The week-long Goffs November Sale got underway on Monday with a day of commercially-bred foals which generated solid returns for breeders.
The clearance rate came in at 72.5% and the average price was €22,773. The median was €18,000.
A year ago the opening day clearance rate was 75% and the average price was €19,982 and median o€16,000, and it was similar in 2022. Turnover was up by 21% from last year's opening session to €3,834,500.
Monday's top price of €90,000 was also €10,000 higher than on the corresponding day from last year.
It was Guy O'Callaghan from Grangemore Stud who spent the €90,000 and it went on a colt by champion second crop sire Blue Point from Robert Tierney's Mayfield Farm. The breeder bought the dam Emerald Isle (by Exceed And Excel) for for just €12,000 from the Wildenstein dispersal.
O'Callaghan said: “He’s a very nice horse, a cracking horse, by a brilliant stallion and out of an Exceed And Excel mare. We now hope for the best. Trade is very good in there. If you have a good horse, you get well paid. Everyone’s here, everyone’s buying; it’s a very good market.”
Showcasing colt
Tony and Roger O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud gave €88,000 for a Showcasing colt from Windsor Stud, owned by Pat and Frank O'Callaghan, who are related to the purchasers.
The colt is out of the unraced Frankel mare My Only One, whose half-sister Kiyoshi (by Dubawi) was a Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed.
Tally-Ho Stud were the top purchasers on the day, spending €289,000 on four foals.
Another of their Monday acquisitions was a €75,000 colt by their own stallion Starman. Consigned by William Kennedy and John Wall's Stanley Lodge, the colt is the first foal out of the Shamardal mare Miss Blue Sky, a winner in France.
"He is a lovely horse, simple as that," said Roger O'Callaghan.
Templemore, Co Tipperary, breeder Rory Maher sold a Cotai Glory colt for €85,000 to Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud. The price represented a massive profit on the 2,500gns Maher paid for the foal's unraced dam, Cantata (by Oasis Dream) last year.
McCartan said: “He's by a hard-knocking stallion who is capable of getting a very good horse. Marie [McCartan] saw him first and took me to see him. I loved him from the first time I saw him, and I loved him again this morning.
“We had to go to our best to buy him, and he cost a few quid, but I am very happy to have him. He looks like a good horse, with a very good temperament, and he will be back for resale next October.”
Maher said: “We thought he was a fabulous foal from the day he was born; we were stone mad about him. He has great movement, he’s all quality, and has a super attitude. Philip O’Dwyer [Ardreigh Stud], a good friend of ours, consigned the foal. He did a super job. We’ve still got the mare, and she’s in foal to Good Guess.”
Cotai Glory in demand
Tally-Ho Stud stallion Cotai Glory had 15 lots sold on Monday at an average price of €29,267.
Ciaran Conroy's Glenvale Stud gave €72,000 for one of his colts out of the winning Pride Of Dubai mare Fabricated from Sandra Russell.
Tally-Ho themselves paid €64,000 for another colt out of a Markaz half-sister to US Grade 2 winner Quattroelle from Rossenarra Stud.
Ihor and Andre Prokhorchuk, who have worked at Tally-Ho for almost 20 years, also got in on the action, by signing at €62,000 for a Cotai Glory colt out of the listed-placed Dragon Pulse mare Lady Beware, consigned by Owenstown Stud.
Tinnakill touch
Tinnakill House landed a nice touch by selling a first-crop daughter of top sprinter Perfect Power to JC Bloodstock’s Mick Fitzpatrick for €60,000, having bought her dam Cairncross when she was carrying the filly.
"We're delighted with the price, it's a great advert for her first-crop sire,” said Tinnakill House’s Dermot Cantillon. “She walked brilliantly, and had loads of people on her. We couldn’t be more pleased with the price."
Cairncross is a Cape Cross half-sister to stakes winners Dress Rehearsal and Fairy Of The Night. She was bought by Jack Cantillon and the mare is now in foal to Far Above, which Cantillon's Syndicates.Racing stands at Starfield Stud.
Redpender Stud’s Jimmy Murphy stretched to €62,000 for Noralla Stud Farm’s late April-foaled colt by Sioux Nation and out of a Churchill half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Thundering Nights.
“We have a nice Sioux Nation foal at home,” said Murphy. "This colt will come back for resale all being well. He has a good page but still has plenty to do.”
Noralla Stud Farm's Caterina Dargan reported: "He was sold on behalf of Dean Harron, who'll be delighted. He bought the mare at the breeding stock sales, and put her in foal to Sioux Nation, so this was her first produce. He's a very straightforward colt, with a great temperament and a good body, especially considering he's quite a young foal. We're delighted with the price.
"Sioux Nation has been extremely lucky for us, we've supported him from day one. We sold a filly by him here last year for €70,000 and a yearling filly at Goffs Orby this year for €65,000. Sioux Nation is a big, imposing horse, and a great walker. We have some more by him at home and hopefully we'll be able to keep going to him."
There were six foals from the first crop of Minzaal sold at an average price of €28,167. Space Traveller and Persian Force also had strong results from what they had on offer.
All the top 10 lots sold on Monday were colts. Some 15 foals sold for €50,000 or more. The corresponding figure from day one last year was nine.
The sale continues on Tuesday.