Loughnane bids to extend eyecatching record for Godolphin on €550,000 pinhook

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

KING'S CHARTER

trustatrader.com EBF Novice Stakes (6.55 Sandown, Wednesday)

Forecast odds: 100-30

What's the story?

King’s Charter topped the Goffs November Foal Sale of 2022 at €550,000 to Stauffenberg Bloodstock, one of the more ambitious pinhooks of recent times.

The half-brother to a Group 1 winner was offered there by breeder Airlie Stud, and returned to Kildare Paddocks last September for the Orby Sale. Philipp Stauffenberg moved him on for €650,000 to Godolphin.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, the juvenile colt by Kingman out of Dane Street is a nice ride for Billy Loughnane on his debut at Sandown in the 7f novice stakes. Perhaps not so nice is being drawn one of 14, but the up-and-coming star in the saddle has a remarkable three winners from just four rides for the trainer, so they've hardly missed so far.

How's he bred?

Sire Kingman needs no introduction, while dam Dane Street won a couple of times for Jessica Harrington, but it is in the breeding shed where she has really made her name.

Skitter Scatter, by Scat Daddy, has been her best so far in winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes for John Oxx, while King’s Charter’s full-sister Skellet was headed close home and beaten a head by Blush in the Group 3 Prix Chloe this month. She had been beaten a neck at the same level in the Oh So Sharp Stakes as a two-year-old and can hopefully add a Pattern race win to the family silver.

Other half-siblings include Victory Dance, by Dubawi, who sold as a foal to Godolphin for 700,000gns and is a Listed winner and Group-placed, and Data Dependent, by More Than Ready, who is the dam of Grade 1 Belmont Oaks winner Aspen Grove, by Justify.

What was said at the sales?

Anthony Stroud was on bidding duty for Godolphin and after signing the docket said: “He’s an extremely well-bred horse by Kingman. We’ve had Victory Dance out of the mare already, they’re both bred by Airlie, which is a great stud farm. 

King's Charter in the ring at GoffsCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

"We looked at him as a foal and debated buying him then, but we thought we’d leave him and see what he’s like next year. It’s reassuring that he came back with Philipp Stauffenberg so we got a chance to look at him again. We thought he’d progressed well so we’re very happy with him.”

As for the vendor himself, he admitted to some anxiety during the bidding process, which was something of a slow-burn, and said: “There were moments where it felt like a worrying situation when he was stuck at a relatively low level. I was pretty sure he would make more than we had paid for him, it was just a question of how much. I can’t complain, it’s not a loss or a huge gain, but he’s a very nice horse and hopefully he will prove that on the racecourse. That’s the main thing.

“I’m pleased he went to a good home and hopefully he will do well for Godolphin. The last two they bought from me have done well, a Teofilo colt called Majestic One and a Night Of Thunder filly named Romantic Style. Hopefully this colt will do us proud.” 

Who does he face?

Of King’s Charter’s 13 rivals, only three have run, the most promising being Starzintheireyes, by, yes, Starspangledbanner and runner-up at Newmarket this month on his debut behind the impressive Field Of Gold.

A few other debutants catch the eye, among them that one’s Ralph Beckett-trained stablemate Valiant Knight, a Clipper Logistics homebred by Ghaiyyath out of Group 3 winner Beyond Desire and therefore a half-brother to Group 3 winner Starlust, also a winner at Listed level this month, and Listed winner Queen Of Desire.

Paragon, trained by Andrew Balding, is by Churchill and out of Winter Beau, an unraced half-sister to Laddies Poker Two, the dam of multiple top-level winner Winter.

Bay City Roller, meanwhile, by New Bay, set ebullient owner Clive Washbourn back €320,000 at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale, when purchased with trainer George Scott. His half-brother Botanical was a close second in the ultra-competitive John Smith’s Cup at York this month.

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