'You really need to have the goods at this sale' - the Goffs London Sale returns

After a period of exponential growth, the global sales calendar now features hundreds of dates. But if you think all public auctions are essentially the same, you clearly haven’t been to the Goffs London Sale.

For starters, the unique and boutique event, which returns to its eve of Royal Ascot slot on Monday at 5pm after a two-year Covid-enforced hiatus, is held in the leafy and luxurious setting of Kensington Palace Gardens.

As befits the surroundings, the Schoffel gilets and On-Running trainers that are de rigueur at the sales are swapped for linen suits and summer dresses, and the last time the sale was held, on a baking hot day back in 2019, there was a band, canapés and a surplus of rosé.

The invitation only occasion seems less like a horse auction and more like a high society garden party, with a veritable who's who of international racing, as well as the odd bloodstock journalist or two, in attendance.

Business is not just mixed with pleasure but is practically served over ice and with a cocktail umbrella. However, for all there is an unmistakable sense of fun and frivolity, there is also the more serious matter of some elite racing and breeding prospects coming under the hammer.

The world's first Frankel foal to be offered at public auction in 2014 sold to MV Magnier along with his damCredit: Rod Kirkpatrick/F Stop Press

This year’s catalogue looks typically brimming with promise but does have a lot to live up to given the events that have come before. The inaugural London Sale in 2014 saw Sheikh Fahad Al Thani spend £1.3 million on Cappella Sansevero, who finished second to The Wow Signal in the Coventry Stakes less than 24 hours after changing hands.

That same year, the London Sale also created a small piece of history when the Frankel colt foal out of Crystal Gaze became the first progeny of the unbeaten dual world champion to be offered at public auction. The youngster and his dam duly went the way of Coolmore's MV Magnier at £1.15m.

Other highlights from the sale's past include Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting selling to the China Horse Club for £1.3m in 2016, while the following year saw King Power Racing mark its emergence as a major new player with a £2.05m spend on six lots, including classy types such as Straight Right and Tisbutadream.

Only time will tell what stories this year's sale will play host to, but the high-class mixed catalogue looks certain to pique the interest of buyers far and wide. There is arguably no bigger draw than the opportunity to purchase a readymade Royal Ascot prospect, and a handful of the lots come with an engagement over the five-day meeting.

Michael O'Callaghan offers two juveniles who not only made striking winning debuts but will be presented with engagements at Royal Ascot, with Navan scorer Harry Time (Lot 5) declared for the Coventry Stakes while Crypto Force (24), who beat the highly touted Auguste Rodin when winning a hot-looking Curragh maiden, is bound for the Chesham.

"It's the first post-Covid London Sale so I was keen to have a couple of horses in it," said O'Callaghan. "It's a fantastic idea to have an auction on the eve of Royal Ascot in a great setting when everyone is in town, and if you have the right sorts of horses then there's a bit of a rarity value on them.

"You really need to have the goods at this sale though and these are two of the classiest two-year-olds I've offered at this sale. Harry Time is a very nice horse and won his maiden first time out, which is a very hard thing to do in Ireland.

"He did it in great style, he's come out of the race really well and his work at home has just improved and improved since his run. I think he'll run a big race in the Coventry.

Harry Time: Navan winner will be offered by Michael O'Callaghan at the saleCredit: Patrick McCann

"Crypto Force was a little bit slow away and was far enough back, and when they go steady and horses in front start quickening from three furlongs out, and you've five lengths to make up just to get upsides, it's a difficult thing to do.

"He did it easily though even though he was still green, and when Colin [Keane] really got him motoring he quickened away from them well. I think he'll run a big race in the Chesham and should have some big targets in the autumn after that."

The calibre of horse offered at the London Sale would typically be traded for significant sums on the private market, and O'Callaghan confirmed that Crypto Force in particular had been the subject of plenty of interest already.

He said: "Crypto Force caught a lot of people's imagination and the phone was hopping with people trying to buy him privately. But I've told people that with the sale only a week away the fairest thing to do is put the horse in the auction and let them sort it out themselves.

"There were a few offers made that were very tempting but hopefully people have the confidence to go to the sale and do battle there."

There are a whole host of other high-class racing prospects on offer too, not least Hoo Ya Mal (6), who enhanced his value considerably on his latest outing by finishing a running-on second behind Desert Crown in the Derby.

The son of Territories, who is trained for Ahmad Al Shaikh by Andrew Balding, was given an official rating of 116 for his most recent effort and has been supplemented for this Friday's King Edward VII Stakes.

Other eyecatching types include the progressive three-year-old Tuscan (16), the Group 2-winning Cadillac (20), who also won the Listed Glencairn Stakes by three and three-quarter lengths on his latest start, and the improving Chairman (22), who boasts solid form having struck at Salisbury and Bath on his most recent outings.

There is also Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth Star Girls Aalmal (12), who is entered in the Coronation Stakes.

Breeders are also well catered for as there are breeding rights to up-and-coming sires Aclaim (1), Ardad (2) and Havana Grey (3), as well as a young broodmare with one of the most progressive pedigrees around.

The six-year-old Cartesienne (21) was just a daughter of Pivotal and Modern Ideals when bought by John Grogan for €25,000 in 2019, but the page, and her value, has since exploded with her siblings by Dubawi and Shamardal, who were listed as unraced three years ago, revealing themselves to be none other than Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games and the Listed-winning Modern News.

Further laurels could soon come the family’s way with Modern Ideals’ two-year-old, Godolphin's Exceed And Excel filly Mawj, looking a hugely exciting prospect when winning by almost five lengths on her debut.

"She was well covered and we were hoping that something would come up but we wouldn't dream of what happened," said Grogan when asked what inspired his purchase.

"We always wanted a Pivotal mare and she had two Shamardals and a Dubawi colt foal at the time we bought her, but there was no great insight into what those horses would achieve.”

Grogan has bred two Kodiac fillies from Cartesienne, who will be offered in foal to Lope De Vega, meaning the resulting offspring will be closely related to Modern News.

"The pedigree is just jumping at the moment and she's a mare with a fabulous temperament and she's producing really nice stock,” continued Grogan, who operates out of Milestream Stud in County Tipperary.

"We've only to wait until Monday to find out if she's valuable or not, but if we don't sell her we won't be crying. One half of me is thinking I'd hate to sell her but the other half is saying we have to try and hope for the best. If we can get big money for her, we'll have to sell.”

Whatever happens with the likes of Cartesienne and Crypto Force on Monday, one thing is for sure: you won't want to miss it.

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