THE Goffs December NH Sale brings the curtain down on the 2024 sales season, with a 749-lot catalogue headlined by Grade 1-winning broodmare prospects, Brandy Love and Marie’s Rock.

Breeding prospects have topped the last four renewals and this week is expected to be the same. The three-day sale, which takes place from Monday, December 9th to Wednesday 11th, closes with 66 mares. The vast majority of the catalogue is made up of foals, though the first two lots are three-year-olds and the next nine yearlings.

Last week, Goffs announced that seven wildcards had been added to the sale. Three additional foals will be offered at the conclusion of the foal session on the final day, while four breeding prospects will conclude the sale.

This year’s catalogue represents a significant 18% reduction on last year’s, when the clearance rate of 59% reflected selective trade. After a similar statistic was returned at the recent November NH Sale at Tattersalls Ireland, it’s safe to say that consignors will head into the sale with apprehension.

Sales star turned superstar

That said, there is plenty to be positive about, and you need only look back to last weekend for an example of the quality and value to be found at the December NH Sale. Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase winner, Croke Park, was sold by Ballincurrig House Stud at the sale for €47,000, and rewarded foal buyer Ballygriffin Stud with a return of €155,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale three years later.

Dual graded winner Visionarian also proved a bargain buy, bought by Ballinaroone Stud from The Old Road Stud for €6,500 and resold at the same venue for €48,000. Last week’s impressive Grade 2 winner The Jukebox Man, previously placed in three Grade 1s as a novice hurdler, was bought by John Phelan from River Tay Stables for just €3,000. The Ask gelding made a winning debut for Phelan and Mary Doyle at Turtulla, before selling for £70,000.

Timmy Love, formerly a bid-spotter at Goffs, didn’t fare as well financially when reselling his €1,400 foal buy. Since named Shecouldbeanything, the daughter of Malinas has since vindicated his judgement with five blacktype wins.

Profit makers

This year’s store sales also produced some notable wins for pinhookers, most notably at the venue’s Arkle Sale. There, Ballincurrig House Stud sold a Jukebox Jury gelding on behalf of Heathview Stables for €95,000 - a major mark-up from his foal price of €35,000, when he was bought by Gerry Hogan from Grangecam Stud. Hogan previously sourced Slade Steel from Ballincurrig’s foal draft for €12,500.

The most significant pinhooking result was enjoyed by Chris Jones’s Killeen Glebe, who sold a Crystal Ocean half-sister to Ballyburn for €92,000. The filly had been sourced with the assistance of Kevin Ross from The Beeches Stud for €25,000, before her sibling debuted.

Tally-Ho Stud was another to turn a tidy profit, selling their €56,000 pinhook for €105,000. The Getaway gelding was sold by Mr J A Slattery through Milltownbritton Stud, who offer his Maxios half-brother as Lot 236 next week.

Pinhookers have a wide array of stallions to choose from this week, from leading sires to the more obscure. Affinisea has 26 lots catalogued, Blue Bresil 36, Crystal Ocean 56, Jukebox Jury 34, Maxios 26, Order Of St George 28, Poet’s Word 23, Santiago 28, Vadamos 34, Walk In The Park 22 and Workforce 23.

French sires represented include Doctor Dino, Galiway, Goliath Du Berlais, and No Risk At All. The catalogue features one filly from the first crop of Keiai Nautique, a Japanese Grade 1 winner by Deep Impact. Another less familiar name amongst the sires is Gestut Ohlerweiherhof resident Rubaiyat, a five-time group winner by Areion.

Lot 48: Golden Horn colt out of the Grade 3 and listed-placed hurdler Via Delle Volte. His Maxios half-brother sold for €90,000 at the Arkle Sale

Lot 52: Dee Ex Bee half-brother to five winners from five runners, including Grade 2 winners Bun Doran, Portrush Ted and Shantou Village

Lot 108: Walk In The Park filly out of a graded-placed Martaline mare, from the family of Arcadio and Adagio

Lot 118: No Risk At All colt out of a Walk In The Park half-sister to top-class chaser Joncol

Lot 119: Walk In The Park colt out of a blacktype own-sister to Grade 1 performer Royal Alphabet. His full-brother sold for €90,000 at last year’s sale

Lot 128: Blue Bresil half-brother to Grade 1 winner Minella Cocooner, out of the Grade 2 winner Askanna

Lot 140: Jukebox Jury half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner Briar Hill and dual Grade 2 winner Jazzaway. His dam is a full-sister to Boston Bob

Lot 148: Half-brother to the popular Grade 1 winner Hewick, from the second crop of Mirage Dancer

Lot 152: Nathaniel colt out of Barra, whose multiple graded placings include a third at Grade 1 level

Lot 155: Doctor Dino half-brother to the twice graded-placed Battling Bessie, from the family of Capri

Lot 168: Walk In The Park sister to Grade 1 performer Sandor Clegane, out of a half-sister to Champion Bumper victor Supreme Developer

Lot 197: Blue Bresil filly out of Cabaret Queen, winner of the Kerry National and Munster National

Lot 281: Awtaad’s sole offering is a half-brother to Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle winner Apple Away

Lot 335: Colt by No Risk At All, out of a blacktype half-sister to Grade 1 runner-up La Marche Bleue. Their granddam won four blacktype races

Lot 346: Affinisea colt out of dual Grade 1 winner Glens Melody. His Poet’s Word half-sister sold for €78,000 as a foal two years ago

Lot 353: Way To Paris half-brother to Grade 1-winning hurdler and Grade 1-placed chaser Home By The Lee, who won the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle since the catalogue was printed

Lot 408: Bathyrhon half-brother to two Grade 2 winners, including the Grade 1-placed Kalif Du Berlais

Lot 432: Blue Bresil colt out of Grade 1 winner La Segnora

Lot 492: Poet’s Word half-brother to Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Slade Steel. His half-brother by Old Persian fetched €60,000 last year

Lot 541: Walk In The Park half-brother to Triumph Hurdle hero Burning Victory

Lot 560: Affinisea colt is a full-brother to Affordale Fury, who twice finished second in Grade 1 hurdles

Lot 585: Workforce colt out of dual Grade 1 scorer Petite Parisienne, who cost €130,000 in this sales ring in 2016

Lot 603: Blue Bresil half-brother to two Grade 3 winners, out of an own-sister to Grade 1 heroine Voler La Vedette. Shishkin also appears on the page

Lot 647: Blue Bresil colt out of listed winner Sensulano, who placed in two Grade 2 hurdles

Lot 654: Walk In The Park colt out of the top-class Shattered Love. A full-brother to this colt was the highest-priced foal here two years ago at €155,000

Lot 655: No Risk At All half-brother to a listed winner, out of a dual listed winner. From the family of Cooldine and Blow By Blow

Lot 704: Dual Grade 1 winner Marie’s Rock, who is out of a Grade 3-winning Flemensfirth mare

Lot 712: Grade 1-winning hurdler Brandy Love, herself out of a Grade 3 winner

Lot 713: Listed winner and Grade 1 performer Pink In The Park, from the family of City Island and Fury Road