Horses in training fall off the pace

AS a result of the top of the market being somewhat quieter than has been the case for the last few years, the Goffs Horses In Training Sale concluded on Tuesday with a set of returns that were well adrift of those from last year.

At this sale last year six horses made at least €50,000 and that number dropped by just one this time around. However, in 2018 the top three prices came in at €200,000, €120,000 and €80,000 whereas this year the €70,000 mark was good enough to secure the highest priced lot.

As a result the turnover for the sale dropped by a third to just under €1 million. The average of €13,219 represented a drop of 27% while the clearance rate fell from 85% to 72%. The median of €9,000 held steady.

Overall the figures for the horses in training sale dropped off the pace from the last few years and this year’s auction lacked the same level of high profile lots and activity north of €70,000 that bolstered the figures for other recent editions of this sale.

ONCE again a draft of Aga Khan-owned horse made a huge contribution to this sale and the owner-breeder was responsible for four of the six highest priced lots. These included the sale topping Shelir whose finest hour came when he won the Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh in May. The Dermot Weld-trained son of Dark Angel was bought by Jason Kelly and David O’Meara for €70,000.

The same combination struck for the previous lot into the ring who was the Weld-trained and Aga Khan-owned Tinandali. A grandson of the brilliant Timarida, this dual winner cost €45,000 and both he and Shelir will be aimed at big handicaps in Britain next season.

Halford inmate

Michael Halford also offered a couple of popular Aga Khan-owned three-year-olds and one of those was Shamiyan who ran a promising second to King Pellinor on his second start in a Gowran maiden last week. This son of Lope De Vega will be returning to Halford after being purchased by owner Richard McNally for €58,000. Previously McNally has sourced the likes of Hasanour and Rajik from the Aga Khan. The same trainer also supplied the Lope De Vega three-year-old Hazran who was placed on all six of his previous outings and was snapped up by Millwood Bloodstock for €52,000.

A juvenile hurdling campaign is the plan for Sheila Lavery’s Njord after he cost the BBA Ireland’s Richard Fitzsimons €54,000. This three-year-old son of Roderic O’Connor won twice on the level this year and has been bought on behalf of an existing client who will keep their purchase in Ireland. Later in the day Finding Nero, a three-time winner for Johnny Murtagh this year, was bought for €50,000 to continue his career in Qatar. A. Aziz Al Boenain/Al Wakra signed for the useful son of Holy Roman Emperor.

Lyons draft

The pick of the Ger Lyons-trained representatives was the capable three-year-old Excelcius and the son of Exceed And Excel cost Tom Mullins €40,000. Medicine Jack, who won the 2016 Railway Stakes for the trainer, will join English trainer Roger Fell after making €30,000. Meanwhile Cafe Con Leche looks set to return to Denis Hogan after he was bought by the Premier Racing Club for €32,000.