'I wouldn't say we got a bargain, but maybe some value' - Doyle delight as No Risk At All colt goes his way at €95,000

Haras de Montaigu’s No Risk At All ended the Goffs December National Hunt Sale with the best average foal price of any sire represented.

The four, all colts, achieved an average of €78,750 from a covering fee of €18,000 and occupied three of the five highest slots in the foal-price charts.

Over three sessions of foals, a total of 610 youngsters were offered for sale, which was 103 fewer than over four days last year.

This time around 401 were sold, compared to 424 last year, with the clearance rate consequently improving to 67 per cent from 59 per cent.

The three sessions generated €6,533,700 in turnover, which was a dip of four points on last year's figure, while the average increased slightly, by a single percentage point, to €16,294, with the median dropping eight per cent to €11,000 from €12,000.

Wednesday's session produced the most expensive foal of the No Risk At All quartet, a Rathmore Stud-consigned colt out of a Listed-winning daughter of Great Pretender. Initially it appeared that it was Peter Vaughan of Moanmore Stables who had popped up on the balcony.

With a theatrical twist worthy of the stage, Vaughan revealed that his sole intervention in the bidding was on behalf of Ross Doyle, who had appeared to bow out of the play before it reached its thrilling denouement.

That €95,000 strike was in tandem with Doyle, a novel plot twist of misdirection that threw everyone, including underbidder Kieran Shields, off the scent.

Peter Vaughan, who helped Ross Doyle buy the session-topping No Risk At All foalCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Doyle's client will be hoping for a satisfactory resolution to the second act of this story as the agent confirmed the colt will be aimed at the Goffs Arkle Sale of 2027.

"He was a standout in the catalogue even before you went to see him, and he didn't disappoint when you looked at him," he said. "He is a very good physical by a very good stallion, out of a very good mare, and comes from a good home."

Considering Tuesday's record-breaking price of €160,000 and the previous sales of No Risk At All colts for €92,000 and €80,000 earlier in the week, Doyle was asked if not having to go to six figures represented a bargain of sorts.

"I wouldn't say we got a bargain, but maybe some value," he suggested. "Time will tell but we are very happy."

The first foal out of Morgan Has, the dark brown colt looks as though he will come to hand early.

The buyer concurred, saying: "He's a very racy type, but he's got a bit of size to him at this stage, which is nice. Fingers crossed everything goes well, but he is a very correct horse and hopefully we get a bit of luck now."

This colt's six-year-old dam won three times in her native France, with the highlight of her career being victory in Pau's Listed Prix Antoine de Palaminy Chase. She is out of a Listed Prix Wild Monarch winner in Califet mare Momita Has. She in turn is a half-sister to the Grade 1 Prix Renaud du Vivier Hurdle winner and young Haras du Hoguenet sire Moises Has.

Morgan Has was covered by Walk In The Park this year and her owner, Shane Carmody, also bred the Walk In The Park colt sold by Rathmore Stud to Gerry Aherne on Tuesday for €68,000.

Aherne goes for a Walk In The Park

Having signed for that colt, Aherne was very complimentary about the broodmare band that Rathmore Stud's Peter Molony has already assembled for Carmody.

Doyle and Vaughan's sleight of hand was unpredictable but the identity of the purchaser of the Walk In The Park colt sold just two lots later was anything but unforeseen.

If there is an impressive Walk In The Park foal selling, then it's a racing certainty that the key member of Coolmore's bidding team will be doing his level best to buy the foal.

Gerry Aherne in conference at GoffsCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

This week Aherne, who along with his family bred Irish 2,000 Guineas and Prix Jacques le Marois victor Romanised, bought two of the three most expensive colts by Walk In The Park and was the underbidder on the record-breaking top lot.

One of his purchases on Wednesday morning was Zoe Tolson's half-brother to the 2020 Triumph Hurdle heroine Burning Victory, a daughter of Nathaniel who was last seen when fourth to Kyprios in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot two years ago for the Galopin Des Champs team of Audrey Turley and Willie Mullins.

Considering his penchant for Walk In The Park's foals, it was an obvious starting point for the conversation with the media once purchasing formalities were concluded.

"We are fans because he's the best," he stated simply.

However, where the answer diverged from previous responses was in plans for the half-brother to four winners.

Aherne said: "This foal is different [from the others bought this week] as we might reoffer him for sale. We know a lot about the family; he's a very well-bred horse, a baby, a very young horse [born June 3]. We thought he was very nice but we didn't think that we would have to give as much for him, but there you are – we have him now."

There was a notable trend towards younger foals in the catalogue with a small but significant number of them born later in May and, like this colt, into June and Aherne reflected on the timing of this auction in his positive assessment of the marketplace.

"The sale gives them that extra month and makes all the difference," he said. "Trade has been good for the right horse and for a lot of customers. Everyone is playing down the game at the moment, but there are plenty of people out there who love this jumping game. Everything will be okay – it's not as bad as people are making it out to be."

Beaming breeder

One person who would agree with Aherne's view is the breeder and consignor of the colt, Tolson, who is originally from Surrey but is now based outside Cork with her partner Tim Dineen.

Bloodstock agent Richard Venn sourced the dam M'Oubliez Pas, in foal to City Light, for Tolson at auction in France four years ago as the eventing and dressage rider moved into the bloodstock world.

Zoe Tolson with her homebred Walk In The Park half-brother to Burning VictoryCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

“I'm absolutely overwhelmed, it’s just brilliant," she beamed.

“M’Oubliez Pas is the most lovely mare. She’s always produced good foals, and she’s very nice herself – not just nice looking, but nice to work with and have around as well. She’s got a rising three-year-old Nathaniel filly, so a full-sister to Burning Victory, who’ll be going to the sales. We’re really looking forward to her."

The 17-year-old daughter of El Corredor was second in the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux and is back in foal to Walk In The Park. She is out of the Listed winner Manureva, a Nureyev half-sister to the Group 1 winners Septieme Ciel and Macoumba, and their dam is the Group 1 Prix de la Salamandre winner Maximova, who was placed in both the Irish 1,1000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

Burning Victory produced her first foal this year, a Lope De Vega filly named Lady Letita for Graham and Audrey Turley, and returned to Ballylinch Stud's leading sire for her second covering.

Tolson had previously prepped her foals but sold them through other outfits, including Walshtown Stables, so Wednesday's was a successful consigning debut.

She said: “I’m used to doing foals but this is the first ever draft under my name. I prepped them myself, so I’m over the moon to get this result. If you’ve got the quality, the market is very strong. You’ve got to believe in what you’ve got.

"The other foal we brought to the sale [an Affinisea colt] will be coming home with us, but that’s fine. We might bring him back to the sales as a three-year-old, or we might even put him in training."

Champion Hurdle winners Charlie Swan and Norman Williamson at GoffsCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Burgage Stud's Jukebox Jury enjoyed a fine sale, with his progeny averaging €23,630 for 27 sold from 31 offered this week, which was bettered only by Walk In The Park and Blue Bresil of the Irish-based stallions.

A colt by the sire of multiple Grade 1-winning novice chaser Il Etait Temps made €52,000 on Wednesday and he won't be moving far from Burgage Stud as his new home will be just down the R448 at Redpender Stud.

Brian and Eoghan Murphy bought the colt, the second foal out of Quizzical Bay, who ran three times in point-to-points and is an Ask half-sister to Gun Digger, successful in the Grade B Carrickmines Handicap Chase at Leopardstown for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.

Eoghan Murphy remarked: "He's a lovely foal and Jukebox Jury is doing well at the minute; they all like him. Hopefully he will be back at a store sale in the future. He's a nice foal, a good walker, and a good size for a May foal and from a young family. He is our first purchase this week."

Inbred 3x3 to Sadler's Wells, the colt is a full-brother to a yearling who made €15,000 last December to White Horse Stud.

Dermo's Boy, the four-year-old Shirocco half-brother to Quizzical Bay, was third in a Catterick bumper for Chris Grant last month on his track debut.

More from the Goffs December National Hunt Sale:

'This is a special moment for me' - breeder's delight as €160,000 Walk In The Park foal becomes a record breaker 

'He was always a smasher' - €92,000 No Risk At All colt heads to Tally-Ho Stud 

'This foal has a proper pedigree' - €80,000 No Risk At All colt brings festive cheer for Ballincurrig House Stud