Pinhookers sure to be out in force at Goffs December National Hunt Sale

Goffs holds its final auction of the year, the December National Hunt Sale, on Wednesday and Thursday.

The fixture received a timely boost at the weekend when graduates Tornado Flyer and Vegas Blue won black-type events.

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Tornado Flyer, a four-length winner of the Grade 3 Klairon Davis Chase at Navan for Willie Mullins, was bought as a foal by GH Bloodstock for €30,000 in 2013 and was resold to Peter and Ross Doyle for €63,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale.

Meanwhile Vegas Blue, who scored impressively in a Listed mares' bumper at Huntingdon for Nicky Henderson, was a €10,000 foal purchase by Kevin Ross Bloodstock and made three times that amount when re-offered by Rahinston Farm and Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale.

The pair join other talented recent alumni of the December National Hunt Sale such as Definitly Red, Elegant Escape, Finian's Oscar, If The Cap Fits, Relegate and Talkischeap. All those names were bought as foals for €25,000 or less and were resold for profit as stores.

Pinhookers have 555 foals before withdrawals, including progeny of celebrity sires such as Blue Bresil, Flemensfirth, Getaway, Milan, Presenting, Saint Des Saints and Walk In the Park to get their teeth stuck into this year.

Lots with standout pedigrees include the Mastercraftsman half-brother to classy trio Bun Doran, Portrush Ted and Shantou Village (94); the Walk In The Park colt out of French Grade 1-winning hurdler La Segnora (394); and the Westerner half-brother to Ballymore Classic Novices' Hurdle scorer Birchdale (518).

Champion sire Flemensfirth has a strong delegation to Goffs, including a sister to Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle winner One Track Mind (404) and a colt out of the dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Petite Parisienne (531).

There is also a small draft of yearlings to open the sale on Wednesday and a selection of breeding stock to bring the curtain down on Thursday evening.

The mares' section includes Gigginstown House Stud's Grade 3-winning and Grade 1-placed hurdler Dinaria Des Obeaux (577), a daughter of Saddler Maker in foal to Mount Nelson, and, from Rathmore Stud, bumper winner Simone (583), a Presenting half-sister to Simonsig in foal to Getaway.

Last year's renewal saw €4,635,650 turned over for 319 lots sold, for an average of €14,532 and median of €9,000.

The top lot was Whistle Dixie, a Grade 3-placed Kayf Tara half-sister to Kicking King sold in foal to Mount Nelson by Gigginstown House Stud to The Beeches Stud for €230,000.

This year's December National Hunt Sale commences at 9.30am on both Wednesday and Thursday.

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