Cleeve Hurdle when it was run as a Grade 1. 

Master Roque
4g Bathyrhon - Baby Cat Delaroque (Nickname)
£54,000

Another debutant in the valuable contest, Master Roque has the pedigree to turn into a smart sort. He is a brother to the black-type-placed Iban Roque, being out of Baby Cat Delaroque. The Nickname mare comes from a family which includes Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Marchand De Sable and multiple Group 2 scorer Safety Check.

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