THE Irish bloodstock community will be feeling giddy at the prospect of a ‘near normal’ Orby Sale at Goffs next week.

Yes, advance registration is still required and face coverings must still be worn in indoor areas, but the sale itself is taking place on home ground after last year’s ‘away’ fixture and overseas buyers are welcome. Furthermore, the industry has once again shown its resilience in the face of adversity and prices have held up remarkably well, all things considered.

To encourage buyers even more, Goffs has dusted down its ‘Million’ concept, meaning that all 444 catalogued yearlings are eligible for a new seven-figure race at the Curragh next year. The original Goffs Million ran from 2006 to 2009 and among the winners were Minor Vamp and Lucky General, bought for just €45,000 and €50,000 respectively.

The median price at the 2019 Orby Sale was €65,000 and this dipped to £47,000 last year, when the sale moved to Doncaster. The Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale returned a strong set of figures last month and, with Arqana and Keeneland also showing up well, it will be interesting to see how the Orby Sale is received.

Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Stud has traditionally been among the top buyers at the Orby Sale though only made one purchase last year (down from eight in 2019). However, American buyers have increasingly made their presence felt at the sale in recent years and the Goffs team has been working hard to promote the catalogue across the Atlantic.

Goffs CEO Henry Beeby said: “We could not be happier to be back in Ireland at Kildare Paddocks for the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale and even more delighted to present an Orby catalogue that is simply unmissable for international buyers. We are so grateful to those Irish breeders who have entrusted us with such a strong selection of potential classy winners and have worked with them to focus on the individual so that we can recommend every Orby yearling on merit to potential purchasers.

“The Goffs Million, with a guarantee of at least €1 million in prize money and a potential €100,000 three-year-old Group 1 bonus, has been met with resounding enthusiasm by prospective buyers, while the success of Orby graduates over the past year has proven once again why Orby is a must attend event.

“The Irish National Yearling Sale is back where it belongs, in the right place at the right time, and the Goffs team looks forward to welcoming vendors and buyers to the Orby for a stellar selection of many of the best yearlings Ireland has to offer, and the only candidates for Europe’s richest two-year-old race next year.”

Notable lots on pedigree

Lot 29: Kingman filly out of dual Guineas winner Finsceal Beo.

Lot 110: Saxon Warrior half-sister to Prix de Diane winner Channel.

Lot 117: Sioux Nation half-sister to this year’s 1000 Guineas and Prix Rothschild winner Mother Earth.

Lot 120: U S Navy Flag half-sister to 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Poetic Flare.

Lot 152: Galileo filly out of the Grade 1-winning Scat Daddy mare Nickname.

Lot 167: A Footstepsinthesand half-brother to 2020 Norfolk Stakes winner and recent US Grade 2 winner The Lir Jet.

Lot 168: A Belardo half-brother to last year’s Gimcrack Stakes winner Minzaal.

Lot 196: A Footstepsinthesand half-brother to last year’s Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega.

Lot 214: A Kodiac three-part-sister to 2021 Norfolk Stakes and Prix Morny winner Perfect Power.

Lot 216: A Starspangledbanner half-brother to 2021 Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Laws Of Indices.

Lot 242: Galileo colt out of dual Group 1 winner Simply Perfect.

Lot 247: A Profitable full brother to this year’s Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes winner Quick Suzy.

Lot 250: A Kingman colt out of the stakes winner and Group 1-placed Snowy Winter.

Lot 289: A Dark Angel full-brother to group winner Angel’s Hideaway.

Lot 294: A Bungle Inthejungle own-brother to Cornwallis Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes winner Winter Power.

Lot 338: A son of Kingman out of champion racemare Alexander Goldrun, making him a half-brother to stakes winner Goldrush.

Lot 364: A Churchill half-brother to this year’s Group 3 and Group 2 winner Agartha.

Lot 370: A Bungle Inthejungle own-brother to Group 2 Lowther Stakes winner Living In The Past.

Lot 377: A Frankel colt out of Belesta, making him a half-brother to two group winners.

Lot 384: A Kessaar half-brother to Oscula, winner of this year’s Group 3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville.

Lot 397: A Saxon Warrior half-brother to 10 winners including the classic-winning Halfway To Heaven.

Lot 408: Dark Angel full-sister to Group 1 winner Persuasive and a half-sister to this year’s Jersey Stakes winner Creative Force.

Lot 413: Sea The Stars half-sister to Hong Kong champion and multiple Group 1 winner Irishcorrespondent.

Lot 430: A Dragon Pulse half-brother to this year’s Anglesey Stakes winner Beauty Inspire.

Sale information

Sale: Goffs Orby Yearling Sale at Kildare Paddocks.

Date: Tuesday & Wednesday, September 28th & 29th

Lots: 444

Info: Register in advance to attend. Not open to members of the public. All lots eligible for Goffs Million (7f, Curragh) in 2022.

Tel: 045-886600

Email: winners@goffs.ie

Web: goffs.ie

Online bidding: goffsonline.com