'We had help from above the ring as well' - high emotion as Blue Bresil filly sets British record at £210,000

Hollywood could hardly have scripted the events in Doncaster on Monday as a filly bred by the much-missed Richard Aston set a British record of £210,000 during day one of the Goffs UK Spring Store Sale. 

Just before his passing earlier in the month at the age of 68, Aston told his family of his desire for them to take a business as usual approach at Goldford Stud. His wife Sally and son Charlie fulfilled those wishes to the letter and were rewarded for their stoicism when Highflyer Bloodstock’s David Minton outbid Tom Malone to make the Blue Bresil filly out of Petticoat Tails the most expensive store ever sold in Britain. 

The filly’s pedigree has Aston’s fingerprints all over the first three generations following his private purchase of third dam Fortune’s Girl while he walked through Dublin airport during the mid 90s. 

David Minton signs the docket for the Blue Bresil filly at £210,000Credit: Sarah Farnsworth

The Grade 2-placed Theatre Girl was among four black-type performers Aston bred from Fortune's Girl, and in turn she produced Petticoat Tails, a four-time winner by Presenting who was also runner-up in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle. Minton, who was plainly feeling the poignancy of his purchase, said he had identified the filly as something out of the ordinary during his visits with Aston following the breeder’s cancer diagnosis. 

“I’ve seen her several times because I’d been to see Richard a lot,” said Minton, who signed the docket along with Jerry McGrath. “I’ve loved her all the way through the winter because she’s just beautiful. I saw her again last week, and the week before, and she just stood out.

"I’m very biased towards Blue Bresil and this filly oozed class. I knew we’d have to give 150-plus because you don’t get pedigrees like that. The mare’s just had a Nathaniel colt, who’s to die for too. She’s been bought for a lady owner of Nicky Henderson’s.” 

He added: “I’m chuffed for the Astons because this is Richard’s legacy.” 

A long line of emotional well-wishers formed in the aftermath for the record-setting transaction, and after receiving his share of the congratulations, Charlie Aston, whose day job is with an insurance broker in the city, reflected on the sale by saying: “It’s a bit overwhelming really. We had a lot of help in the ring and we had some help from above the ring as well. It’s fitting that we could do it for Dad because he was good at breaking records here. 

“Doncaster has been very good to us down the years and we’ve got such a good relationship, so it’s the right place for this to happen. She’s a homebred, out of a homebred, out of a homebred, so it’s three generations of this family and she’s the first foal out of the mare and we absolutely loved her.” 

He continued: “We knew that people liked her and she’s been popular with viewings all the way through, but that’s beyond even our wildest dreams. It’s lovely for Mum because it’s been a difficult week, it’s been a difficult few weeks, but it’s days like this that vindicate all the hard work. I can’t think of a more fitting legacy for Dad to leave or a better tribute to him.” 

Charlie and Sally Aston embrace after selling the top lot at the Doncaster saleCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

Richard was on hand when Petticoat Tails’ third foal, a colt by Nathaniel, sold to Abbeylands Farm for £50,000 at the Goffs UK January Sale, and Charlie said plans call for the mare to be rested this season before visiting No Risk At All in 2024. 

Sally also shared her reflections on the fairytale sale, saying: “We did it for Richard, he’d have been so proud of that. Richard told us he wanted us all here and that he wanted us to carry on. Thank God we did. He was right again!” 

She also paid tribute to another key member of the Goldford operation, saying: “Kate Ford has been with us forever and she’s absolutely amazing. She’s never had a day off since Richard became ill and has been by my side the whole time. I wouldn’t have managed without her.” 

The new high mark for a British store surpasses the £200,000 paid by Henrietta Knight for a son of Adlerflug at the Spring Sale 12 months ago. 

The Blue Bresil filly was one of 99 sold lots from a session that concluded with a clearance rate of 77 per cent. Turnover dropped by 15 per cent against the comparable session from 2022 at £2,905,300, while the average was down by nine points at £29,346. The median was clipped in by four per cent at £25,000. 

Ross hoping for more luck with Walk In The Park

The second top lot is set to head to Harry Fry after Kevin Ross outbid Matt Coleman at £95,000 for the Walk In The Park gelding out of Nova Stella. 

The brawny three-year-old was consigned by Galbertstown Stables and connections were rewarded for the patience having retained the youngster at €38,000 when he was offered through Busherstown at Tattersalls Ireland in November 2020. 

Galbertstown Stables' Walk In The Park gelding out of Nova Stella is knocked down to Kevin Ross and Harry Fry for £95,000

“He’s a lovely horse; great outlook, lovely mover and he looks mature as well,” said Ross. “I’ve bought him for Harry Fry and we’ve had three lovely bumper winners by Walk In The Park this year, so we’ve been lucky with the sire too. He just looked like a lovely individual.” 

Ross, with a distinct hint of understatement, added of Walk In The Park: “He’s pretty good all right. He seems to be able to upgrade his mares and puts that bit extra into his progeny.” 

The three bumper winners the agent referenced are Beat The Bat, Gidleigh Park and Goodtimecrew. 

Snowden seeks more success with son of Kamsin

The Jamie Snowden-trained Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well graces the cover of this year’s Spring Store Sale, and the handler has another exciting recruit to look forward to after Tom Malone secured Brown Island Stables’ son of Kamsin at £85,000. 

“I love the pedigree and I’ve had a bit of luck with Kamsin before,” said Malone. “He’s been bought for Jamie Snowden. He’s quite a strong, sharp type of horse so hopefully he'll end up in the [£100,000 Goffs UK-sponsored] bumper at Newbury next year.” 

The three-year-old was making his second appearance at public auction after Johnny Collins pinhooked the youngster at €50,000 from the Arqana Autumn Sale in 2021. The gelding is out of Royale Lombok, a Villez sister to Inoxe Royale and Royale Cazoumaille, both of whom won black-type events over jumps in France. 

Royale Lombok has already bred five winners, headed by the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil scorer Roll On Has, who in turn produced the Grade 3-winning Saint Des Saints mare Roberta Has. 

Malone also struck later in the session when he went to £76,000 for the Time Test filly out of Sea Pride from Wood Hall Sales. The name of champion trainer Paul Nicholls also appeared on the docket. 

King and Skelton on the mark

Other trainers to walk away with a new recruit included Dan Skelton and Alan King, with the former landing an £82,000 son of Cokoriko through Ryan Mahon, while the latter's acquisition came as Minton supplemented his purchase of the top lot with an £75,000 son of Diamond Boy. 

“He’s a very nice horse with a lovely pedigree,” said Mahon after signing for the Ballincurrig House Stud-consigned Cokoriko gelding. 

“He’s got very fluid movement and he’s a nice, big, scopey horse. We’ve had a couple by Cokoriko over the years and done well with them so we’re happy to stand by the sire.” 

Ballincurrig House Stud's Cokoriko gelding out of Parallele sells to Ryan Mahon for £82,000Credit: Sarah Farnsworth

All manner of National Hunt talents appear beneath the Cokoriko’s second dam, including the likes of Raz De Maree and Latitude, dam of Arkwrisht and Vanilla Crush. He was being offered for the second time at public auction having sold to Nicky Bertran de Balanda and Busherstown for €42,000 in Auctav’s online August National Hunt Sale. 

“Kingy and I thought he was one of the nicest geldings in the sale, he’s a lovely horse, gorgeous,” said Minton after purchasing Trickledown Stud’s son of Diamond Boy, whose price had appreciated markedly from his foal valuation of €14,000. 

The Goffs UK Spring Store Sale continues on Tuesday at 11am.

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