Tom George retains smart Rooney horse Now Look At Me for £75,000

Paul and Clare Rooney sold three of the top-five lots during the concluding horses-in-training session of the Goffs UK September Sale on Wednesday, with trainer Tom George keeping the promising young hurdler Now Look At Me in his yard for £75,000.

The five-year-old son of Shantou has won three of his five starts and posted a Racing Post Rating of 115 for his novice hurdle win at Uttoxeter in May.

"He has won two bumpers and a maiden hurdle for us," said George, who gave bidding instructions to Michael Moore over the phone.

"You can put a line through his last run as the ground was too quick. We've a lot of confidence in the horse and he'll stay hurdling this season and go novice chasing after that.

"I've also got his four-year-old Fame And Glory half-sister Mosambo. I've a lot of faith in the family and hopefully Now Look At Me can earn some black-type to help her page."

Michael Moore taking instructions on the phone from Tom GeorgeCredit: Sarah Farnsworth / Goffs UK

View September Sale results and buyers

Another from the Rooney draft to prove prove popular was Hurricane Fly's closely related half-brother , with the six-year-old son of Yeats catching the eye of Hamish Macauley at £54,000.

"He's been bought for Carl Hinchy who wanted a horse to go novice chasing," said Macauley, who was standing on the upper level to the immediate left of the rostrum.

"He'll go to Willy Twiston-Davies and Ryan Hatch for the time being and a trainer will be decided in the next month or so."

Hinchy's beige silks have been carried with distinction by the Grade 2 bumper winner Dame Rose and the Grade 3 handicap chase winner Shantou Flyer, who was only just touched off by Coo Star Sivola in last year's Grade 3 Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Hamish Macauley signs for Who's My Jockey at £54,000Credit: Sarah Farnsworth / Goffs UK

Who's My Jockey preceded into the sales ring, with the latter finding favour with Aidan 'Mouse' O'Ryan and Gordon Elliott at £50,000.

The seven-year-old Arcadio gelding has won four of his 17 starts to date, including a valuable Class 2 handicap hurdle at Newbury last December.

"He's been bought as a Saturday horse for a new client looking to buy their first jumper," said O'Ryan, who was stood alongside Elliott in the bidders' area.

"I've had this order for a while and was waiting for the right horse, and he came highly recommended by Jason Maguire [racing manager to the Rooneys]."

Jason Maguire (right) recommended I'm A Game Changer to Aidan 'Mouse' O'RyanCredit: Sarah Farnsworth / Goffs UK

Gigginstown gems galore

The Doncaster sales ring quickly filled up earlier in the day ahead of the annual Gigginstown House Stud dispersal, and will once again be targeted at the Grand National next year after being hammered down for £70,000 to Richard Ryan.

"He's been bought for a new owner of Gary Moore and the plan is to return to Aintree with him next year," said the Goffs UK horses-in-training agent, from his position on the bridge opposite the rostrum

"He finished 12th in last season's Grand National and we're hoping he might finish a bit closer in next year's race.

"He's very solid, not overly big, but very genuine and has retained his engine. He vetted well and Gordon Elliott has looked after him very well - it will be a hard act to follow."

Richard Ryan had to stretch to £70,000 to secure A Toi PhilCredit: Sarah Farnsworth / Goffs UK

A Toi Phil, a nine-year-old son of Day Flight with four Grade 2 wins to his name, benefited from a recent form update having recorded his seventh win for Elliott and ninth overall at the Listowel festival last Friday.

Ryan also signed on the dotted line at £48,000 for , a three-time scorer by Champs Elysees out of a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Monarchs Glen.

The four-year-old gelding was sent into the ring by Ian Williams' Dominion Racing Stables.

Grade 3 juvenile hurdle winner , the second highest-rated jumper by King's Best stallion Creachadoir after Footpad, was another of the Gigginstown contingent to change hands on the day, going the way of owner Chris Jones and agent JD Moore for £42,000.

"Chris had the inside line on him with Gordon Elliott and he'll be trained by Gearoid O'Loughlin," said Moore.

Mitchouka posted his highest Racing Post Rating of 136 last season when finishing third to Pearl Of The West in the Grade B Killashee Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown festival.

Eddie O'Leary was on hand to supervise the annual Gigginstown House Stud dispersalCredit: Sarah Farnsworth / Goffs UK

Welsh-based trainer John Llewellyn has his sights set on the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las with the dual Grade 3 winner Tombstone, who he snapped up from the Gigginstown dispersal for £26,000.

"We've never had a runner in the Welsh Champion Hurdle before and that's the aim," said Llewellyn.

"He unseated at Listowel last time out but he's sound, has achieved a high rating over hurdles and fences, and will hopefully win a big race."

The Gigginstown House Stud dispersal concluded with all of the 28 lots on offer sold without reserve for total receipts for £378,200, at an average spend of £13,500 and median price of £9,250.

Jeremiah McGrath snaps up winning pointer

Among the familiar faces on day two was Nicky Henderson's stable jockey Jeremiah McGrath, with the County Cork native on the lookout for jumping talent together with former rider Darren O'Dwyer.

From their position in the gate, they made a winning play for , a five-year-old daughter of Malinas who the pair secured for £42,000.

"Her four-year-old Great Pretender half-brother Giants Table won his point at Ballycahane and is in training with Nicky Henderson," noted McGrath.

"Spark To A Flame has a lot of scope and was very impressive when she won her point in April."

McGrath enjoyed a stellar 2018-19 season, winning the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on Verdana Blue and the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham festival on Beware The Bear.

Lady Dudley Cup the aim for Sambremont

The prestigious Lady Dudley Cup, held annually at the Worcester Hunt point at Chaddesley Corbett, will be the target for Djakadam's full-brother after he was hammered down for £9,000 to Caroline Robinson and amateur rider Philip Sankey.

The nine-year-old son of Saint Des Saints landed a three-runner renewal of the Grade 2 Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan in 2016 and has recently competed in hunter chases and points for County Fermanagh trainer David Christie.

"We bought him for Philip's uncle Guy Orchard," said Robinson, who made history as the first female rider to win at the Cheltenham Festival on her own Eliogarty in the 1983 Foxhunter Chase.

"The plan is to win a point-to-point first and if all goes well then we'll aim him at the Lady Dudley Cup. He'll be ridden by either Philip or his brother Guy, and we're hoping to have a bit of fun with him."

Last year's race was won in emphatic style by the Philip Rowley-trained Wishing And Hoping, a son of Beneficial.

Final figures

Wednesday's session saw a similar level of trade to the September Sale in previous years, when examined on a comparable basis.

Of the 199 lots on offer, 176 changed hands for total receipts of £2,087,200 and an unchanged 88 per cent clearance rate. The average rose 11 per cent to £11,859, while the median was up seven per cent to £8,000.

Both sessions of this year's September Sale saw 233 of the 291 lots of offer change hands, resulting in an 80 per cent clearance rate, at a total spend of £2,335,000. The average stood at £10,107 and the median came in at £7,000.

Goffs UK managing director Tony Williams said in his end-of-sale statement: "Today's session provided a strong finish to the September Sale and continued a fine run for our Doncaster horses-in-training sales which are reliably providing lively trade and a trusted outlet for Flat and National Hunt owners and trainers.

"The large drafts from Gigginstown, Paul and Clare Rooney and Shadwell rightly proved very popular with buyers and deservedly they all enjoyed 100 per cent clearance rates.

"The moving of yesterday's yearling session from October's Autumn Sale to this sale gave vendors a clear date to offer their horses but trade was tough for some and demand was reflective of that market. We now turn our attention to the Autumn Horses in Training Sale for which entries are due by the end of the month."

More from the Goffs UK September Sale:

Adam Kirby on hand to see first yearlings come up for auction

Pearl Secret filly tops trade as September Sale gets underway