Horses eating ice cream and buying a last-minute Ascot winner: An evening at Goffs London Sale

The auctioneers’ patter rattled like heavy rain on hard ground, the spotters’ whoops echoing like thunder. Laboured similes are as close as this sun-soaked soiree ever comes to bad weather: ‘We had about 10 minutes of drizzle a few years ago,’ reveals Henry Beeby, owner of Goffs, ‘but that’s it.’

This much-blessed event is Goffs London Sale, held in Kensington Palace Gardens on the eve of Royal Ascot. Many of the horses being auctioned are entered at the Berkshire meeting, giving an extra frisson to proceedings: a lucky new owner could make a successful bid and be in the winner’s enclosure a day or two later. Now in its 11th year, this is a sale like no other, with the glamour of the Sport of Kings at its peak.

‘It makes you proud!’ smiles Beeby. ‘We’re a small Irish company, opening the greatest race week on English soil. Look at where we are!’ His gesture takes in the façade of the Upper Lodge of Kensington Palace beyond the rostrum and the big screen displaying the auction lots, the wedding-cake roofline of one of London’s most expensive streets looming over the white tents of main sponsors Fitzwilliam Sports and Privat 3 Money. ‘It’s a huge garden party, a who’s who of racing,’ he adds. ‘The greatest thing is when one I sell here wins at Ascot.’ He had high hopes for Ghostwriter: ‘He’s got it all, pedigree, potential for racing and as a stallion. He should go into seven figures.’

A wise man, Beeby: the offspring of Invincible Spirit and Moorside did, indeed, make those magic seven figures, reaching £2 million. The winning bid was placed by Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing, the latest in a string of notable buys for the Iranian-British football agent. He gave his son Maxi the credit for the choice: ‘To be honest, my son picked this horse out a little while ago and he said: “We’ve got to buy this!” Maxi isn’t here, but I’ve got my adopted son, Alex Elliott with me. He didn’t want to buy it so he doesn’t have any pressure. This one’s on me.’

A three-time winner as a two year old, the bay colt, now five, is entered for the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, June 21. Ghostwriter was offered for sale by Jeff Smith, whose stud manager David Bowe commented: ‘We were sad to lose him, as [trainer] Clive Cox and his team have done a wonderful job with him, and we would have been more than happy to keep him at a certain price, but we thought this was a fair amount. We wish Kia all the best of luck.’

Another Ascot contender, Kingman son Tycoon, entered for the Golden Gates on Saturday, will also join the Amo Racing Squad at £600,000. Further major sales included Woodshauna, bought by American John Stewart for his Resolute Racing team for £625,000, and dark-grey colt Super Soldier at £390,000 by established Danish owners John Christensen and Alice Weiste.

The southern hemisphere was also represented among the buyers, with the First Lady of Australian racing, Gai Waterhouse, buying Fantazy Man for £250,000 (entered in the King George V and Golden Gate stakes), Solar Army at £200,000 and Fairyhouse winner Mo Chroi for £160,000.

The Thoroughbreds being auctioned were present only on the big screen, the noise and crowds of London not being conducive to training, but three gleaming ex-racehorses attended to represent Godolphin Lifetime Care. Founded by the great stud to ensure a good life for ex-racehorses, it proves that no career is barred to them, from showjumping to hunting, polo to pleasure rides.

Manobo, second in the 2022 Dubai World Cup when unbeaten for Charlie Appleby, gave a beautiful display of dressage with Louise Robson, proving, as his rider said, that ex-racehorses are adaptable, intelligent and thrive with a job to do. Parading in his hoofmarks were American-born Man of Promise — also trained by Charlie Appleby and now settled in Newmarket as a GLC ambassador — and darkest-bay Side Glance, trained by Andrew Balding and third to the incomparable Frankel in the 2012 Queen Anne Stakes. Now 18, he enjoyed an ice cream in Kensington Gardens, unfazed by the admiring crowds.

There may not have been a sale comparable to the £5 million taken last year for a daughter of Kingman, Sparkling Plenty, but the median increased by 50%, which, as Beeby noted, demonstrated ‘the depth of the market’. With Pimm’s and Provençal rosé from Léoube circulating alongside morsels from Caper Berry, the sun beating down and jovial auctioneers in Beeby and Nick Nugent — ‘not bidding with your fan, are you?’ — there were still sparkles aplenty at this most glittering of racing affairs.