The two-day Goffs February Sale kicked off on Wednesday with a clearance rate of 63%, which is up slightly on last year.

The day's average price was up 8% but the median price dropped from €8,250 to €7,000.

Tara Stud’s striking daughter of Space Blues (Lot 88) topped the session when John Hyland of Oghill House Stud went to €150,000 on behalf of owner Clive Washbourn for the yearling half-sister to Group 3-winning fillies Higher Leaves and Selenaia.

“There was a queue outside the door!” said Hyland, “I knew we had picked a good one. She’s a lovely filly, very well balanced – she looks like an out and out two-year-old and, with her pedigree, in the future, a broodmare. She won’t be reoffered; she’ll go racing. Clive has been a family friend for years and has bought a lot of good horses from Goffs including Bay City Roller”.

The filly is out of Dettoria, a Declaration Of War sister to multiple group race performers including Gimcrack winner Lake Forest, and a delighted Derek Iceton of Tara Stud said “It’s wonderful. She was a lovely filly and it’s a proper family, there was huge interest. One vet alone vetted her for about nine people. She has gone to a very flamboyant man and I wish him all the very best in the world”.

Ghaiyyath colt

A son of Ghaiyyath out of a stakes-placed sister to Grade 1 Arlington Million winner Debussy (Lot 104) was another standout of the opening day's trade, summoning €82,000 from Nancy Sexton on behalf of MK Bloodstock.

The easy-moving colt, who has been bought to race for an established client, was consigned by Jerry Horan of Ballynure Park Stud who said, “There were plenty of people on him and we were quietly confident coming into the ring, but €82,000 was definitely more than I expected so I’m over the moon”.

Another eye-catching youngster on Wednesday was a Sioux Nation colt from the blacktype family of Fantasia (Lot 108) from Prospect Stables who went the way of Breever Bloodstock for €58,000 in a new pinhooking venture between Jeff Brennan and Fearghal Hogan.

“We picked out a few today, though they’re all going for a lot more than we expected”, said Brennan. “We were glad to get this one. He has size, is a good mover, and is very good on paper. I’ve been here before but today has been the biggest purchase so far.”

Persian Force

Mountarmstrong Stud’s colt from the first crop of Amo Racing’s Persian Force (Lot 51) was an early highlight when selling for €55,000 to Adrian O’Brien of Hazelwood Bloodstock, a first-time yearling purchaser at the February Sale.

The colt is from the family of champion two-year-old filly Viztoria. “I was really impressed with this horse, he’s a big imposing colt with a very good action. I think the stallion could be very exciting” said O’Brien on signing the docket.

The Group 2 July Stakes winning Persian Force stands at Tally-Ho who previously pinhooked him from the Goffs November Foal Sale to the Orby where he was bought by Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock.

The sale continues at 10am on Thursday, with a final session dedicated to flat and National Hunt weanlings and breeding stock.

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