'He's his Christmas present!' - £380,000 Brook Bay tops Goffs Tingle Creek Sale

On a day when Goffs UK graduate Jonbon blazed brightly in a flawless Henry VIII Novices' Chase display, the action off the track shone in an equally meaningful way at the first running of the Tingle Creek Sale.

Heading the first boutique sale of its kind at Sandown were two high-class Donnchadh Doyle inmates in Lingstown and Knockmullen House four-year-old maiden winners Brook Bay and Flash In The Park, who sold for £380,000 and £350,000 respectively.

Brook Bay, who struck by a ready four lengths last month, was ultimately knocked down to Martin Tedham of Wasdell Properties, the sponsor of Jonjo O'Neill's Gloucestershire yard after being the subject of competitive bidding around the winner's enclosure at the Esher track. The underbidder was Highflyer Bloodstock's Anthony Bromley with Nicky Henderson.

Explaining his purchase, Tedham said: "Nick Scholfield said that's what he wanted, he's coming back at Christmas time [from injury] and so I needed a horse for him. That's his Christmas present!

He continued: "Nick's had a few injuries but he's going to be given the okay this month and he'll be back for Christmas."

Brook Bay is a son of Affinisea, a Sea The Stars three-parts brother to Irish Derby winner and leading sire Soldier Of Fortune who can do little wrong at present.

Whytemount Stud's sire was the busiest stallion in England or Ireland this season when covering a blockbuster 382 mares according to Weatherbys Return of Mares

Brook Bay has a pedigree to match his potential talent as his second dam, the once-raced Irish Orchid, is a half-sister to the legendary Desert Orchid whose victories included the Tingle Creek, and the galloping grey was recalled under the night sky as bidding intensified. Irish Orchid produced useful performers, including the Grade 2-placed Gentleman Jimmy and his full-sister, Brook Bay's dam Orchid Bay, who was Grade 3-placed over hurdles.

Taking the lead earlier in the session was Doyle's Flash In The Park, the sole lot in the sale by Coolmore's brilliant sire Walk In The Park and a 20-length winner on his second point start at Knockmullen House last month.

The four-year-old went the way of Ben Pauling and undoubtedly part of his appeal was the recent update to his page. He is out of the unraced Un Desperado mare Mrs Masters, whose Montelimar half-sister Darrens Lass is the dam of last month's Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice Chase winner Darrens Hope.

Derek O'Connor's prowess as a rider is renowned and the maestro jockey made waves as the first horse he has trained, the handsome Southoftheborder, sold to Bromley for £145,000. He had cost just €13,000 as a store at the Goffs Land Rover Sale.

O'Connor said: "It's wonderful to be here at Sandown and this sale has been a huge success. I bought him as a three-year-old unbroken and untouched, nurtured him and developed him to get him here. He's the first horse I've trained and there's more to come."

Bromley, who confirmed the son of Leading Light and the winning pointer Dante's Queen, will head into training with Nicky Henderson, added: "He's a very attractive horse with plenty of size and scope. He came well recommended by Derek and Nicky loved the horse.

"He cost a little bit more than we were planning to spend on him but he's a nice, attractive horse."

Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls were also among the successful bidders during the evening and the pair went to £170,000 to secure Annie K, the Grottowell Stables-consigned daughter of Valirann and a nine-length winner of her mares' maiden at Turtulla late last month.

The five-year-old bay is out of the once-raced Stowaway mare Anno Whyte, a full-sister to Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle winner Giantofaman and from the family of the brilliant Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power. She was bred by Ronnie O'Neill who stands the aforementioned Affinisea.

Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent said of the sale: “It's been a fantastic evening here at Sandown Park – we are delighted. We have been very busy with inspections yesterday and today, we have welcomed a huge amount of people, and the atmosphere at the sale was fantastic. It was all set up with our PTP graduate Jonbon winning at Sandown earlier today and to have sold every lot in the sale is a great result.

Lots are shown at Sandown for the Goffs Tingle Creek SaleCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

"It has been a big team effort to get here and our thanks go out to the Sandown team, they have been a pleasure to work with and it has been really enjoyable putting this sale together with them. The facilities here are superb, everything is in such close proximity and it has worked so well so we are looking forward to coming back next year and building on it."

He added: "Finally to our vendors, they backed us and this new idea with a great bunch of horses, we couldn’t have done it without them, so we send a big thanks to them for their support. We also wish our buyers all the very best of luck and hope that we will see some of the horses back here at Sandown, this time on the track, in the near future.”

Overall, all 16 lots presented were sold, generating turnover of £1,985,000, an average of £124,063 and a median of £90,000.

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