On a day of drama at Goff UK’s Summer Sale in Doncaster the four-year-old gelding Scarlet Jet proved best of a clutch of British point-to-pointers.
The son of Elusive Pimpernel was knocked down to Kinneston trainer Nick Alexander for £41,000, a handy upgrade on his purchase price as a three-year-old store when bought for €18,000. His purchasers on that occasion were Warwickshire-based Fran and Charlie Poste, who gave Scarlet Jet an introduction to racing at Chaddesley Corbett in late May.
Scarlet Jet (Charlie Case), who was sold to trainer Nick Alexander (Photo: Marilyn Sweet)
Ridden by Charlie Case, he lined up in a ten-runner maiden over three miles and stayed on to lead close home before beating favourite Pethers Run, who had the benefit of a previous outing when second at Eyton-on-Severn earlier in the month.
Steal The Moves and Lady Fortune, who won divisions of the Flat race on the same Chaddesley Corbett card were also sold at Doncaster. Steal The Moves, a £9,000 store purchase, left Katie Croft’s stable when knocked down to Emma Bishop for £21,000, while Lady Fortune returned to Max Comley’s stable but for a new syndicate after being sold for £20,000.
The sale reached a crescendo when a dispersal of horses owned by Chris Giles walked through the ring from Juliet Minton’s Mill House Stud. Regent’s Stroll, a five-year-old unbeaten in two bumper runs for Paul Nicholls, was sold for £660,000 (approx. €785,000), a new record for a jumper in training, beating the €740,000 paid for Caldwell Potter at Tattersalls Ireland earlier this year.
Regent's Stroll, who became the highest-priced jumper sold at public auction when knocked down for £660,000 (Photo: Goffs UK)
Both horses are set to continue racing from Nicholls' stables in Somerset after he pulled together owners within his yard to create syndicates who now own the pair.