‘It’s terrifying’ - Nicky Henderson opens up on sales ring pressure and the search for the next Constitution Hill

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After another long and successful season, Nicky Henderson could be forgiven for kicking back and unwinding during a quiet few weeks at the end of the core National Hunt campaign. Instead, he and plenty of his fellow trainers are back on the hamster wheel for sales season. 

His hunt for the next stable star saw the master of Seven Barrows spending a soggy Tuesday morning working the beat in Doncaster ahead of the Goffs UK Spring Horses-in-Training and Point-to-Point Sale, which begins its two-day run on Wednesday at 10am. 

“School term finishes on the racecourse, but this is the start of the build up to the future,” Henderson says after wrapping up his inspections. “It’s a vital time of year. We’ve got to live with the horses we buy here for the next five years so we’ve got to get it right. 

“Get this wrong and you’ve got a nasty period in front of you. We love buying horses, though. We’re a bit like kids going into the candy store, although sometimes it’s frustrating when you see something you want and can’t have it. You can’t buy them all.” 

It was at this sale five years ago that Henderson unearthed none other than Constitution Hill. At that stage the son of Blue Bresil had just a runner-up effort in a Tipperary maiden point-to-point to recommend him.

His trainer says he vividly remembers the first time he laid eyes on the eight-time Grade 1 winner, but reveals his initial impression did not entirely account for the remarkable career that would follow. 

“If it wasn’t for Barry Geraghty I wouldn’t have bought the horse,” says Henderson, who signed the docket at £120,000. “He was so adamant he was good, even though he got beat in his point-to-point. It was bad luck for Barry and Warren Ewing because he’d had a little problem at home and he’d been on antibiotics so he wasn’t looking his greatest at the sale.

“One or two people were put off by it, in fact they were petrified of it, so I don’t think we had a lot of opposition on the day. That’s the way it goes though; he just wasn’t in his Sunday best, which was no fault of theirs. 

“Barry and Warren were always adamant though. After four or five months of training the horse I couldn’t see what Barry was going on about, I couldn’t get my head around the horse at all, then suddenly we clicked.”

Doncaster has proved a happy hunting ground for Henderson, with top-class talents like Bobs Worth and Riverside Theatre also graduating from the South Yorkshire sales ring.

Bobs Worth and Nicky Henderson after the 2013 Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

While that pair cost relatively humdrum figures, Henderson says the National Hunt market has “moved dramatically” in more recent times, with horses now being offered at a much younger age across an increasingly commercial landscape. 

This shift has seen a surge in the prices horses are commanding, particularly in the private markets attached to the French scene and the Irish point-to-point sphere. While hefty six-figure signings are now commonplace, Henderson says there is still a buzz to be had by beating the market. 

“It’s very competitive, it’s terrifying,” he says of the costs involved in playing in the private market. “At times we’ve been lucky enough to be able to buy the smart horses over there in France, and it’s lovely when we can, but we’ve still got to buy some cheaper horses too. 

“We bought one here on Monday for £13,000. Now I’m not saying that’s good value, it might end up being terrible value, but you’ve got to do your shopping according to what you’ve got to spend. 

“We’ve all bought very expensive horses that have been no good, and we’ve all bought some very cheap horses that have been very good. We bought My Tent Or Yours from here in Doncaster and he was £12,000. He was a star, a great character. It gives you a right good buzz when you get yourself one of those.”

Nicky Henderson with "great character" My Tent Or YoursCredit: Grossick Racing

While the trainer is pragmatic about the sums being spent on new recruits, he notes that some owners are taking active steps to avoid the occasionally unwanted attention a flashy sales price can bring. 

“The good thing about buying them privately is that no-one knows what you’ve paid,” he says. “When you’ve bought them publicly, it’s there for everybody to see. When it comes out, you can’t hide. When they’ve cost a lot of money you’ve got to get it right, but there’s no guarantee.” 

Although Henderson is putting in the hard yards at the sales himself, he stresses the recruitment drive is very much a team effort. Renowned bloodstock agent David Minton has been a long-serving ally, while the trainer’s wife Sophie and his assistant George Daly also have key roles to play. 

Up-and-coming agent Jerry McGrath, who rode numerous significant winners for Seven Barrows during his time in the saddle, oversees the sourcing of form horses. Henderson will be hoping the team got it right again on Monday having secured three Doncaster stores at a combined £87,000. 

“I thought trade was very healthy here on Monday,” he says. “I’m not sure if it surprised everybody but I think the vendors were probably a bit nervous going into the sale. We thought we were going to buy some cheaper horses but it didn’t turn out that way. There were some very nice horses and they made plenty.”

Jerry McGrath and Nicky Henderson on duty in DoncasterCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Seven Barrows residents tend to have a distinct make and mark, and Henderson says it generally doesn’t take him long to make up his mind whether a youngster fits his brief. 

“It can vary the more you look at them, but the first impression is usually the right one,” he says. “When they pull the horse out of the stable I can tell you whether we’re going to love it or not, you can nearly see that straight away.” 

Expanding on his talent scouting process, he says: “The first thing you’re doing is trying to eliminate the faults. If they’re not properly put together, you’ll get problems. If everything is put on correctly, then you’re less likely to get those. There are certain faults you just can’t forgive, but invariably the perfect horse is going to make the perfect price. 

“Sometimes you have to forgive a few issues, and there are things we can live with, although there’s others we definitely can’t. The limbs, particularly the conformation of the front leg, is crucial. If that’s not right, you’re asking for trouble.”

Nicky Henderson: "Sometimes you’ve got to be brave, or stupid!"Credit: Goffs

While Henderson’s methods of identifying future talent have been proven time and again, he concedes his tastes don’t always yield the desired results.

“We have a type of horse we look for, but the one thing that possibly lets us down is that I’m very fussy about how they move,” he says. “Consequently we find that our horses don’t go in soft ground as well as we'd like.

“I like a type, but everybody has their own tastes. The great thing is that I might like a horse that others don’t, and vice versa. Everyone has their opinions and we don’t always see the same picture.” 

As well as trying to recruit the next generation of stars, Seven Barrows will offer 14 lots during Thursday’s session of selling. Although acknowledging selling is a necessary part of a trainer’s role, Henderson is not exactly relishing the task. 

“I hate it,” he says. “It’s no fun. Some of them are being sold for different reasons; some because they’re not quite good enough, some we’ve struggled with and, now and then, there are those I want to keep. We’ve got two or three of those here tomorrow that are being sold for different reasons but I’ll try to get them back.”

Nicky Henderson sizing up a potential purchaseCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

While the sales season presents plenty of challenges, some more enjoyable than others, Henderson says he relishes the prospect each year nonetheless. 

“We’re all here, we’ll all have a drink together in the bar, but then we’re going to head into the ring and it’s going to be as competitive as it is on the racecourse,” he says. “Sometimes you’ve got to be brave, or stupid! You know when it’s getting expensive, but it’s difficult when you’ve got your heart and your head set on something. 

“Like everybody says, you’ve got to win in the ring before you can win on the track, and you can’t get it right every time. I love doing it though, it’s great fun, especially when you can afford them!”

Goffs UK Spring Horses-in-Training and Point-to-Point Sale fact-file 

Where Goffs UK sales complex, Doncaster 

When Two-day sale begins on Wednesday at 10am 

Last year’s stats From 379 offered, 336 lots sold (89 per cent) for turnover of £8,860,500, an average price of £26,370 (up 12 per cent) and a median of £16,250 (up 30 per cent) 

Notable graduates Constitution Hill (sold by Bernice Stables, bought by Seven Barrows for £120,000); Dedicated Hero (sold by Nicholastown Stud, bought by Bobby O'Ryan and Sandy Thomson for £40,000); Supremely West (sold by Linacres Farm, bought by Jimmy Fyffe for £24,000); Thistle Ask (sold by James Ewart Racing, bought by Ryan Mahon and Dan Skelton Racing for £11,000)

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