Goffs got its sales year off to a satisfactory start on Wednesday when a son of the very popular young stallion Havana Grey topped the opening day of the February Sale, selling to Yeomanstown Stud for €85,000.

A clearance rate of 59% lead to a turnover of €1,452,600, while the average and median prices were €13,087 and €9,000 respectively.

The session-topping colt was consigned by Dermot Dwan’s Kellsgrange Stud and he is out of the Danehill Dancer mare How High The Sky, who has bred eight winners from 10 runners. The pedigree traces back to French Guineas winner Silver Frost and multiple group race winner Spiritjim.

“He’s as good a model as you’ll see and we’re delighted to get him,” Yeomanstown’s David O’Callaghan said. “He is by a very good stallion, has a nice dam-line to back it up and there will be plenty of options open to him next autumn. He could be one for Doncaster or an Orby horse, we’ll see how he gets on in the meantime,” he added.

Soon after the Yeomanstown team went to €68,000 to acquire a very attractive Galiway colt from Simon Cavanagh and Aisling Noone’s Drumloose Stables. The French-bred chesnut is the third produce out of the Kendargent mare Kenava who has two Galiway fillies, a three-year-old and a two-year-old in training.

“He is a beautiful horse with a huge, athletic walk and is a great model. He's another by a very good sire and bred on the Galiway-Kendargent cross that has produced the Group 1 winning full-brothers Sealiway and Sunway. He can go to any yearling sale in the autumn,” David O’Callaghan said.

It was a good day’s business for the Drumloose Stables team and a delighted Aisling Noone said: "We sourced him privately in France and have him with a couple of friends. We liked everything about him. Galiway is such a good sire and can get you a top class horse on the flat or over hurdles.

"He has always been a really easy and straightforward horse to look after. When he got here on Monday he settled in straight away, and has been a superstar since he got here. Of all the horses we have offered he has been the best we've had. Everyone you wanted to see come to the door did and the feedback was so positive. When you have a horse that is bought by judges like the O'Callaghans then you know that you have something special.”

No Risk At All

The earlier pace on Wednesday had been set by the sale of a National Hunt-bred yearling.

Consigned by Railstown Stud, the chesnut colt by leading French stallion No Risk At All sold to the combination of Tally-Ho Stud and Hamish Macauley for €75,000. He is out of the winning Fuisse mare Eccetara and hails from an accomplished family that includes former Aintree specialist Vieux Lion Rouge, Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle winner Marcel and Galway Plate winner Royal Rendezvous.

“I thought he was the best horse here, he looks to have it all and he will come back for the store sales as a three-year-old,” Hamish Macauley said.

Con Marnane and his daughter Amy are a formidable buying team and a sharp-looking Havana Grey colt from Drumloose Stables went their way for €46,000.

The colt is out of the Dutch Art mare All Back To Mine who won twice over five and six furlongs and another date with a sales ring is in store for the colt later this year.

“It’s a really fast cross and he will be re-offered for sale later in the year,” Amy Marnane said. “He is a cracking colt, a great walker with a big hip and he looks like he will be a runner. We have seven Havana Greys at home for the breeze-ups and they are extremely nice horses. They have such good minds and a will to run, we can't have enough of them.

"We came here to buy a nice horse and we think we’ve got one so we are delighted with that. We’ll decide which yearling sale to target at a later date, but if we had to keep him to breeze, we wouldn't mind,” she added.

Kodi Bear filly

Another to fetch the same price of €46,000 was a yearling filly from Ballylinch Stud who was knocked down to Jane Davis and Michelle Connolly. The filly is out of the stakes placed Lina de Vega and is a half-sister to Impact Warrior who made a good impression during her short career in Ireland with Paddy Twomey before continuing her career in America where she has already finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. The yearling is also a granddaughter of Group 1 Prix de Diane winner Caerlina.

A well-related son of Dark Angel consigned by Moyglare Stud was another bought by Yeomanstown Stud, this time for €35,000. The colt is out of Tina Angelina who carried the Moyglare silks to victory in a Leopardstown maiden three years ago.

Her instantly recognisable page features some Moyglare stars such as Homeless Songs, Carla Bianca and Profound Beauty.

Another pinhooker/breeder, Luke Barry of Manister House Stud, bought a Sioux Nation yearling for €34,000. The Kilfeacle Stud-offered filly is out of the winning Mount Nelson mare Temeraire from the family of Molecomb Stakes winner Armor.

With both flat and National Hunt stock of all ages on offer there was definitely something for everyone in Wednesday's session. Barrettstown Stud sold a well-bred son of promising jumps stallion Affinisea to Hugh Bleahen’s Clifton Farm for €33,000.

A half-brother to the Grade 2 winner Forge Meadow from the family of Grand National winner Many Clouds, this two-year-old could well reappear at the Arkle Sale in June of next year.

The sale continues from 10am on Thursday.