'He could prove to be cheap' - Rockstown Native brings £82,000 at Goffs UK

Turtulla maiden winner Rockstown Native topped a brisk and brief second session of the Goffs UK January Sale on Wednesday when hammered down at £82,000.

Tessa Greatrex took an early interest in the twice-raced five-year-old and Ed Bailey also made his presence felt, but ultimately it was Tim Kent, taking instructions on the phone by the side of the ring, who made the £2,000 raise that proved decisive.

Kent, Goffs UK’s managing director, explained he had been in communication with Jonjo O’Neill jnr during the bidding and that the horse had been sourced in conjunction with agent Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock.

The son of Califet possesses a mixed pedigree as his page goes back to the high-class sprinter Take Cover, but showed his aptitude for chasing when he scored at the second time of asking in a five-year-old maiden for trainer Paurick O'Connor.

Rockstown Native was making his third appearance at public auction. He was pinhooked by Peter Molony of Rathmore Stud for €18,000 as a foal but remained in the same ownership having failed to sell when the bidding reached €14,000 as a three-year-old store.

“He’s been bought for Jonjo O’Neill,” said Coleman, speaking by telephone having already departed Doncaster. “He was well recommended by Derek O’Connor, who rode the horse, and Peter Molony, who owned him. He certainly came on a lot for his debut run, when he seemed to need it, as he won in good fashion last weekend.

“He seemed to thrive for the prominent ride and jumped well and showed a very good attitude in the final two furlongs. He ran on strongly and should make a nice staying chasing in the future. I’d imagine he’ll go back to Jackdaws Castle and they’ll assess him, but he might run in a bumper this spring. Otherwise he’ll run in a bumper or novice hurdle next autumn and make up into a staying chaser in the future.”

Molony, in whose colours Rockstown Native ran, added: “He’s a lovely horse and could prove to be cheap in time. He’s gone to Jonjo O’Neill so it’s great that he’s gone to a good home. He was impressive on his day so I hope he’s lucky for Jonjo’s clients.

"We had him in the Land Rover Sale but that didn’t work out so we put him into training with Paurick O'Connor and he did a wonderful job with him, and Derek did a wonderful job of riding him.”

Fergal has eyes for Fashionelle 

Kent was also tasked with bidding duties when the second-top lot, Fashionelle, fetched £42,000. The Jamie Railton Sales Agency-consigned filly showed plenty of promise on her debut for Rae Guest when finishing second to Taras Halls in a newcomers' bumper at Huntingdon.

On this occasion Kent was acting on behalf of Fergal O'Brien, who said: “We were really impressed with her first run, and we've bought her for an owner who is new to the yard. She's well capable of winning a bumper. Sally [Randell, assistant trainer] was at the sale this morning, saw the horse and loved her.”

The four-year-old daughter of Champs Elysees was bred by Victoria Markowiak from the Fantastic Light mare Featherlight, the dam of two successful runners who comes from the same family as Group 1 winner and sire Fragrant Mix.

David Phelan secured the other lot to break the £30,000 barrier when going to £35,000 for Taita Hills, winner of a maiden point-to-point at Ampton in Suffolk. The five-year-old son of Workforce was consigned by trainer Andrew Pennock of Dalmer Lodge Stables and is set to begin his career under rules with Gary Moore.

“I saw him a couple of times last year and he was very weak but I liked him and when I saw him again at Ampton last week he put up a good performance,” said Phelan.

“I don’t know how good the race was but he could do no more than win. He’s a big strong horse so he’ll head to Gary’s and we’ll work away from there.”

Taita Hills made it third time lucky on Wednesday having previously gone unsold at just €3,800 and €2,500 as a foal and then a three-year-old.

Connections of the top three lots from Wednesday's session will scoop a £100,000 dividend should their charge go on to score at the Cheltenham Festival in 2023 or 2024 as part of Goffs UK's new January Bonus initiative. 

Llewellyn pops up for Jack In The Box

Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables sold eight lots in Doncaster, headed by the £24,000 Jack In The Box. The son of Soldier Of Fortune cost Coolmore’s MV Magnier €100,000 as a store and opened his account in a Naas maiden hurdle last year.

The half-brother to the Listed-winning chaser Gold Present has had two starts over fences but was last seen falling at the second-last when favourite at Fairyhouse earlier in the month. His sale sees him move from Ireland to the Caerphilly base of Bernard Llewellyn after the trainer’s son, John, signed for the six-year-old on behalf of the Bill and Ben Partnership.

“Horses like that are very difficult to buy and obviously we wouldn’t buy them for a hundred grand, which is what he first cost,” said Llewellyn. “We’ve had good luck with Gordon Elliott horses before. My nephew, Jordan Williams, worked there for a few years before he started riding on the Flat and the boys in the yard said this would be a nice horse for England.

“Unfortunately he fell last time but we’ll see if we can get him back on his feet around Chepstow or Ffos Las. He seems like a real soft-ground horse and he’s been bought for an owner who loves his chasing.”

The two-day sale concluded with a sobering clearance rate of just 56 per cent, with 158 of 281 offered lots changing hands. Turnover was up by ten per cent at £2,019,000, the average rose by 24 per cent at £12,778, while the median went in the opposite direction to the tune of seven per cent at £6,500.

The horses-in-training trade on day two proved slightly more buoyant than day one’s National Hunt weanlings and breeding prospects, as 43 of 57 offered lots were sold for a clearance rate of 75 per cent. Aggregate sales were £434,500, up four per cent, the average was £10,105, up 26 per cent, and the median also rose by 16 points at £5,500.

Reflecting on the two days, Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said: “A £75,000 record price for a National Hunt foal is a fantastic way to start the new sales year and we’re delighted with the results that have been achieved at the top of end of the market, including The Glancing Queen selling for £150,000 and Rockstown Native realising £82,000.

“These were the obvious highlights and they proved yet again that when we’re given the best horses, we can achieve the best prices in any category, and we will continue to work with British breeders to encourage them to offer their very best for sale in the UK.

“Having said all that, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the selective nature of the foal market, which was very similar to that shown at the same sales in Ireland last year. The difference between the UK and Ireland was the greater number of Irish animals by stallions deemed to be ‘in fashion’, which can present a different picture to that shown in the UK. We will obviously work with the TBA and breeders to try to address a challenge which applies to us all rather than being specific to one side of the Irish Sea."

Kent added: “We will start our inspections for the Spring Store Sale over the coming weeks and our Aintree Sale is just around the corner, so it gives us plenty of opportunity to discuss the market with breeders and enable us to react in a positive manner to ensure that we continue to offer the best service to breeders at all levels of the market.”