Goffs’ week-long November Sale begins at the auction house’s Kill venue on
Monday with an opening 188-lot catalog, reduced by seven withdrawals, reserved
for horses in training.
All the leading establishments are represented, with offerings available from
the stables of Jim Bolger, Tracey Collins, Michael Grassick, Michael Halford,
Ger Lyons, Aidan O’Brien, John Oxx, Kevin Prendergast, David Wachman and Dermot
Weld.
“Goffs’ Horses-in-Training Sale is a leading source of Flat and National Hunt
winners past and future,” Chief Executive Henry Beeby said. “Graduates of this
sale have won over 50 races to date in 2009, both in Ireland and across Europe,
while in recent years buyers have been particularly successful buying horses
coming off the flat to go National Hunt racing. We are confident that buyers
will unearth some real stars of the future in this catalog.”
The second day’s trading sees the first of four weanling sessions, a one-day
reduction on last year’s five-day sale. The book has been reduced from 1280 to
860, which may induce another fall in overall take following last term’s drop of
more than 50 percent.
Foals representing 121 different sires are cataloged, including first-crop
foals from Amadeus Wolf, Dylan Thomas (Ire), Excellent Art (GB), Invasor (Arg),
Manduro, Red Clubs, Strategic Prince and Teofilo. The sale is promoted as a
source of pinhooking success, and graduates to have uplifted the sale’s profile
this term include Paco Boy (Desert Style), who added to last year’s Prix de la
Foret (Fr-G1) win with a victory in June’s Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1) at Royal
Ascot; last term’s Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1) hero Kingsgate Native (Mujdail),
who came back from an aborted stallion career to garner July’s King George S.
(Eng-G3) at Glorious Goodwood; six-length Coventry S. (Eng-G2) winner Canford
Cliffs (Tagula); Radiohead (GB) (Johannesburg), who backed up Royal success in
the Norfolk S. (Eng-G2) with placings in the Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) and Middle
Park S. (Eng-G1); and Richmond S. (Eng-G2) victor Dick Turpin (Arakan).
Highlights of this year’s intake may include Silfield Bloodstock’s Hip No.
759, a Dutch Art half-brother to Prix de l’Abbaye (Fr-G1) heroine Carmine Lake
(Ire) (Royal Academy), and Cahermorris Stables’ Hip 856, a full brother to the
Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) victress Saoire (GB) (Pivotal).
“Goffs priority this year is to focus on quality throughout the calendar and
that theme is central to the November Foal Sale,” Beeby said. “We have targeted
the best bred foals in Ireland, and Irish breeders have worked with us to
provide buyers with a more concise yet superior catalog of top quality foals.
This sale is really all about the pinhooker, and the 2009 yearling sales are
proving yet again that Goffs November Foal Sale is an excellent source of
pinhooking profit. These results together with the benefits of the Goffs/DBS
Loyalty Scheme make this sale simply unmissable for serious foal speculators.”
Breeding Stock takes center stage for the last two days of the week, Saturday
and Sunday, with 527 lots cataloged, 77 fewer than last year. Top class drafts
from His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs, Darley, Derrinstown Stud and Abbeville
and Meadow Court Studs will be offered.
The sale has received a plethora of boosts this term, most notably the Prix
Morny (Fr-G1) success of Arcano (Oasis Dream [GB]), whose dam, Tariysha (Daylami
[Ire]), was sold here for €140,000 in 2005; and the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1)
success of Cavalryman (Halling), whose dam, Silversword (Fr) (Highest Honor
[Fr]) was sold for €35,000 in 2007.
Highlights might include The Aga Khan Studs’ Hip 1023, ELASOUNA (Rainbow
Quest), a full sister to Moyglare Stud S. (Ire-G1) winner Edabiya (Ire) offered
in foal to Dylan Thomas (Ire); Hip 1073, KASTALANA (Key of Luck), an unraced
half-sister to Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) winner Kastoria (Ire) (Selkirk); and
Derrinstown Stud’s Hip 1014, GHAZAL (Gone West), a full sister to sire Elusive
Quality offered in foal to Invincible Spirit.
“As with all Goffs sales, the focus was on quality when compiling the
November Breeding Stock catalog, and we are delighted that vendors have
supported us and produced a catalog that is an excellent representation of the
best of Irish bloodlines,” Beeby said. “The international appeal of this sale is
well documented, in particular with our loyal Indian buyers, and together with
Irish Thoroughbred Marketing we look forward to welcoming a broad range of
overseas visitors to Goffs for the sale.”
Selling starts at midday for the Horses-in-Training sale on Monday. Full
catalog and updates are available at www.goffs.com.