Twelve months after supplying the sales topper, Mark Dwyer’s Oaks Farm Stables
were
once again looking at chief gains at the Goffs France Breeze-Up, accounting for
the top seller
at Saint-Cloud yesterday. Hip 79, a Grand Lodge colt consigned by Oaks Farm,
brought the
day’s highest bid, going to France Pur Sang for an undisclosed overseas client
for 130,000.
From a blueblood Wildenstein family that includes Arcangues and Aquarelliste
(Fr), the half to
the Prix de Flore (Fr-G3) scorer Australie was expected to be popular and it was Jean-Louis
Branere’s agency that came out on top.
It was a good day for Red Ransom as well.
In demand at these auctions and the sire of Saturday’s Greenham S. (Eng-G3) scorer Red Clubs
(Ire), he
supplied the second highest-priced juvenile of the sale. Hip 87, Grove Stud’s
half-sister to the
top-class hurdler Ambobo, was knocked down for 120,000 to Guy Petit, who was
acting on
behalf of an Irish client. Grove Stud was also responsible for Hip 10, a son of
Indian Danehill out of a stakes-winning stakes producer who was purchased by trainer David Smaga for
78,000. Smaga took home a total of six juveniles; another of his buys was Hip
96, a King
Cugat colt from the draft of Willie Browne’s Mocklershill Stables, who drew a
final bid of
70,000 following an impressive breeze. Jean-Pierre Deroubaix, acting on behalf
of Ecurie
Chalhoub, had earlier gone to 70,000 for Hip 12, Oaks Farm Stables’ Highest
Honor (Fr) half-brother to the stakes winner Whim from the family of Whilly (Ire).
Overall, the average
soared by 27.5 percent on 2005, and the clearance rate of 77 percent was also an
improvement on 12 months ago. The Horses in Training session which followed,
however,
provided disappointing results. The expected topper, the listed winner Precious
Bunny
(Peintre Celebre), was bought back by his connections. Full results can be
viewed on
www.goffs.fr.