According to auction reports from Doncaster, the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale opened with a Blue Point colt out of Happy Romance selling for a session-topping £250,000 to Newmarket-based training partnership Ismail Mohammed and Jose Santos, who signed Rabbah Bloodstock’s name on the docket. The sale demonstrated solid trade with a total turnover of £7,859,000, according to official auction statistics.
Blue Point Colt Leads Doncaster Opening Day at £250,000
The session-topping Blue Point colt was sold through Chasemore Farm, marking the stud’s first time selling under its own name in Doncaster according to consignor details. Oliver McMurray, co-breeder of the colt and owner of the dam Happy Romance, stated that the animal exceeded expectations after initially hoping for a region of £100,000 to £150,000. Happy Romance previously won seven races for Richard Hannon and the McMurray family, accumulating over £745,000 in prize-money before retiring to breeding.
Trainer Ismail Mohammed explained the purchase decision to reporters, stating that the stable needed quality and identified the colt as a potential Royal Ascot type due to his sire and black-type dam. The Mohammed-Santos partnership also purchased a No Nay Never filly out of Inspiriter for £180,000 from Camas Park Stud.
Did you know? Happy Romance was originally purchased for just £25,000 at the Doncaster ring seven years prior to her first foal commanding ten times that amount at the same venue, according to auction records.
Notable Sales and Trainer Purchases Across the Session
Trainer Clive Cox secured five lots during the session, highlighted by a Lope De Vega colt from Eddie O’Leary’s Lynn Lodge Stud purchased for £165,000. According to Cox, the youngster stood out as an individual with an amazing pedigree from Declaring Love, a daughter of Dubawi.
Meanwhile, the Fahey stable outbid competitors at £150,000 for a Mehmas colt offered by Weylands Stud. Peter Fahey bought the youngster on behalf of Sheikh Abdullah Alsabah, noting the colt’s resemblance to a sharp turf two-year-old compared to his half-brother, Saudi Derby scorer Al Haram. Fahey also purchased a daughter of Sioux Nation from Chasemore Farm for £160,000 as the final lot of the day.
Pinhooking Success and Buyer Strategies
Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy of Rigsdale Stud achieved a notable pinhooking return when their Sioux Nation filly sold for £150,000 to breeze-up consignor Willie Browne, who bidding under JB Bloodstock beat an earlier investment of €70,000 at the Goffs February Sale. According to Kennedy, the quick turnaround benefited from the catalog cover appearance of last year’s star graduate Sun Goddess.
Agent Ed Sackville, alongside Manor House Stables team Hugo Palmer and Michael Owen, led the buyer sheet by securing eight recruits for a total outlay of £654,000. Their highest purchase was a Mehmas colt out of Guilded from Tally-Ho Stud, bought for £150,000.
Auction Performance Indicators
Market indices for the opening session remained broadly in-line with the previous year according to Goffs data. While overall turnover reached £7,859,000, the average price dropped two percent to £43,905 and the median declined four percent to £32,000. The clearance rate shifted from 88 percent down to 81 percent, with 179 lots sold out of 221 offered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who bought the top-priced lot at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale?
The £250,000 session-topping Blue Point colt was purchased by Ismail Mohammed and Jose Santos, with Rabbah Bloodstock named on the docket.
What was the total turnover for the opening session?
According to official auction figures, the opening session generated a turnover of £7,859,000.
Who were the leading spenders on day one?
Agent Ed Sackville and the Manor House Stables team of Hugo Palmer and Michael Owen emerged as the highest spenders, acquiring eight lots for £654,000.
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