‘We knew he wasn’t going to be cheap when we saw Dan Skelton bidding!’ - Elliott leaves it late to secure €275,000 Arkle Sale top lot

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A particularly lively opening session of the Goffs Arkle Sale culminated with a late change of top lot after the Gordon Elliott team and Dan Skelton squared up over a son of Goliath Du Berlais consigned by the up-and-coming Creighmore Stables. 

The bidding bounced back and forth between Skelton, standing with agent Ryan Mahon in the bidders’ area to the right of the rostrum, and Eddie O’Leary, who was accompanied by his brother, Gigginstown House Stud supremo Michael, on the opposite side of the ring. 

O’Leary was responsible for the €5,000 increase that took the price to €275,000, leaving the British champion trainer as the frustrated underbidder. 

“He’s a gorgeous horse. He was our pick of the day, so we’re glad to get him,” said Elliott after stepping in to handle media duties. “Listen, we were hoping to pay a bit less but he was the standout horse here today. When you’re taking on the likes of Dan Skelton, we knew he wasn’t going to be cheap when we saw him bidding. We’re delighted to have him though, thrilled.” 

Elliott’s name appeared on just the one docket during the session, with the trainer adding: “We’ve only bid on a couple, there’s a few nice horses tomorrow but it has definitely looked very strong today.”

Gordon Elliott (centre) took home the top lot on day oneCredit: Patrick McCann

The youngster is the first foal out of Raffles Lox, a Muhtathir half-sister to the French Grade 3 scorer Raffles Sainte. He was pinhooked in a private transaction by Micheal O’Brien and Alex Power at €40,000 at the Arqana Autumn Sale in 2024.

“It’s a serious result for my farm. It’s not a big place and to turn that sort of money is a big help,” said O’Brien. “I don't have any real background in the industry; I just grew up in a National Hunt stronghold and built it up slowly but surely. I still work part-time on another farm and do my own horses in the evening.

“Genuinely, when I went to see him at the sales I didn’t think I’d be able to afford him. I barely followed him into the ring. But he was bought back and I went down to the stables and managed to get a deal done.” 

He added: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, it’s a lot of pressure looking after him for a long time. There's a lot of relief. It’s a brilliant sale, it’s really fired up in fairness to Goffs. Horses exist in a bubble of their own. It’s a brilliant sport, it’s been brilliant to me. What other sport could you do this in?”

Alex Power (left) and Micheal O’Brien with their session-topping son of Goliath Du BerlaisCredit: Patrick McCann

A who’s who of National Hunt racing descended on Goffs, with the cast of major players fueling a remarkably buoyant day of trade. Turnover for the session reached €13,171,500, which was up 27 per cent year-on-year. The average price rose by 19 per cent to €64,885, while the median was up 18 per cent at €58,000. 

The clearance rate was a rock solid 91 per cent as 203 lots sold from 223 offered.

Mullins on the march

For most of the session Willie Mullins proved an almost irresistible force as he scooped the lion’s share of sought after offerings. His priciest acquisition was a three-year-old son of Doctor Dino, who has already been named Courcemont. 

The youngster was offered by Tony Costello’s Treannahow Stables, the vendor responsible for selling King Rasko Grey to the champion trainer for a sale-topping €250,000 in 2023. 

“The duel continues!” said auctioneer Bernard Condren at the €240,000 mark. By that stage matters had boiled down to Harold Kirk, standing ringside beside Mullins, and Paul Holden, just a few positions closer to the rostrum. 

When Kirk signalled a bid of €255,000 Condren turned to Holden and said, “All eyes are on you!” 

After a lengthy debate with his daughter and trainer Ellmarie, Holden mustered another €5,000 raise. However, the result of Kirk and Mullins’ own conflab was another increase that saw the hammer fall in their favour at €265,000.

“I thought he was one of the best horses here over the two days,” said Kirk. “He’s by Doctor Dino, and we’ve had eight individual Grade 1 winners by the sire already. I couldn’t tell you why he’s been so lucky for us but go through the sire index in the catalogue and you’ll find Doctor Steinberg, Gold Dancer, Narciso Has, Jade De Grugy, State Man, Murcia, Dinoblue and Sharjah, who was the first Doctor Dino I bought. 

“This horse was a no-brainer for us. It’s a fantastic French pedigree and Doctor Dino really works in this family. He’s the most beautiful individual. We bought King Rasko Grey from the same vendor three years ago, so they’ve been lucky for us too.” 

The leading talent scout added: “I thought €200,000 would buy him, but there were two people still going from that point on. You have to buy the ones you want. We don’t buy many, but we really try to buy the ones we want. That’s always worked well for us.” 

The French-bred youngster is out of the Listed-placed Kapgarde mare Kapetienne. Her siblings include the black-type winners Dottore and L'Aubonniere, both of whom are also by Doctor Dino. The mare’s other siblings include the dam of the top-class A Plus Tard. His previous appearance at public auction saw him fetch just €38,000 at Arqana in autumn 2024.

Tony Costello (left) congratulates Willie Mullins after securing the €265,000 son of Doctor DinoCredit: Patrick McCann

The result continued a fine run of form for Treannahow Stables. The family-run operation saw graduates King Rasko Grey and White Noise score at Cheltenham, while they also sold the Doncaster Spring Sale top lot Kaiser Ball, who fetched £360,000 from Tom Malone. 

When it was put to Costello that he is making the game look easy at present, he smiled and said: “It’s not easy. I’ve travelled so many miles all over France, Ireland and England sourcing these horses. I spent weeks in France to come up with just a bare handful for the top end of the market.” 

High prices brought high emotion for the son of the late, legendary Tom Costello. “When I was very young my father used to say this game was about quality, not quantity,” he continued. “It’s his anniversary this week. I’m sure he’s enjoying this. 

“He was always a great believer in the horse. He said you can have the pedigree but it’s the horse you race. Nowadays you have to have the pedigree and the horse. We’ve worked our socks off to put ten good stores together for this sale to meet that market. It’s the only market that’s left.” 

Costello added: “I've had great help from the staff at home and my own family, and great support from Willie Mullins and all the buyers. Paul Holden, who bought the last horse [Lot 74 for €130,000], underbid the first one. It’s tremendous to think that the hard work is paying off. It doesn’t always. You don’t always get paid for it but in this case we’ve been paid in spades. I’m honoured to be here.” 

Reflecting on a fruitful couple of months, he said: “It’s been a whirlwind. You work, you hope, you pray and then it happens. You certainly can’t make it happen.”

Treannahow Stables's Doctor Dino gelding takes centre stageCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Earlier in the day the Kirk-Mullins axis struck at €215,000 for a son of another sire who has done the team more than one good turn in Galiway. The stable has sent out the likes of Gala Marceau, King Rasko Grey and Vauban to win multiple Grade 1 prizes. 

“Another King Rasko Grey or Vauban, hopefully!,” said Kirk after signing the docket. “The sire has been very lucky for us, we’ve had a few Cheltenham Festival winners by him. This is a gorgeous horse, a very good mover and has a good pedigree.” 

The Brown Island Stables-consigned youngster is out of Golden Tale, a daughter of Pivotal from a mixed family containing names such as Beverly D. Stakes heroine Golden Apples, the likeable Sir Busker and high-class two-mile chaser Sans Bruit. The youngster was pinhooked for €45,000 at the Arqana Summer Sale in 2024. 

“With this sire you’re going to see a lot of mixed pedigrees because he didn’t cover a lot of jumping mares,” continued Kirk. “You’ll see very few Galiways turning up in jumping sales now because he stands for €30,000. 

“This horse is out of a Pivotal mare, and he’s a very good Flat broodmare sire. We were the first people to buy Galiways [to go down the National Hunt route]; they’re good jumpers, have good minds and a lot of class. They’ve all travelled to Cheltenham and won when they should win. Every one we’ve had has stood up and been counted.” 

Kirk stood in close proximity to Eddie O’Leary during the bidding. Asked whether his presence was mere coincidence or a clue as to whose silks the youngster will be carrying when he reaches the track, Kirk laughed and said: “Eddie’s Eddie, he likes to be close to the action!” 

The agent added: “I thought he’d make a good price but you never really know how big. I thought he’d make €150,000 to €200,000 anyway.” 

Kirk and Mullins also secured the €170,000 for Ares Du Luy, a son of Masked Marvel offered by Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm. 

O’Neills in action 

The other buyer to go to €170,000 was Matt Coleman and the O’Neill Racing team, who secured Loughanmore Farms’ Walk In The Park gelding out of Envoi Allen’s half-sister Glasgow Allen. The youngster is a brother to Highland Crystal, whose three victories include a Listed juvenile hurdle at Newbury. 

“We thought he was one of the picks of the whole sale,” said Coleman. “Walk In The Park needs no introduction and the sister, Highland Crystal, has had a good year for Gordon Elliott. It’s a lovely back pedigree too. 

“It’s a slightly unusual situation as Wilson Dennison usually buys foals to eventually go point-to-pointing with, but this year he’s selling some stores, which hasn’t happened for a while. Usually these horses would be racing rather than coming to the sale.

Matt Coleman and AJ O'Neill were among the buyers in good form on TuesdayCredit: Patrick McCann

“I thought this horse was a very athletic mover, then you throw in the pedigree and he just has the make and shape to make up into a proper chaser one day. We’re trying to buy quality over quantity and he ticked the boxes in terms of pedigree, physique, sire power. Let’s hope he’s a good one.” 

The Stroud Coleman-O’Neill Racing pairing landed another notable lot later in the session when successfully bidding €155,000 for the Walk In The Park half-brother to Betfair Hurdle scorer Glory And Fortune. The six-figure three-year-old was sold by Peter Nolan Bloodstock having been pinhooked by Gerry Aherne and Charles Shanahan at €80,000 in November 2023.

Nolan said: “We’ve thought the world of him ever since we bought him as a foal. We’ve never looked back since the day we got him. We raised him at home and he’s always been a fantastic model. We were fairly sure we’d get a good price for him and I’m so glad he’s gone to a great man in Jonjo.” 

Nolan added: “Trade has been phenomenal so far. Goffs have done a great job, as there’s a great bunch of horses here and they deserve it. The amount of British trainers buying horses today is unreal. I think Dan Skelton is after waking them all up across the water!”

The Arkle Sale continues on Wednesday at 10am. 

More to read: 

‘He’s the most exciting jumps stallion in my time’ - another giant result for young gun sire as Bromley goes to €150,000 for Cheltenham Festival winner’s relation 

‘He leaves behind a legacy’ - death of British National Hunt stalwart sire Passing Glance at 27