'We've lived the dream every step of the way with her' - Middleham Park star Marie's Rock sells for €155,000

As a wintry sun set over a Kildare Paddocks auction for the final night this year, time was also up on Middleham Park Racing's sparkling journey with their dual Grade 1 heroine Marie's Rock, who was sold for €155,000 at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale.

Triumphant in Cheltenham's David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Annie Power Mares Champion Hurdle, the nine-year-old daughter of Milan will now become a broodmare for the Mariga family, who have invested heavily over the past six years.

That story is unwritten for now, but the tale of Marie's Rock and her glittering career, which brought her owners – Middleham Park Racing XLII – to the pinnacle of every owner's ambitions, is at an end, and Tom Palin, bloodstock and National Hunt manager for the syndicate, was in reflective mood.

"It is a very emotional day, I am struggling to remember a time when we didn't have her, she's been with us for a good six years now," he said. "We are sorry to see her go but I am delighted that she has gone to such a good home."

The Marie's Rock and Middleham Park story began at the place where it has concluded, for now, as Highflyer Bloodstock bought the Milan mare for €35,000 from her breeder Dan Breen through Railstown Stud at the Land Rover (now Arkle) Sale of 2018.

Sent to the Seven Barrows academy of Nicky Henderson, Marie's Rock was a quick learner and earned her first Listed success on just her third start. From that Taunton win, Marie's Rock took the syndicate members all the way to the peak of the sport.

Members of the Middleham Park Racing syndicate came to Goffs to bid farewell to Marie's RockCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

"We have lived the dream every step of the way with her, it has been an emotional ride, we have had our lows and we have had the highest of highs," said Palin, who was accompanied by several of her owners who had made the trip to Goffs to bid farewell to their star.

The highest of highs include that Cheltenham triumph, the zenith of her achievements, but she also beat the geldings when victorious in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle and she showcased her versatility earning black type on the Flat on her final start, when second in the Listed Beckford Stakes at Bath in October.

Palin remarked: "Mares like her are few and far between, and she has been an absolute pleasure to own. We are very lucky that we were able to secure her in the first place, then her toughness and her soundness shone through.

"She has fantastic battling qualities and I am sure she will pass every bit of those on to her foals. We wish her new connections the absolute best."

The possibility of a sequel to the story is very much alive, with Coolmara Stables notable for bringing their stock to market, and Palin would be delighted to see any of her future foals carry the famous blue and orange Middleham Park silks.

"It would be lovely if the story could come full circle and we could secure some of her progeny in the future and, who knows, if Mr Henderson is willing to have them at the time, there will always be a stable for them there I am sure," he added.

On such a chilly December evening, prospective purchasers of Marie's Rock took their time warming up for the mare, who was offered by Clonbonny Stud.

Ger O'Leary signing for Marie's Rock at €155,000Credit: Sophie Webber Photography

Bidding opened at €20,000 and stalled at several junctions, with Henry Beeby cajoling the bidders into a more rhythmic beat. Ger O'Leary who was secreted in the pocket and glued to the wall that rises up from the seats, was visible to only part of the ring, but he was in the line of sight of the person who mattered most; the man wielding the gavel and, when Beeby asked for €155,000 O'Leary's festive Goffs woolly hat nodded in assent.

There was to be no rejoinder from the rival bidders and O'Leary had secured yet another star off the track to join the Mariga family's ever-expanding broodmare band, which includes Zarkareva, purchased for €240,000 at last year's Goffs December National Hunt Sale, and Listed winner and Grade 1-placed Tintangle, who was acquired, in foal to Crystal Ocean, for €190,000 two years prior to Zarkareva.

Speaking after completing the formalities, O'Leary stated: "She was an outstanding racemare and she is the standout mare here. She was the pick of the bunch, she is absolutely gorgeous, a lovely clean-limbed mare, a great step to her and , sure, she was ticking all the boxes.

"She's for Coolmara Stables, the Mariga family, and today was a case of getting her on the books. Now we will get her home and take it from there. She is going to be part of a brilliant broodmare band, and I hope to God she will be very lucky."

Her neighbours on the east Cork farm also include the likes of Petite Parisienne, Grangee, Vegas Blue, Tocororo and Maskada.

'I don't think we could improve on what Willie has done'

From the yard of champion trainer Willie Mullins came the Grade 1 EBF Mares Novice Hurdle winner Brandy Love and the Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed Pink In The Park as successive lots.

Nick Nugent was on the rostrum but "Brandy with a y", as the irrepressible auctioneer pointed out, failed to sell and was bought back at €115,000. However, that disappointment was short-lived when Pink In The Park was knocked down to Frank O'Meara on behalf of Powerstown Stud for €120,000.

Willie Mullins deep in conversation with ITM's Charles O'Neill at GoffsCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Speaking later by phone, Tom Whitehead was effusive in his praise of the seven-year-old by Walk In The Park, who is the broodmare sire of last weekend's Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase winner L'Eau Du Sud, as well as Louisa Carberry's champion Gran Diose.

He said: "She is a lovely mare and was a good racemare and that seems to be what everyone is looking for now. We will get her home and in the spring will give her a good cover. We will do our best for her."

Asked if he might be tempted to race her again, he said: "No. I don't think we could improve on what Willie has done."

"I like the family; it goes back to a great Parkhill female line and it is one of the best in the stud book," Whitehead added, and that could be seen as something of an understatement.

So prolific is that family, descended from the Parkhills' great broodmare High Board, that there isn't even room on the page for the Grade 1 winner Ferny Hollow, who sadly died at the weekend.

The Cheltenham hero, like Pink In The Park, boasts High Board as his third dam. She earned herself a spot in the annals as the dam of the Champion Hurdle winners and full-brothers Granville Again and Morley Street, who was also victorious four times in the Liverpool Hurdle.

The High Line mare is the second dam of the Grade 1 Ascot Chase winner Hand Inn Hand and Lovethehigherlaw, successful in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown festival for Pink In The Park's trainer Mullins.

Through her Un Desperado daughter Victorine, High Board is also the second dam of the Mulryans' Grade 1 Neptune Investments Novices' Hurdle winner City Island. Victorine herself is the second dam of Fury Road, triumphant in the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novice Chase, and the second dam of Pink In The Park.

Harmonya under arrest

Boardsmill Stud's new sire Arrest is certain to be one of the most popular stallions in Ireland in the spring as the Classic-placed son of Frankel embarks on a new career.

It continues the successful relationship between the Flood family and Juddmonte following on from Court Cave, a homebred for Prince Khalid who became a Cheltenham Festival and Grade 1 sire under the management of the Boardsmill team.

Frank O'Meara signing for Pink In The Park on behalf of Powerstown StudCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Bidding on behalf of a client, John Flood secured Grade 2 Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase winner Harmonya Maker for €60,000.

Consigned by Peter Molony's Rathmore Stud and offered in foal to Blue Bresil, the seven-year-old was Listed-placed in a bumper and over hurdles, and defeated Brandy Love at Gowran last year over fences.

Bred by Ghislain Coutre, Harmonya Maker is from the final crop of Saddler Maker, sire of Apple's Jade, and is out of Hahyasi, a placed daughter of Kahyasi.

Hahyasi's dam, Rainbird, is a Rainbow Quest full-sister to the Listed winner Skipping and a half-sister to Group 3-placed Minority, dam of the French champion two-year-old filly Proportional.

Rainbird is also a half-sister to the Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes winner Folk Opera, granddam of the brilliant history-making Romantic Warrior.

Flood said of the seven-year-old: "Harmonya Maker will suit Arrest, who arrived with us two weeks ago.

"We have only just started showing him, but he's been very well received so far. He has a great temperament, and he's settled in very quickly. He's a lovely, big imposing horse with a great walk, so hopefully he’ll be popular."

One Boardsmill Stud stallion who has proved consistently popular since switching to the farm is Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Poet's Word.

The grandson of Dubawi has a small crop of mainly Flat-bred four-year-olds but it contains the Grade 3 Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle runner-up Pacini. His first Irish-bred crop turns four in a three weeks' time, with early reports on them positive.

Pink In The Park sells for €120,000 at GoffsCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Flood said: "They have held up very well because he didn't really suffer much of a dip at all waiting for his runners, I think the few Flat runners he had showed ability and that kept him in people's minds.

"The word so far is positive for his three-year-olds and he seems to have a good number of them in training so hopefully they can go on and do it on the track and in the point-to-points."

Flood's other purchase, the Grade 3 Like A Butterfly Chase third Music Of Tara, who cost €68,000 from Henry de Bromhead, will be visiting Poet's Word at some stage.

"Music Of Tara may be raced on, and might suit Poet’s Word more in future," added Flood.

Also seven, the Kayf Tara mare has won over hurdles and fences and is out of Mayfair Music, who was successful in the Listed Doncaster Mares' Novices' Hurdle for Nicky Henderson.

She is a Presenting half-sister to Cheltenham Festival winner Beware The Bear and the Graded-placed mares Oscar Nominee and Stephanie Kate out of Native Bid, who was also a Listed winner.

A tough day for selling mares, as the National Hunt market appears to be at present, saw just five of the 36 sold on Wednesday make in excess of €50,000.

Mountain View Stud purchased the Grade 3 Liss A Paoraigh Mares' Flat Race third Choice Of Words, in foal to Authorized, for €52,000. The nine-year-old daughter of Yeats was offered by Rathmore Stud, who purchased her last February at Goffs for €30,000 from Baroda Stud.

Statistical round-up

The mares' section of the sale produced a clearance rate of 65 per cent, which remained steadily consistent across each session of the sale. The 37 mares who were sold on Wednesday evening generated turnover of €1,000,700, with the average price at €27,798 and the median coming in at €17,000.

During three days of trading at Kildare Paddocks, 439 horses were sold of the 672 offered, a clearance rate of 65 per cent, which was up on last year's figure of 59 per cent.

The Middleham Park team supporting Marie's RockCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Six per cent fewer horses were sold this year compared with last year and that contributed to a decline in turnover, which was down eight per cent to €7,525,900 year-on-year.

The average of €17,144 dipped by two points, while the median fell four per cent from €12,000 in 2023 to €11,500 this week.

End-of-sale statement

For the third year in succession, the Goffs December National Hunt Sale was the source of the highest-priced National Hunt foal and broodmare at public auction, and in his closing statement Henry Beeby, Goffs group chief executive, noted the growth of the sale in stature and profile.

"From small beginnings our National Hunt team have worked tirelessly with National Hunt breeders to provide a market that is now the first choice for so many in the category," he said. "We are proud that Goffs is now seen as the market leader by so many in the National Hunt world, whether it is for the mares and foals this week or in the store sector with the Arkle Sale."

However he was quick to point out that it will be a bleak midwinter for many.

"All that said, we acknowledge the challenging nature of the National Hunt market away from the headlines," he said. "While our clearance rate has improved, it is not where we would all like to see it and the sales ring can be a lonely place if you don’t have exactly what the market wants. As ever, our commitment to Irish breeders remains steadfast.

"We will work for you and do everything in our power to create the most vibrant market for every horse you entrust to us. That is the point of Goffs and why we exist. From foal to mare, Flat and National Hunt, €1,000 lots to seven-figure sales-toppers, the team at Goffs is passionate about what we do and how we do it.

Goffs after dark on the final evening of the December National Hunt SaleCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

"We will continue to invest in Kildare Paddocks and in Irish racing as we believe passionately in Irish horses, Irish racing and the Irish thoroughbred industry. In closing, I repeat our thanks to every vendor and each purchaser for the trust both entities place in Goffs with every transaction. Nothing is taken for granted and we remain as ambitious as ever for every visitor to our sales."

Beeby also highlighted the commitment of those who work tirelessly at the sales to provide the best possible care for the horses with whom they are entrusted.

"I also want to acknowledge the hard work of all the staff who work literally night and day to show and present the horses at each sale," he said. "They are so often the unsung heroes of the act but their dedication and obvious love for each horse in their care is always a joy to see, while the camaraderie and support offered across each sale is inspiring.

"For now, we wish all Goffs clients a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year, and look forward to welcoming each and every one back to Kildare Paddocks in 2025."

All the news from the December National Hunt Sale

'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 

'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 

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