GOFFS chief executive Henry Beeby has described 2023 as a “historic year” for the company but says his team will be redoubling its efforts on behalf of clients in 2024 in the face of “the market correction that became increasingly evident as the autumn progressed.”

Turnover of almost €250 million this year was a record for Goffs, boosted by the Niarchos Draft at the November Breeding Stock Sale which brought in close to €27 million, including two €6 million mares.

Reflecting on the year’s trade, Beeby noted: “Goffs has returned turnover growth for the last three years as support from breeders, consignors and purchasers, both at home and globally, has allowed us to grow and evolve.”

He highlighted a number of notable milestones recorded during the 25 sales conducted this year by Goffs at 10 locations.

“At Doncaster we sold our highest priced NH foal, breezer, and three-year-old store with strong renewals of the three flagship sales - Breeze-Up, Spring and Premier - whilst the boutique point-to-point sales at Aintree and Newbury provided vital competition to the sector and our new British NH Breeders Showcase in November made a stunning debut.”

Goffs also sold the only seven-figure lots at a British or Irish horses-in-training sale this year when Givemethebeatboys and Rogue Lightning realised £1.1 million and £1 million at the Goffs London and British Champions Day Sales respectively while the highest price at any point-to-point sale in 2023 was €500,000 at Goffs Punchestown Sale.

Beeby added: “At Kildare Paddocks the Arkle and December NH Sales confirmed their newly-won market leading status with two superb sets of results and there were several major moments at the Orby and November Sales. Orby bucked market trends with growth for the third successive year driven by a global buying bench and a catalogue that received yet more support from leading Irish breeders. The sales-topping millionaires were part of a sale of vibrancy and atmosphere.”

The Goffs November Foal Sale was headlined by the highest priced foal of the autumn at €700,000 (£609,469), which preceded the unforgettable day one of the Breeding Stock Sale, when Goffs turned over €39.5 million as Alpine Star and Alpha Centauri both sold for €6 million each.

Acknowledging that the middle and lower end of the market is patchy, Beeby said: “Whilst celebrating these highs we acknowledge the market correction that became increasingly evident as the autumn progressed. The challenges that the industry faces are many and Goffs commits to redoubling our efforts on behalf of all our clients to provide the most vibrant and viable marketplace possible.”

Beeby never misses an opportunity to thank vendors for their support and, in his end-of-year statement, he repeated that sentiment. He said: “Any successes we enjoy are entirely driven by the support of all our vendors and I extend our grateful thanks and supreme appreciation to each one whether they sold one lot with us or sent several drafts,” ‘We can’t do it without you’ is a regular and most sincere refrain as we recognise that there are alternatives, so we truly value the trust placed in the Goffs service with each entry.

“We are also eternally grateful to all our purchasers, again regardless of their spend as every bid is vital, whilst the work of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, alongside the superb Goffs international agents, is another key component of the Goffs service. I also want to recognise the superb Goffs team in every area on both sides of the Irish Sea. This group of men and women are a passionate, driven bunch and we collectively rejoice in the successes of our vendors in the ring and our purchasers on the track as their horses are also viewed as “our horses” once they pass under the Goffs gavel.”