A €200,000 son of Walk In The Park held sway as a hugely successful edition of Part 1 of the Goffs Land Rover Sale drew to a close on Wednesday evening with an impressive set of final figures.
Given the upheaval and uncertainty which abounded last year the figures from 2020 were always likely to be left well behind and the expansion of Part 1 from one day to two was always going to bolster the sale’s turnover significantly.
However, by any measure this was a good sale that played host to good demand at all levels with demand for the best stores returning to pre-Covid heights.
Indeed there was 22 horses to make at least six figures over the last two days which compares very well with the six that did so last year and the 15 that managed that feat in 2019.
At the close of proceedings this evening the sale posed a turnover of just under €16.4 million which was more than double that of last year. The average of €46,282 was up by 10% and the median went from €36,000 to €40,000 while the clearance rate came in at a fine 88%.
When it is taken into account that the rises in all key areas were achieved from from a catalogue that was twice the size of last year’s, the performance of the sale becomes all the more meritorious.
MONSTER COUP
The session topping son of Walk In The Park represented a monster pinhooking coup for Glenwood Stud man Dick Frisby as the €68,000 foal purchase realised €220,000 on his return to the sales ring.
The half-brother to Monalee was the subject of another duel between Joey Logan and Tom Malone from which the former emerged victorious. Logan confirmed that his purchase would carry the increasingly familiar red and white silks of Andrew and Gemma Brown.
“He’ll be going to Gordon Elliott for Andrew and Gemma,” revealed Logan. “He’s a well-bred horse and I would say he is one of the nicest sons of Walk In The Park that I’ve seen. We had two or three on our list this week and we’ve gotten him and the Martaline from Tuesday, so we’re delighted with what we’ve got.”
TOP FILLY
Logan was back in action a while later when he picked up the top priced filly in the sale, giving €150,000 for a much admired Champs Elysees half-sister to the Group 2-placed flat runner and subsequent dual Grade 3-winning jumper Landofhopeandglory.
“She’s also for Andrew and Gemma to go to Gordon. She’s the first filly I’ve bought for them and in the long term they will keep her to breed from but before then we will hopefully have plenty to look forward to on the track with her,” stated Logan.
JONBON TEAM
A substantial investment in one of Walk In The Park’s sons a couple of years ago paid spectacular dividends for Paul and Ellmaire Holden and Michael Shefflin when they sold Jonbon for £570,000 after his point-to-point success last year.
The same team secured one of the best representatives on offer by the sire this week when paying €140,000 for a gelding from Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm. The €60,000 foal is out of a Grade 2-placed own-sister to the Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby.
Tom Malone was busy acquiring quality stock for Paul Nicholls throughout the day and he headed his spending with a €165,000 son of Milan whom Michael and Ciara Carty picked up for €28,000 as a foal.
Others who will be joining the Nicholls team for the coming seasons include a €135,000 son of Martaline, a €100,000 son of Kayf Tara from the family of Best Mate and a €90,000 gelding by the promising young French sire Jeu St Eloi.
POINT-TO-POINT
Among the most high profile purchases to head down the point-to-point route was a €115,000 son of Coastal Path from a superb French family. He was bought by the Monbeg Stables team.
Meanwhile the insatiable appetite for Walk In The Park’s offspring was in evidence throughout the day and he supplied a filly (a €26,000 foal) who was knocked to Philip Dempsey and Ray Fitzgerald at €100,000. This price was matched by Mags O’Toole for a son of the Montjeu horse related to the Grade 1-winning Defy Logic.
Ian Ferguson’s highest priced purchase of the sale came in the shape of a €120,000 son of Crillon who is best known as the sire of the dual Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D’air.
Lastly Highflyer Bloodstock made it a colossal 40 purchases over the two days when signing for a €100,000 son of Al Namix from Clifton Farm.
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COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR PART 1
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVERAGE MEDIAN
2021 430 401 353 €16,337,500 €46,282 €40,000
2020 276 220 184 €7,956,500 €42,098 €36,000
2019 280 267 242 €11,709,500 €48,386 €45,000
2018 269 257 216 €10,452,000 €48,389 €38,000
2017 259 214 198 €8,592,000 €43,394 €38,000
2016 351 316 275 €9,410,500 €34,220 €28,000
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR DAY 2
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVERAGE MEDIAN
2021 215 199 169 €7,790,000 €46,095 €40,000