'A proper horse' - Malone goes to £62,000 for Platinumcard at Goffs UK HIT Sale

The much anticipated dispersal of Richard Gilbert's Straightline Bloodstock at the Goffs UK December Horses in Training Sale saw Tom Malone pull out all the aces when going to £62,000 for the multiple winning Flat performer Platinumcard.

The son of Golden Lariat struck in four races for Keith Dalgleish this summer but it was a half-length defeat to the exciting Bay Bridge in a York handicap on his penultimate start which was a plus for Malone alongside the agent's familiarity with the family through the horse's brother Goldencard.

Malone, who picked up the Jamie Railton-consigned six-year-old for €23,000 at the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland May Sale, said: "I've loved him since he was a three-year-old, when I bought him as a store because of his brother."

Having started in bumpers for Dalgleish, where his best effort was a second on debut at Hexham last October, attentions turned to a Flat campaign this term where his wins were supplemented by two placings in Class 2 handicaps, including a second to subsequent Listed scorer Bay Bridge on his penultimate start, and a fourth in the Doonside Cup Stakes.

Malone explained: "I bought him for Richard and he ended up calling him Platinumcard. He said he wouldn't get beaten in a bumper but he did, he wasn't staying which is what you need in bumpers. He then had three runs over hurdles learning his craft before Keith Dalgleish ran him on the Flat.

"He's a proper horse now, he's rated 99 on the Flat, and he could have 35 or 40 pounds up his sleeve over jumps. That's the plan anyway."

Middleham Park swoops for Sunshine

Ain't No Sunshine was another pre-sale standout and the unraced full-brother to Royal Bond Novice Hurdle winner Airlie Beach duly sold well to Middleham Park Racing's Tim Palin for £35,000.

Another offered from Straightline Bloodstock, the son of Shantou made €75,000 as a store and can also count the Grade 2-placed hurdler Screaming Rose among his winning siblings to date. Further back in the page is last season's Mares' Hurdle heroine Black Tears.

On what he liked about the athletic gelding, Palin said: "He's got an impeccable pedigree and if he's as half as good as his full-sister then we could be in business.

"He'll go back to Keith [Dalgleish], he's a nice horse but one who has taken a bit of time. Whether he'll make up into a Saturday horse I don't know but we're very excited to have him."

Astbury at the double

Dan Astbury went to £27,000 to secure Kilbarry Leader, a daughter of Leading Light who was a four-length winner at Dromahane last October and a £75,000 purchase by Kevin Ross from last year's Goffs UK November P2P Sale.

The five-year-old has an eyecatching page too, being out of the Listed-placed hurdler Eternal Lady, a daughter of Supreme Leader who hails from the family of Bobbyjo Chase scorer Afistfullofdollars.

Astbury said of his purchase, who will be heading to Oliver Greenall, "She was a £75,000 mare a year ago and she's had a genuine reason for not running since.

"We've got some good contacts and they recommended her, while her form from the point has worked out very well with the second winning on the track."

Astbury made another purchase from Straightline Bloodstock's draft, this time going to £22,000 for the unraced and well-related White Rhino.

A son of Doyen and out of a full-sister to Tolworth Hurdle winner Thisthatandtother, the €40,000 store has taken time to mature but has a page that includes Irish Gold Cup hero Carlingford Lough and the Graded-winning Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle third The Tother One.

Another lot to head to Greenall, Astbury added: "He's needed a lot of time as he's a big, raw horse but he's got a great pedigree. We won't rush him, he'll probably have one run in the spring and we'll then look forward to him next season."

McGrath strikes for Love

Jerry McGrath struck earlier on in the day when going to £22,000 for Reams Of Love, a winner on the Flat for Mark Johnston this autumn, with the son of Frankel set to go jumping for David Jeffreys.

The second foal out of the Listed-winning Sea The Stars mare Night Of Light, the Niarchos family-bred three-year-old was a winner at Bath on his penultimate start.

McGrath said: "He's going to a young trainer in David Jeffreys who's based just outside of Stow. This horse is a Frankel out of a Sea The Stars mare and hopefully he'll make a nice jumper."

Statement

Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said: "Undoubtedly the feature of today’s sale was the Straightline Bloodstock dispersal and we would like to extend our thanks to Richard Gilbert for entrusting his dispersal to us.

"These drafts offer genuine opportunities for others to benefit from the change of circumstances with the previous owner and there were a good number of buyers who attended today’s sale in the hope of securing horses from the draft."

He continued: “Today’s sale caps off a big week for us following a very successful December P2P Sale at Yorton yesterday and also completes an outstanding 2021 Goffs UK sale calendar which included some record-breaking sales across both codes."

Overall, 58 lots from 67 offered sold for a clearance rate of 85 per cent and turnover of £581,100. The average was £10,019, while the median was £5,500.

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