'They've done a seriously good job' - Goffs Yorton Sale returns after one-year hiatus

The Goffs Yorton Sale returns after a one-year break and, as the UK and Ireland’s only dedicated two-year-old National Hunt sale, looks set to whet the appetite of those sourcing young jumps horses. 

With previous graduates including Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle scorer Inthepocket and Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Bumper winner Redempton Day, buyers head to the auction hoping the next top-level star will be among the 37-strong catalogue.  

The sale has been driven by Yorton's David Futter, who has sourced and produced the young prospects, but others have been getting involved too.

Will Kinsey of Peel Bloodstock will offer four lots and he said: "All four are very suitable for this sale and the idea of getting them in with Yorton is we want them racing earlier. 

"I was at Yorton last week to see them being filmed and I can tell you now I thought they've done a seriously good job. They're a very nice bunch of horses, there's different physicals in terms of size and height, but they're generally lovely looking and athletic horses who look like racehorses."

Kinsey's four-strong team are particularly well-bred. Among their number is a Walk In The Park filly out of a full-sister to top-class chaser Bravemansgame (lot 22) and a Jukebox Jury filly out of a winning Shantou full-sister to the smart Super Duty (8). 

Kinsey said: "We bought Tikinik as we fancied Bravemansgame to be a leading player going forwards and that's how it turned out. She isn't an overly big mare but the Walk In The Park filly was probably our biggest foal that year. She's as good-looking a horse as you could wish for and she has a great temperament.

"Jukebox Jury had been a stallion on my radar for quite a while, unfortunately we had sent a black-type mare the year before and she broke a leg while at the stud. This one is also a lovely filly and from a good family. The mare is by Shantou with a good race record and obviously Shantou stood where Jukebox Jury was [Burgage Stud], so she couldn't be more Burgage Stud-bred if you tried."

The Yorton Sale returns for 2025 with some choicely bred lots

Also among them is a Nathaniel filly out of a No Risk At All half-sister to leading staying hurdler Teahupoo (12); and a Cracksman half-brother to four winners out of Cheshire Oaks third Bright Approach, a half-sister to Stayers' Hurdle victor Nichols Canyon (18).

He added: "We bought the Cracksman's dam, Bright Approach, because she was well-bred and black-type-placed on the Flat. She's a half-sister to Nichols Canyon and was in foal to Farhh, she's also bred some decent horses on the Flat so far. We thought Cracksman was a good cross for her and to go dual-purpose again was the idea. He was a gorgeous foal and looks an early type, while the three-year-old Farhh is with Warren Greatrex and should be running soon, he thinks a bit of her."

"The Nathaniel filly is tall and scopey, while her dam's a sister to Teahupoo and Nathaniel is absolutely flying. We've done a bit of work with all of these over the winter so that when they go to Yorton they're well educated already. Hopefully that stands them in good stead for the trainers and they'll be that bit closer to the racecourse, that's the theory behind it."

Futter's offerings are headed by two sons of French sire superstar Doctor Dino; one a half-brother to Listed-winning French hurdler Imperial Mag (13), and the other a gelding out of Saint Des Saints mare Saint Grace (20). The Yorton operation also consigns a Golden Horn half-sister to the aforementioned Redemption Day (10) and a Vadamos half-brother to the smart Thunder Rock and out of a daughter to the brilliant Lady Rebecca (14).

Other sires with progeny selling include Arrigo, Blue Bresil, Gentlewave, Ito, Linda's Lad, Masterstroke, Pether's Moon, Silverwave and Wonderful Moon. This year's sale will also introduce a Yorton 'package', which will see buyers paying a one-off fee to keep their purchases at the farm if they do not have other facilities to keep them until they go into training. 

The sale takes place from 1pm and the catalogue can be found here.

Goffs Yorton Sale factfile

Where Yorton Farm, Welshpool, Powys

When Thursday from 1pm

2023 stats From 45 offered lots, 36 sold for a clearance rate of 80 per cent, turnover of £1,136,000, an average price of £31,556 and a median of £27,500

Notable graduates Inthepocket (sold by Yorton Farm, bought by Hamish Macaulay Bloodstock for £25,000); Redemption Day (sold by Yorton Farm, bought by Donnchadh Doyle for £40,000); Master Nonantais (sold by Yorton Farm, bought by Sue Bramall for £22,000); Blue Borana (sold by Yorton Farm, bought by Sue Bramall for £30,000)

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