Mohican Heights Tops London Sale

[Wandering Eyes]

LONDON, UK–“It’s entirely different to any other sale we do and we view it in an entirely different way,” said Goffs Chief Executive Officer Henry Beeby as the music played on outside the media tent in Kensington Palace and the invited guests showed no signs of dispersing well after the hammer had fallen for the final time.

It’s hard to dispute that assessment. Year-on-year comparisons are largely futile for boutique horses-in-training auctions. While the rose flowed and visitors from all over the world mingled ahead of Britain’s biggest race meeting of the year, 10 of the 23 lots from a deliberately slimmed down catalogue found a new owner, some to race on in new silks this week, others with longer-term plans. All told, the 10 horses of varying ages accrued a tally of £3,150,000 at an average of £315,000 and median of £332,500.

“The whole point of the sale is that owners will sell if they get the price they want, if not they will race at Ascot. We’ve done some good business tonight and it’s been great to see so many people here from all over the world,” Beeby said.

Leading the way was Mohican Heights (Ire) (lot 10), a once-raced colt by Australia (GB) who was a winner at Leopardstown for Deuce Greathouse on May 17.

Mohican Heights will now leave Fozzy Stack’s stable to join David Simcock in Newmarket after being bought for an existing client of the trainer for £520,000, though his participation in Saturday’s Listed Chesham S. is not certain.

“We looked at the videos, he’s bred to stay and we’re always on the look out for a nice horse,” Simcock said. “We know the family well as we trained his half-brother Curbyourenthusiasm (Ire), but I’m not sure yet whether he will go for the Chesham.”

The new owner of the second-top lot of the evening, Pure Zen (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 23), was also shrouded in mystery after Federico Barberini bid £500,000 for the G2 Prix de Sandringham runner-up but was unable to divulge the identity of his client.

Another without an Ascot entry but with a potentially big future ahead of him on the international stage is Le Don De Vie (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) (lot 18), who was sold for £460,000 to join the stable of Hughie Morrison, who sent out Marmelo (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) to be second in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

“Marmelo needed a friend,” joked the trainer after Matt Houldsworth signed the ticket on behalf of Aziz Kheir, who co-owns Marmelo with his breeders Edward and Christabel Goodwin.

Houldsworth continued, “He was a very impressive winner at Epsom and he should progress quietly from here. He’ll go to Hughie for the time being and then out to Australia.”

The Dream Ahead filly Forever In Dreams (Ire) (lot 16) was initially bought back at £440,000 but was later marked as a private sale to the Phoenix Thoroughbreds Ladies Syndicate, which had been the underbidder at £330,000. The listed Cecil Frail S. winner is entered in the G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday.

The 3-year-old filly was sold from Bansha House Stables along with lot 8, Real Appeal (Ger) (Sidestep {Aus}), who was bought by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland on behalf of Zhang Yuesheng’s Yulong Investments for £265,000.

“We bought one horse here last year and he went on to win three races and be stakes-placed,” said Donohoe. “Mr Zhang is busy in Australia compiling his broodmare band but he’s well aware of how well Sidestep is doing, having sired the Golden Slipper winner, and the plan is to run in the Norfolk S. on Thursday.”

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