Golden Horde, Goken Offspring Shine at Osarus

A warm Atlantic breeze languidly blew across La Teste-de-Buch Sept. 11, but it was a breeze of a different type that propelled prices at the top of the Osarus Yearling Sale market, with the session's most expensive purchases destined for breeze-up sales in Ireland and Britain next spring. There was nothing languid about Golden Horde (IRE)'s racing career, with the son of Lethal Force (IRE) lightning fast when winning the Commonwealth Cup (G1) and earning third-place honors in both the Sprint Cup (G1) and July Cup (G1) as a 3-year-old. That Haydock result was a memorable one for the chestnut's breeder, James Cloney. A grandson of Pivotal, Golden Horde was retired to Sumbe and his first crop are undergoing sales ring examination. Jean-Claude Ollivier's colt by the Richmond Stakes (G2) winner aced his first test when making €30,000 (US$32,245, €1=US$1.0748) to Nicolas Lefevre of Equos Racing International. "He's one of the nicest colts in the sale; a really big, strong horse who is a great mover," he said. "My client has been looking to buy a yearling by Golden Horde and we tried to get some at v2. He is the pick of the sale for us." His breeder, Ollivier, operates under the Elevage de Traou Land banner and it was at his Brittany farm he also bred Footman Traou Land's dam, a winner of six races. That was another point in his favor for Lefevre, who said: "He comes from a very good breeding farm, his half brother was not far off black type on ratings and Winter Pudding is under his second dam. It's a very good family." Winter Pudding (FR) had been due to run at Longchamp on Sunday in the Prix Niel (G2) but was withdrawn. The 3-year-old listed Pris de l'Avre winner by Seahenge was fifth in the Grand Prix de Paris (G3) and third in the Prix Gerald de Geoffre (G3). His half brother, however, is destined for different Atlantic shores. "He has been bought as a breeze-up horse, and will hopefully go to Ireland for the breeze-up sale there," added Lefevre. Ollivier is the breeder of Winter Pudding and offers his Al Wukair (IRE) half sister as lot 121, the first horse to come under the hammer on Tuesday. Goken Filly Joins the Green Team As Bordeaux is nearby, there was the opportunity to combine supporting Ireland in the Rugby World Cup with a little shopping here, but while Katie McGivern of Derryconnor Stud undertook the latter, she was in France on a family trip to celebrate the birthday of her mother, the pioneering jockey and trainer Joanna Morgan. A filly by Haras de Colleville's Goken (FR) earned a call-up to the Derryconnor breeze-up squad, although McGivern's tight schedule meant that George Mullins was entrusted with the bidding and he struck the match-winning bid at €30,000. "She's for Katie McGivern, who was here this morning and really liked her," remarked Mullins. Consigned by Haras de la Haie Neuve, she is a half sister to a pair of winners, with the best of them, Charly Nova, also second in the listed Prix Herod and Aymeri de Mauleon. The daughter of Myboycharlie (IRE) was third in the Prix Kizil Kourgan and fourth in the Prix des Lilas. The second, and final, session of the Osarus Yearling Sale begins on Tuesday at midday local time (11 am BST).