The major European foal sales concluded at Tattersalls on Saturday, 2 December and there were plenty of reasons to be cheerful for breeders who had patronised young Darley stallions Golden Horn and Night Of Thunder during their first seasons at stud.
Golden Horn posted a very healthy 2017 foal average of just under £182,000. His highest price to date is 325,000 guineas, given by Godolphin for Deerpark Stud’s smashing colt (pictured) out of the well-bred winner Elegant Shadow. The dam is herself a granddaughter of brilliant racemare and multiple Champion Elle Danzig.
Another well-connected foal by Golden Horn to successfully go through the ring last week was Old Buckenham Stud’s colt out of Mia Diletta, also dam of Poet’s Voice’s Classic winner Poeta Diletto. He attracted a final bid of 300,000 guineas.
The previous week at Goffs, Golden Horn’s filly out of the winning mare Hikari was knocked down to Cheval Invest for €290,000. The mare is a half-sister to Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Raymi Coya and is from the family of German Champion juvenile Somethingdifferent.
2,000 Guineas and G1 Lockinge winner Night Of Thunder also saw his first foals go under the hammer, and they sold for up to 200,000 guineas.
This top price was paid by Jamie Railton for a colt out of four-time winner Travel, who is herself closely related to Eight Belles and hails from a US family packed with Black Type winners.
Night Of Thunder’s highest-priced filly was the Petches Farm-consigned daughter of Group performer Travel, who was bought by Godolphin for 120,000 guineas at Tattersalls.
