ONE industry figure described Book 2 of the Goffs Orby Sale as “a different kettle of fish” compared to the preceding Book 1, which saw very solid figures across the key market indices and a couple of seven-figure standouts.
Trade may have proved slightly more challenging, especially during the opening stages of yesterday’s session but with around 40 lots still to sell, Book 2, formerly the Sportsman’s Sale, had generated three six-figure transactions and average and median prices broadly in line with last year’s results. At 5.30pm, with 25 lots remaining, the clearance rate was running at just under 76%.
Breeze-up pinhookers were out in force throughout the two days of Book 2, with the market led by the Sea The Stars colt out of Valais Girl offered by The Castlebridge Consignment on Thursday. Johnny Hassett, signing as JCH Bloodstock, outlasted Tony O’Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud with a bid of €160,000.
Bred by the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holding Inc, the youngster boasted one of the catalogue’s stronger pages being a full-brother to German Group 3 winner Alpen Rose. There is classic form back in the pedigree too as the colt’s third dam is 1000 Guineas winner Sleepytime.
“I bought him to breeze, although I didn’t think I’d have to give that price for him,” said Hassett. “I thought €100,000 would buy him. He’s by Sea The Stars and a full sibling to a Group horse. I just think he’s a belter. Emma Chilcot and Becky Monaghan picked him out and he’ll probably go to Arqana. I’ve breezed two by Sea The Stars before and they were both lucky.”
The six-figure lot was Hassett’s second purchase by Sea The Stars on the day, having also secured the colt out of Group 3 Prix d’Aumale scorer Shahah, another bred by Sunderland Holding Inc and offered by Castlebridge, at €68,000.
Thursday’s brace took Hassett’s Orby haul to four, having also sourced a €100,000 daughter of Too Darn Hot and a €60,000 Wootton Bassett filly during Book 1. Despite the Orby spree, Hassett said he intends to be down on numbers but up on quality for next year’s breeze-up sales.
“I’m probably going to have less horses than I had last year, but I’m probably going to spend as much, if not more,” he said. “We’re trying to up our game every year and we also want to produce racehorses. We started off breezing cheap horses and got on well producing winners, but you need a big horse, and that means buying a big horse!”
Thursday’s session featured one other six-figure transaction, with Clare Manning’s Boherguy Stud selling the three-parts brother to Beresford Stakes third Young Ireland for €100,000. Adam Potts signed the docket as SSF. The son of Teofilo was bred by Jim Bolger and is out of Ard Fheis, a Lil’s Boy half-sister to Soldier Of Fortune and Heliostatic.
THE leading light from yesterday’s session was the Night Of Thunder filly out of Jahafil offered on behalf of Shadwell by Derrinstown Stud. Doyen of the breeze-up scene Willie Browne made a determined play for the well-bred youngster but had to give best when Maciej Jodlowski, a leading trainer in Poland, pushed the price to €140,000.
The filly is the second foal out of Jahafil, an unraced daughter of Kingman and Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Oaks and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Taghrooda.
A representative of Jodlowski said: “She’s a beautiful filly by one of the best sires in the world and from a fantastic Shadwell family. She’ll come back to Poland and hopefully win some nice races.”
The trainer also indicated he would be returning to Goffs for another buying mission at the October Yearling Sale. The six-figure acquisition is not the only big news for Polish racing, as the country will host its first race to be granted listed status by the European Pattern Committee at Tor Sluzewiec racecourse in Warsaw on Sunday.
Galiway gaining momentum
The gathering momentum behind Haras de Colleville’s Galiway was in evidence when Ross Doyle went to €95,000 for Grove Stud’s half-brother to listed winner Extreme Fast during yesterday’s session. Bred by Framont Limited, the colt is out of Extreme Green, a Motivator half-sister to George Strawbridge’s brilliant racemare Moonlight Cloud.
The youngster is from Galiway’s sixth crop and was conceived at a fee of €12,000 in the year following the sire’s Group 1 breakthrough with Sealiway, winner of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere by eight lengths from Nando Parrado. Despite starting out at €3,000, Galiway has spent the last two seasons at a career high of €30,000.
“He wouldn’t have looked out of place in the first two days here in Book 1, and that’s nothing against Book 2 because he’s just an outstanding individual,” said Doyle. “He’s been very well prepared by Grove Stud as usual. He’s a good size, a good walker, a bit of a standout really. He’ll stay in Ireland by the sounds of it as he’s been bought for a partnership being put together by a client. I’m not sure who’ll train him yet.”
Peter and Ross Doyle signed for 12 yearlings during Book 1 for an outlay of €1,598,000 and added a further five during Book 2. Reflecting on the events over the four days Ross said: “It’s gone very well and most of them, bar one, have already been sold, which is the most important thing. It’s been strong trade with some very nice horses and lots of international buyers. It’s a credit to everyone; Goffs, vendors and buyers.”
Newlands House Stud’s Bungle Inthejungle sister to Funny Money Honey looked to have the Marnane family name all over her and, when the hammer fell at €95,000, it transpired the winning bid had come from none other than Con Marnane.
The connection stems from Funny Money Honey, who won the Listed Legacy Stakes in the colours of Theresa Marnane after being picked up for just €11,500. She was sold on to American operation Bonne Chance Farm for 165,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
“She’s the nicest yearling we’ve seen all year, a pure cracker,” said Amy Marnane, before her father joined in to add: “We had the full-sister, Funny Money Honey, and we’ll more than likely race this filly. She’s a long-term broodmare prospect.
“We’ll race her first and hopefully she’s able to gallop as she looks like she can fly. As far as we’re concerned, Pat Burns is the best breeder in Ireland, pound for pound. He only has eight or nine mares but just keeps coming up with stakes horses the whole time.”
The Marnanes are fully paid up members of the Bungle Inthejungle fanclub, and the Rathasker Stud stallion could do the family another good turn when Givemethebeatboys, who they retained a share of after a £1,100,000 sale to Bronson Racing, lines up in today’s Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes.
The closing stages of yesterday’s session also saw Amy Lynam go to €90,000 for Rathbarry Stud’s James Garfield half-sister to Ever Given, winner of the Listed Surrey Stakes. The filly is also a sister to Lady Bullet who has reached the podium in listed races at Fairyhouse and Deauville for trainer Alice Haynes.