Hold The Note hits right tune with session-topping £130,000 transfer to Whillans

Tim Radford's highly anticipated draft at Doncaster included a Cheltenham Festival winner in Mister Whitaker but it was the Graded-placed chaser Hold The Note (Lot 632) who stole the show when selling to Brian Jordan for £130,000.

The son of Jeremy is a winner over hurdles but is yet to shed his maiden tag over fences for Mick Channon, though he has produced some admirable efforts including when runner-up to Two For Gold in last year's Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase and when third on his next start in the now defunct novice handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old will be trained by Alistair Whillans, who said: "I liked his form and he's just what we were looking for.

"He's a nice horse and his age is about right; we could have got an older horse for a bit cheaper but we wanted something a bit younger that has more of a future."

It was Donald McCain who secured the services of Mister Whitaker (633), signing the docket for £70,000.

The son of Court Cave enjoyed his finest hour when winning the novice handicap chase at the 2018 festival, and also struck in the Grade 2 Silver Trophy at Prestbury Park two years ago.

Glen Forsa (634), a Grade 2 winner when landing the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Sandown in 2019, completed West Ilsley Stables' three-strong consignment and went the way of Charlie Longsdon for £52,000.

Moonlight Spirit tops Godolphin lots

Godolphin's draft was topped by the high-class Moonlight Spirit (584), an attractive Dubawi gelding who eventually went the way of Jimmy Moffatt and Varlien Vyner-Brooks for £75,000.

The five-year-old won his first three starts for Charlie Appleby and followed up with a third in the Group 3 Prix du Lys and a fourth behind Dashing Willoughby in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.

Out of a full-sister to Pretty Polly Stakes winner Kailani, Moonlight Spirit then won the Group 3 Prix de Lutece at Longchamp before finishing a half-length second to subsequent Prix Royal-Oak winner Technician in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay in 2019.

Dudley Moffatt, the trainer's father, said: "I’ve bought five or six horses from Godolphin, including this horse’s half-brother Alqamar, who jumps like a stag, and won a novices’ hurdle at Ayr this month. At his best this horse was rated 20lb higher than Alqamar.

Moonlight Spirit, a Group 3-winning son of Dubawi, sells to James Moffatt and Varlien Vyner-Brooks for £75,000Credit: Goffs UK

“He’s going to race for Varlien Vyner-Brooks and Dave Simpson, the owners of Alqamar.

"Alqamar might go for another hurdle race, or he could go to Royal Ascot for the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles.”

Preceding Moonlight Spirit into the ring was Cirque Royal (583), a dual winning son of Cape Cross and the well-related Pivotal mare Botanique. He went the way of Ian Ferguson for £27,000.

From the family of Sagaro Stakes winner, Goodwood Cup runner-up and Ascot Gold Cup third Torcedor, the five-year-old will head down the National Hunt route for his new connections.

Speaking on behalf of his father, Paul Ferguson said: "He's been bought for an existing client and he'll be racing from Northern Ireland. He's shown some ability and hopefully he'll be racing around Perth or the north of England."

De Senam heading to Pipe

Romain De Senam (626) holds some high-class form to his name and the Lodge Hill Stables-consigned nine-year-old was knocked down to David Pipe for £45,000.

A consistent performer for Paul Nicholls and then Dan Skelton, the son of Saint Des Saints has been bought to provide his new owners with a runner at Saturday meetings.

Pipe said: "I had an owner that was looking for a highly rated horse who was ready to go in the decent three-mile races. He's a readymade horse and will give the owners some fun at the Saturday meetings."

Romain De Senam: heading to David PipeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Out of the winning Housamix mare Salvatrixe, the nine-year-old was second in the 2016 Fred Winter, while he finished third in the Silver Trophy at Cheltenham last month.

Williams hits the target

Evan Williams made his presence felt over the two-day sale and the Grade 1-winning trainer went to £44,000 to secure Blacko (599), a useful dual winning hurdler for Alan King.

The grey son of Balko hails from a classy family, being out of a half-sister to Michto, winner of the Grade 3 Prix La Perichole and second in the Prix Congress at Auteuil for Guillaume Macaire.

Blacko won his first two hurdle starts at Taunton and Warwick, and was last seen finishing third in a Class 3 handicap chase at Ludlow in March.

Overall report

On the day, 129 lots sold from 140 offered (clearance rate of 92 per cent) for a total of £1,742,300 (a 61 per cent decrease on 2019), an average of £13,506 (-28 per cent) and a median of £9,000 (no change). Over the two sessions of pointers and horses in training, however, the average was up two per cent at £23,169 and the median rose 23 per cent to £12,250.

Reflecting on the week, Goffs UK's managing director Tim Kent said: "It has been a remarkable four days of sales in the Doncaster ring. The incredible demand we witnessed for the National Hunt stores has continued with the horses in training and we are delighted by the record figures that we achieved yesterday, whilst the superb two-day clearance rate of 93 per cent is a graphic illustration of the insatiable demand for horses at all levels of the market.

Tim Kent: 'We strongly feel this sale marks a turning point in the history of our National Hunt sales'Credit: Sarah Farnsworth

“We were certainly hopeful of a healthy Spring Sale, especially following the significant issues faced last year and, like many others, we have been blown away by the level of demand for horses, and it’s another very positive sign for the bloodstock industry following the record-breaking results achieved in the same sales ring just four weeks ago at the breeze-up sale. This is something we can all enjoy and bodes extremely well for all future sales."

He added: “A huge thank you must be extended to everyone who has taken part in this sale throughout the four days. Not only have we returned some record figures and outstanding clearance rates, but the electric atmosphere around the sales complex has been something else for us all to celebrate and makes us believe that we are all some way closer to getting back to normal.

"We strongly feel this sale marks a turning point in the history of our National Hunt sales and we are delighted to have returned the Goffs UK Spring Sale back to the top table – which is exactly where it belongs.”

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