Dancing Soldier tops Astbury shopping spree at Goresbridge

Image © Healy Racing

Dancing Soldier became the top-priced point-to-pointer sold at Goresbridge since the Co. Kilkenny sales venue restarted thoroughbred auctions, when he headlined their December Sale.

A late addition to the catalogue, having only won his four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk three days earlier, Mick Goff’s Soldier Of Fortune gelding had made that winning start to his career by defeating fellow first timer Too Hot To Trot by a head.

Entering the ring as lot 10a, the bay four-year-old, who had been bought for €30,000 as a store, proved to be the most sought-after horse in the catalogue, as the hammer fell at €90,000 to British-based bloodstock agent Dan Astbury and Welsh trainer Mickey Bowen.

“We bought Mick Goff’s Soldier Of Fortune, who was very, very impressive at the weekend, winning in a very good time,” Astbury said. 

“That was kind of the one that I told Mickey that he had to come over and see. Luckily, we got a couple of extra ones to go to Mickey’s yard, so hopefully plenty to look forward to.”

The pair were busy throughout the afternoon, as they also signed for Eamonn Doyle’s two-time winner Kenzo Des Bruyers.

The Kapgarde five-year-old had won his maiden at Umma House by 22 lengths in October before backing up in a Knockmullen House winners-of-one contest last month, which he dominated by 18 lengths.

He changed hands for €54,000, with Asbury and Bowen also adding Roi Du Roume to their haul for the day, parting with €25,000 to secure Colin Bowe’s Borris House winner.

In total, Astbury signed for a total of five horses, with Harley Dunne’s Port And Brandy (€20,000), and the Eugene O’Sullivan-trained All Rise Malone (€12,000), other point winners to have caught his eye.

Wexford consignors were responsible for the top three lots throughout the day’s trading, with Benny Walsh’s Hi Ho Idaho set to go in training with Cian Collins, after the Meath-based Kerryman parted with €46,000 to secure the Idaho gelding, who had finished third at Boulta ten days earlier.

Meanwhile, Asleep In Court is set to head stateside after he was bought by leading American jumps trainer Mark Beecher.

Paul Pierce’s Court Cave gelding had stepped forward from his Tinahely debut by finishing third at Ballindenisk last Sunday, and he was knocked down to the former jockey-turned trainer for €36,000.