€120,000 Colt Tops Strong Goffs For Walk In The Park

A well-related colt topped a strong Goffs December National Hunt Sale for Walk In The Park when selling to Peter Molony for €120,000 this week.

Consigned by Ballyreddin, the May-born foal is out of Polly's Present, a Presenting full-sister to the great Denman, making him a half-sibling to smart pair Go Fast Du Berlais and Hearts Are Trumps.

The page also contains Walk In The Park’s dual Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Gidleigh Park and Regent’s Stroll, second in last season’s Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Molony said: "He's a fabulous horse by the best sire around and with a wonderful pedigree: just really smashing breeding, as good as it gets. He's been bought for a client and he'll come home to Rathmore Stud. He's possibly for resale or he could even go down the academy hurdle route. We'll work out a plan.

“We were very keen to get him and we knew we were going to have to go pretty hard to achieve it.”

The colt was sold on behalf of Louis Vambeck, who added: “He was the standout – a great foal and a lovely mover, and he’s only a baby, born in the middle of May. You don't get a page like that too often. You couldn't get all the heavy black type under the second dam on the page.

“A lot of those horses under the second dam are by Walk In The Park: you have The Enabler, Gidleigh Park and Regent's Stroll, all by the sire. I was lucky enough to buy the mare, and she's back in foal to Walk In The Park again.”

Progeny by Walk In The Park were in huge demand at Kildare Paddocks this week.

Two more foals realised six-figure lots: Mount Armstrong Kildare’s filly out of the high-class Scarlet And Dove who sold to Worthen Hall and Peel Bloodstock for €105,000, plus Ballincurrig House Stud’s colt out of black-type-winning Getaway mare Annie G. He was purchased by Gerry Aherne for €100,000.

Aherne said: “He’s a very, very smart horse out of a good racemare. I didn’t think I’d have to pay that much for him, but when these types of foals come on the market you have to stretch for them. I’m happy to have him but there are no firm plans for him yet. We’ll get him home and see how we go.”

“We’ll see how they develop, give them more time. We won’t have Walk In The Park forever, so we’re going to treat the stock with kid gloves and do the best by them. If they can be early, then all well and good, but if they need time we’ll give them time.”