Thursday's Doncaster foal event providing a showcase for British breeding industry

There will be a different sight at Doncaster on Thursday afternoon where close to 100 foals will be taking part in the Goffs British National Hunt Breeders Showcase.

Prize-money of £10,000 will be split across the top three colts and fillies in their respective classes of a foal show, before a sale of entrants from 12pm on Friday.

It will be an event of particular significance to two famous members of the British jumping community. The classes honour the late Richard Aston and Robert Chugg, whose respective operations of Goldford Stud and Little Lodge Farm regularly produced stars for these kinds of sales. 

Their widows, Sally Aston and Jackie Chugg, will be part of the judging panels for the colts and fillies classes respectively, along with Warren Ewing and Norman Williamson. It is a format that hasn’t been staged for some time at Doncaster but is a big part of the French breeding scene.

"It’s obviously very important to me because it’s in memory of Richard and also I think doing it for the British breeder, showcasing what we do over here, and there are a lot of stallions based over here that are represented," Sally Aston said.

"They used to have a foal show but that was back in the day when the Doncaster sales were in the other complex, and years ago they used to have shows before all the store sales in May.

"It was very successful so there should be no reason why it shouldn’t be again. It’s a nice thing to have back and they’ve tried hard with it. Having around 100 foals is perfect and I believe there are some nice ones that have been selected."

Richard Aston: Goldford Stud's owner and consignor will be honoured at the Goffs UK National Hunt Foal Show

Aston explained a little about what the foals would be judged on.

"Breeding has to be very important but conformation and athleticism are hugely important," she said. "You’re looking it as an animal who has size and scope, is going to make a chaser, and if you’re used to looking at them a lot, you’ll see it pretty much straight away when they walk past you. 

"That movement is very important these days and people are so selective that it’s what you have to have at the end of the day, when you sell them as a three-year-old.

"We’ve got two cracking judges in Norman and Warren, who are very good to have because they purchase a lot of foals. I’m sure they’ll want the athlete, the conformation."

Aston is bringing a colt from Goldford by No Risk At All out of a half-sister to top French chaser Cyrlight (lot 49), who she is at pains to point out she will not be selecting as a winner but is coming along for the experience, and a Nathaniel filly from the family of Trifolium (59). There are representatives from a variety of British breeders, by domestic stallions such as Golden Horn, Logician and Jack Hobbs, as well as by stallions based elsewhere including Kapgarde, Blue Bresil and Walk In The Park. 

"Because it’s in memory of Richard I wanted to put one in, he’s a lovely colt and the only No Risk At All in the sale," she said. "I’ve got a very, very nice filly, I’m not judging that so she can strut her stuff and do the best she can.

"It’ll be very good for them. We always find once you’ve taken a horse to the sale, whatever age group, if you don’t sell them they’re kind of half-broken as it were by the time they get home and they’ve seen life a bit."

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