Halford ‘jumps’ at the chance
for classy hurdler prospect
Offerings from John Oxx’s Currabeg Stables are usually at the fore of Goffs Horses
in Training Sale, and selections from the draft proved popular once more during
a strong edition on Friday.
The trainer provided the top seven lots,
all breaking
the six-figure barrier, as returns made substantial advances over last year’s
one-day sale. Chief
among them was Neil Jones’ three-year-old colt SNOW LORD (Sadler’s Wells),
a maiden
winner at Navan, who was knocked down to trainer Michael Halford for
300,000.
Offered as Hip 193, he is set to further his career at the winter game.
“He’s
for an existing
client and has been bought to go jumping,” Halford explained. “He’s a
lovely horse and I’ll give him a year off.”
The second-best price of the day was realized
earlier, by
another sophomore, when agent Ross Doyle went to 165,000 for Darley’s three-time
winner
FILM FESTIVAL (Diesis [GB]). Cataloged as Hip 77, he is another bound for a
jumps career
under the guidance of Halford.
“He’s been purchased on behalf of Bill Durkan and
will go to
Michael Halford,” Doyle commented. “Hopefully, he’ll make a nice hurdler.”
Solid
trade
throughout saw the sale aggregate jump almost 64 percent with the average
receiving a near
45 percent hike.
“The sale was very strong, with demand from the domestic and UK
markets
for prospective jumpers particularly strong, and we must pay sincere thanks to
John Oxx and his owners for their support in underpinning the sale,”
Goff’s Managing Director Matt
Mitchell said.
Full results can be viewed at www.goffs.com.