Strong trade in today's opening session of Goffs November Foal Sale resulted in increases in all key indicators of market health with the top two lots sired by Starman, while a colt by Ghaiyyath also made a splash.
Turnover surged by 16% from last year to €4,492,500, while the average rose by 8% to €24,025. The median grew by 11% to €20,000.
Many vendors returned home with empty headcollars, with the clearance rate coming in at 80%, up from 75% in 2024.
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David McGuinness, a self-proclaimed “mini-breeder” who owns just two mares at his Cloncarlin in Monasterevin, County Kildare, said he was “flabbergasted” after his Starman colt out of the Shalaa mare Express (Lot 55) was sold on his behalf by near-neighbour Oghill House Stud to Grove Stud for €125,000.
“I never dreamed I’d get that much for him,” he said. “I knew he was nice, but I thought he’d make about a third of the price. I’m flabbergasted. John Hyland and the Oghill House Stud team did all the pre-sales work and showed him well.
“It’s certainly a day to remember. I’m not sure I’ll ever get one like it again, but you never know: if this colt does well on the track, which I certainly hope he does, it will provide the mare with the foundations for another good sale in the future.”
McGuinness bought Express, a relation to top-class milers Havana Gold and Majors Cast, for just €9,000 from the Goffs November Sale three years ago.
“I’d had no luck with a few foals and one of the mares I had died of a heart attack so I went to Goffs, more or less at the end of the sale, and bought two mares, and she was one of them,” he said. “I thought she was a bargain, as she’s well-made and has a good pedigree. She also has a lovely temperament, and she’s easy to catch and handle, and is very friendly, so she’s lucky.
“I picked Starman for her that year because I just liked the look of him. I didn’t actually go down to Tally-Ho Stud to see him but when I got there he caught my eye. I really liked him and it changed my mind.”
McGuinness’s other mare Kannoor, a daughter of ace broodmare sire New Approach and Listed winner Tantshi, is represented by a Persian Force colt being offered by Oghill House Stud at Goffs on Thursday (Lot 875).
Starman has made a scorching start with his first crop of two-year-olds this season, and his third-crop foals were consequently in strong demand all day.
A filly by him who is a half-sister to this year’s Anglesey Stakes fourth She’s Too Kool out of a Jeremy full-sister to dual Group 2 winner Kool Kompany (Lot 54) was sold by Baroda Stud to Monday Ventures for €120,000.
Grove Stud also gave €85,000 for another filly by the sire out of a half-sister to top sprinter Mrs Danvers, consigned by Joey Lyons’ Summerhill Stables (Lot 52).
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Shane Lyons, signing as Piercetown Stud, went to €92,000 to secure the Ghaiyyath colt out of the winning Fascinating Rock mare Spilt Passion (Lot 210) from Padhraic and Adelaide Doran’s Knocktartan House Stud, based in County Wexford.
“We saw him on Saturday and he was the pick of the day,” said the purchaser, who is assistant trainer to his brother Ger. “We didn’t think we were going to get him. We don’t generally give that much, but we had to have him.
“He had everything, the wow factor, from the first time we saw him. He’s a proper horse: a proper physical with a proper mind. He went around with his ears pricked. Padhraic does his horses brilliantly.
“We’ll just get him home and take stock. We don’t normally pay that much but all avenues are open. There’s a man in Meath who’ll be able to train him, anyway!”
Ghaiyyath, a world champion racehorse now making a name for himself as a premier-league sire, is a fine advertisement for the Goffs November Sale. He was purchased by Godolphin as a foal for €1.1 million at the auction a decade ago.
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November Foal Sale Day 1 Comparative Figures:
Offered: 235
Sold: 187 (80%)
Turnover: €4,492,500 (+16%)
Average: €24,025 (+8%)
Median: €20,000 (+11%)
Top Price: €125,000
Goffs November Foal Sale continues tomorrow
