Fortune's Girl the star turn at DBS

The NH Foal section of the DBS January Sales returned a healthy trade that was topped by an offering from Goldford Stud who was out of Richard Aston's star mare Fortune's Girl. She realised the highest price of the day when selling to Richard Haggas for £50,000 and helped to return a set of figures that showed improvement on 2009 with a turnover that increasedby 100% to £795,500 and an average that hadincreased by 18% to £7,530 and a median thatincreased by 5.3% to £4,000.

The daughter of King's Theatre has plenty of residual value once her racing days are over as the march born filly is a full sister to the Listed placed Theatre Girl and a half-sister to the Grade 2winning Diamond Sal, the Listed winning,Grade 2 placed Ring The Boss and the Listed placed Conflictofinterest.

The full sister to Theatre Girl sold to Richard Haggas for £50,000

Fortunes Girl has been a real success story for Goldford Stud with each of her foals to hit the ring selling for £40,000 or more. They include Ring The Boss, one of a number out of the mare that has already passed through Haggas' hands including the £90,000 sale topper at the DBS Spring Store Sales 2009. Following the successful purchase, Haggas commented:

'This is the fourth I've had out of the mare, and she's never let me down. I've sold them for 200,000gns, 100,000gns and £90,000. We've got a long time to decide what we'll do with this one.'

Ian Ferguson paid the second highest price for a NH Foal when purchasing a Flemensfirth colt out of Maid For Adventure for £36,000. The Galbertstown Stud offering comes from a prominent winning family and attracted interest from many of the leading pinhookers, including Brian Murphy, before the hammer came down in favour of Ferguson.

A Presenting colt out of the Listed placed Rosie Redman caught the eye of one of the BBM Foal Show judges when falling the Eugene McDermott of Kennycourt Stud. The son of the leading NH sire and the seven time winning chaser was offered by Brampton Hall Stud and is likely to be reoffered at the Store Sales.

Other highlights included the big walking Kayf Tara filly out of the Listed winning Heltornic who was offered by Trickledown Stud. The February born filly had plenty of residual value once her racing days are over and was bought by owner and breeder Simon Hubbard-Rodwell after he saw of interest from many different parties. The full brother to the Grade2 winning Riverside Theatre was another that was expected to be popular and the son of King's Theatre sold to Mark Pitman for £28,000.

The total sale figures also showed significant improvement on 2009 and following the conclusion of the sale, DBS Managing Director Henry Beeby said:

'British National Hunt breeders have always had a viable outlet for National Hunt foals at Doncaster but the point has really been made today. Whilst the trade has undoubtedly been selective at the lower end of the market there have been some lively exchanges for the better bred foals highlighted by the top price for Richard and Sally Aston's beautifully bred filly. Over the last few years we have made no secret of our frustration that so many British breeders have ignored this sale in favour of the competition in Ireland but we certainly turned a corner last year and were rewarded with great support in this catalogue meaning that we feel we can justifiably promote the sale as the first choice for domestic breeders. That support led to an increased average and median with the former statistic rising by an impressive 18%.

The clearance rate reflects both the increased catalogue and the ongoing selectivity of the market but it continues to demonstrate that we live in tough times and we certainly acknowledge that there is a long way to go to full recovery. However we continue to focus on the positives and the huge crowds over the last two days clearly illustrate that the industry is working in a most proactive way to keep the wheel turning. We are extremely grateful to our vendors and our purchasers for their ongoing support and we will strive to continue to improve the service we provide. To that end we will review the format of the sale as it would seem preferable to sell the foals on the same day as the Show although the bigger numbers this year would preclude that plan. As ever we will listen to the feedback of our clients and review the position in the fullness of time.'

NH Foal Comparative Figures

Total Sale Comparative Figures

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Son of Definite Artcile wins BBM Foal Show

A son of Definite Article consigned Peter Nolan's Jamestown Consignment collected the £2,500 first colts' prize at the BBM Kenneth Oliver Memorial Foal Show Championship prior to the start of the DBS January Sales. Out of the Turgeon mare Talk Of Rain, he will be offered on Wednesday as Lot number 252 and finished one place ahead of an own brother to the Grade2 winning Hell's Bay who was offered by Jethro Bloodstock. The son of Presenting is out of an own sister to theGrade 1 winning Viking Flagship and will be offered as Lot number 419.

Lot number 401 took the fillies' class, also carrying a £2,500 first prize. A daughter of Presenting offered by breeder David Jenks through Wickfield Stud, the May-born filly is out of No More Money, a half-sister to Grand National winner Red Marauder. She finished one place ahead of a Goldford Stud consigned King's Theatre filly out of Fortune's Girl, which makes her an own sister to the Listed placed Theatre Girl and a half sister to the Grade 2 winners Diamond Sal and Ring The Boss.

David Jenks receives the prize for the fillies class from Gavin Pritchard-Gordon and Rhona Oliver

The show was judged by Bloodstock Agent Aiden Murphy, Kennycourt Stud's Eugene McDermott and Scottish breeder Robert Robinson.

BBM Kenneth Oliver Foal Show Championship Results

The show was followed by the parade of 17 stallions that preceded the sale of Horses in Training, NH Yearlings and Flat Breedingstock. This section was topped by an offering from Willie McKay's Martins Grange Stables when the 88-rated handicapper Internationaldebut sold to Paul Midgley for £25,000.

The NH Yearling section was topped by a Priolo filly out of an own sister to the 13 time Grade 1winner Kauto Star. The active filly attracted interest from French agent Guy Petit and other leading NH Breeders before the hammer came down in favour of Stephen Kemble for £18,000.

Comparative Figures