There are 701 lots catalogued for this week’s Goffs Arkle Sale, with 452 destined for Part 1 of the Arkle Sale on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 11th and 12th), with the remainder to be offered in Part 2 on Thursday (June 13th).

This year’s catalogue cover star is Willie Mullins’ three-time Grade 1 winner Dancing City, who was sold by Clifton Farm to Leamore Horses for €28,000 at the 2020 renewal.

That same year saw Hobby Horse Stud sell a Shantou gelding to Monbeg Stables for €60,000 and subsequently named Stellar Story, he went on to win the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle last season. Other recent Grade 1 graduates from the past season were Jasmin De Vaux, Captain Teague and Caldwell Potter.

Smart siblings

Plenty of familiar names appear in this year’s catalogue in the form of siblings of Grade 1 winners, including Ballyburn, City Island, Gaillard Du Mesnil, Slade Steel and Yorkhill, to name just a few. The sire index is similarly impressive, with the likes of Blue Bresil, Doctor Dino, Kapgarde and Walk In The Park well-represented.

Well-bred fillies

National Hunt fillies have enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years and the Arkle Sale catalogue features many with enviable pedigrees. They include a Maxios daughter of Augusta Kate, a Getaway half-sister to Grade 1 performer Minella Melody, a Harzand half-sister to Grade 1 winner Stage Star and Crystal Ocean half-sisters to the top-class Ballyburn and Champion Bumper runner-up Romeo Coolio.

Fillies accounted for two of the 24 six-figure lots at the 2023 sale, which was topped by a son of Galiway from Treannahow Stables, bought by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for €250,000 - the second highest price in the sale’s history.

Sale growing

The sale grew by 25% in 2022, so it was quite impressive that the turnover, average and median increased once again in 2023. Part 2 of the sale returned record figures last year, producing a turnover of €3,333,500, average price of €19,725 and median of €17,000.

All horses catalogued in Parts 1 and 2 of the Goffs Arkle Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Goffs Defender Bumper at the 2025 Punchestown Festival. Gordon Elliott and Robcour won this year’s running with Sermandzarak, who was sold by Railstown Stud to Mags O’Toole for €80,000.