Buyers ready to return to Gigginstown goldmine at Goffs UK September Sale

Stars of the National Hunt scene are due to come up for auction as part of the annual Gigginstown House Stud dispersal, which forms the centrepiece of the two-day Goffs UK September Sale that begins on Tuesday at 1pm.

Among the 31 lots, all of whom will be offered without reserve, to have carried Michael O'Leary's famous maroon silks is three-time Grade 1 winner Valseur Lido (lot 191), whose racing CV includes successes in the Drinmore Novice Chase, Growise Champion Novice Chase and JNwine.com Champion Chase - for which he earned a career-high Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 169.

The ten-year-old son of Anzillero proved that he retains a fair share of his old ability when third to Yorkhill at Galway in early August.

View full Goffs UK September Sale catalogue

Other Grade 1-winning talents contained within the Gigginstown House dispersal, the first to be held since it was announced that O'Leary intends to wind down his racing operation, are Blow By Blow (244), successful in the 2016 Punchestown Champion Bumper, and Prince Of Scars (250), who struck in the 2015 Christmas Hurdle.

That trio are joined by other familiar names such as Ball D'Arc (180), Tombstone (243) and Arkwrisht (251). Last year's Gigginstown House dispersal was topped by All Hell Let Loose, who went the way of Brendan Bashford Bloodstock and contributed £62,000 to receipts totalling £604,700 for 35 horses sold.

Paul and Clare Rooney are other major owners reducing the size of their racing string, and the couple are set to offer 15 lots at the September Sale. Among their draft, which includes six two-year-olds who retain plenty of upside, is the smart sprinter Kick On Kick On (286) and the decidedly useful hurdler and chaser Who's My Jockey (293).

Other eye-catching prospects include the recent bumper winners Don't Bet On It (222), offered by Kevin Michael Smith, and Flying Risk (223), consigned by Chapelfield Stud, as well as the Hereford point-to-point maiden winner Spark To A Flame (226), who will be presented by Robert Luke of Selvedge Farm.

Those bringing a winning update to Doncaster include Keith Dalgleish's Musselburgh scorer Northern Society (154); Gary Moore's commanding Brighton winner Barrsbrook (164); Sweettowatch (225), who was successful at Bellewstown for Nigel Thomas Slevin; Richard Newland's Newton Abbott victor Capitoul (274); Tara Dylan (278), a steadily progressive hurdler for Tom Mullins; and Scuzeme (318), who bounced back to form at Southwell on his latest start for trainer Phillip Makin.

Interrupted Dream (325) became the latest to add his name to the list of recent winners on offer when the Mark Johnston-trained son of Oasis Dream broke his maiden at Kempton on Monday.

All horses in training will be offered on Wednesday, when selling begins at 10am. Kicking off the two-day auction is a session of yearlings, which has switched from Doncaster's Autumn Sale.

A total of 101 youngsters have been catalogued, including those by sires such as Brazen Beau, Cable Bay, Footstepsinthesand, Gutaifan, Holy Roman Emperor, Kodi Bear, Mehmas, Pearl Secret, Territories and Twilight Son.

Last year's yearling session at the Autumn Sale saw 66 of 143 offered lots sell for an aggregate of £343,100, an average of £5,200 and a median of £3,000.

GOFFS UK SEPTEMBER SALE FACT-FILE

Where Goffs UK sales complex, Doncaster
When Two-day sale starts on Tuesday at 1pm, with Wednesday's session beginning at 10am
Last year's stats* From 229 lots offered, 184 sold (80 per cent) for an aggregate of £2,127,000 (up 74 per cent), an average of £11,560 (up 40 per cent) and a median of £7,200 (up 44 per cent)
Notable graduates Lil Rockerfeller (offered by Middleham Park Racing in 2014, bought by Anthony Stroud and Neil King for £31,000); Cubomania (offered by Millwood Stables in 2017, bought by Aidan O'Ryan for £4,200); Desirable Court (offered by Barbury Castle Stables in 2018, bought by Craig Buckingham for £20,000)

*No yearling session

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