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Sire Polarisation Continues At Goffs December

Tuesday's session featured Walk In The Park (Ire) as the sire of the top three lots at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale, and Wednesday's trade reflected much the same story, with that aforementioned sire responsible for two of the three top lots. However, it was No Risk At All (Fr)'s lot 605 that stole the show, when Glenvale Stud made a winning bid of €120,000 to top the session.

Out of the Kayf Tara (GB) mare Hidden Harmony (Ire), the colt, the only one by his sire in the catalogue, entered the ring midway through the session. Consigned by Galbertstown Stables, the bay is a grandson of Shirley Casper (Ire) (Presenting {GB}), who won a Grade 2 NH Flat race, and was third in the G1 Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race, as well as taking the G3 EBF Mares Novice Final Hurdle. The colt is from the family of G1 Irish Grand National H. Chase winner Thunder And Roses (Ire), a full-sister to his second dam.

Colts by Walk In The Park brought €88,000 and €82,000 from Tally-Ho Stud and Redpender Stud, respectively. Lot 543, part of the Yellowford & Drumlin consignment, is from the same female line as Grade 1-winning hurdlers Best Mate (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}) and Cornish Rebel (Ire) (Un Desperado {Fr}).

The third highest price was lot 557, who was consigned by Ballintry Stud. He is the first foal out of listed hurdle winner Getaway Gorgeous (Ire) (Getaway {Ger}), who was second in the G2 Island H. Hurdle.

Of the 208 horses offered, 121 sold (58%). The gross was €2,139,600. Both the average and median showed improvement from fewer sold from those lots sent through the ring than last year, with the average up 8% to €17,683. The median rose by 14% to €12,000.

Thursday's session will see foals, broodmares, and breeding prospects go under the hammer from 10 a.m. local time.

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Walk In The Park Reigns At Goffs December

Walk In The Park (Ire) sired four of the six highest foals and the three top lots, as the Goffs December National Hunt Sale continued on Tuesday.

Ballincurrig House Stud consigned lot 294, a son of Appy Days (Ire) (King's Theatre {Ire}), and he caught the eyes of Gerry Aherne and Charles Shanahan for €90,000. His dam is out of G3 Nell Gwyn S. heroine A-To-Z (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}).

Said the colt's breeder Cathal Ennis, “I've had my fair share of setbacks and bred enough slow ones too. I'm not saying I'm successful at all, but if there's one thing I am very fussy about, rightly or wrongly, it's broodmare sires.

“I love mares by King's Theatre, Presenting, Saint Des Saints and so on. I set a lot of store by them. Look at Saddlers' Hall, who was disappointing as a sire, but his daughters were dynamite.”

Second on the list was Castlefarm Stud's son of Ard Abhainn (Ire) (lot 296), who sold for €80,000 to Kevin Ross Bloodstock and Killeen Glebe. His dam, a daughter of Jeremy, won a listed race over hurdles.

Rounding out the top trio was a bay colt (lot 226) from the draft of Thistletown Stud. Snapped up by Rathmore Stud for €80,000, he is out of the Shirocco (Ger) mare Valjan (GB), herself a half-sister to G1 Champion Hurdle winner Katchi (Ire) (Kalanisi {Ire}).

At the close of trade, 132 lots sold (58%) for a gross of €2,157,800. The average remained almost even with 2022's at €16,347, and the median rose €20% to €12,000.

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Tributes Flow For Former Goffs Managing Director Jonathan Irwin Who Dies Aged 82

Goffs has paid tribute to its former managing director Jonathan Irwin, one of the most influential people in the history of the sales house, who died aged 82 on Sunday.

Irwin joined Goffs in 1975 and oversaw the construction of the world's first purpose-built bloodstock sales complex in Kill, County Kildare.

He was also appointed CEO of the Dublin International Sports Council (DISC) in 1993 and established the Jack and Jill Foundation along with his wife Mary Ann after the birth of their son Jack.

Since 1997, the foundation has supported 1600 families throughout Ireland. It has raised €36 million from the private sector while receiving €4.5 million from the Irish health service. Awards received include Charity of the Year 2003, Irish Personality of the Year 2004, Irish Fundraiser of 2011 and Global Fundraiser of 2011.

A statement published by Goffs on Sunday read, “Everyone at Goffs was saddened to learn of the death of the former Managing Director, Jonathan Irwin.

“Jonathan was appointed Managing Director of Robert J Goff & Co plc in 1975 at the age of just 33 and oversaw an amazing period for the company over the next 15 years, not least the construction of the iconic Kildare Paddocks which remains one of the finest bloodstock sales complexes in the world.”

It continued, “Jonathan was certainly one of the most colourful bloodstock characters of his generation and his legacy lives on in the modern day Goffs. As well as overseeing the design of the complex, he approached the whole business in an innovative and charismatic way. Shouting bid spotters, international guest auctioneers, black tie select sales and the first multi-currency bid board at any auction in the world, an innovation that was almost instantly copied by the likes of Sotheby's and Christie's, were amongst his ideas that have stood the test of time.

“European records were regularly set from the outset with the first sale setting the trend with the IR127,000 Guineas Be My Guest being followed nine years later by a Shergar (GB) colt realising IR3,100,000 Guineas (equivalent to €4.2M today), an Irish auction record that stood for 39 years.”

Goffs chairman Eimar Mulhern and chief executive Henry Beeby also put on record their heartfelt tributes to the man who revolutionised the company.

Mulhern said, “It is with great regret that we hear of the passing of Jonathan Irwin. Jonathan was a titan of the bloodstock industry, transforming and modernising a business which heretofore had been rooted in tradition. He inspired a whole generation, of which I am one, as to a new way to market and promote the business in a truly innovative way. His contribution to Goffs was immense and we are still the beneficiaries of his vision to this day. On behalf of the shareholders and board of Goffs we send our deepest and most sincere sympathy to his wife Mary Anne, his children, his extended family and wide circle of friends.”

Other notable achievements in Irwin's long and distinguished career include being elected a member of the Irish Turf Club in 1976, and launching the Irish Horseman magazine in the 1960s. He was also a director at BBA Ireland.

Beeby commented, “Jonathan was a truly inspirational character who revolutionised the way European thoroughbred auctions were conducted. A true showman, he oozed charisma and I learned a huge amount from him over the years so much so that we still aspire to his lofty standards to this day.”

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Young Sires: Who’s Backing Who To Be A Success In 2024?

With the foal sales at Goffs and Tattersalls confined to the rear view mirror, perhaps now is the time to get a good gauge on the young sires coming through.

Bragging rights belong to St Mark's Basilica (Fr), who topped the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls when a filly by the multiple Group 1-winning stallion out of Oaks winner Talent (GB) sold for 575,000gns.

The St Mark's Basilica sale-topper was consigned by Ashbrittle Stud and bought by agent Jill Lamb on behalf of Newsells Park Stud, with the former labelling the filly as the nicest foal that she had seen by the stallion.

Add that result to a 180,000gns colt to Camas Park Stud, a filly to Ronald Rauscher for 175,000gns and a colt to Yeomanstown Stud for 130,000gns, it's fair to say St Mark's Basilica stamped his authority as a force to be reckoned with.

Space Blue (Ire) was the other big name whose first foals were eagerly anticipated at Goffs and Tattersalls. A colt by the Kildangan-based stallion caught the attention of Baroda Stud at €140,000 at Goffs while the triple Group 1 winner enjoyed solid trade at Tattersalls with a filly making 95,000gns and two colts selling for 80,000gns apiece.

'Yeomanstown Don't Come Up With A Bad One Too Often'

Peter Kelly summed Supremacy (Ire) up at Goffs when, after selling his half-brother by the stallion to Group 3-winning juvenile Caught U Looking for €180,000, he said, 'Yeomanstown don't come up with a bad horse too often.' The early signs are that the O'Callaghans could be on to a decent one with Supremacy with 31 foals selling at Goffs for an average of €30,952.

The Six-Figure Lots For Starman

Three foals–two colts and a filly–by Starman (GB) have cleared six figures between Goffs and Tattersalls. Two of those were snapped up by Tally-Ho Stud, where the Group 1-winning sprinter will stand at €10,000 for 2024. Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud was another notable supporter of the stallion when signing for a Starman colt for €120,000 at Goffs. 'Flash' Conroy, Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud and the Gleeson brothers were other notable buyers.

Vega Looking Lucky

One of the stories to emerge from Goffs was the positivity at which the market met Lucky Vega (Ire). The Group 1-winning juvenile, who stands at the Irish National Stud, achieved sales of €75,000, €72,000 and €65,000. The support continued at Tattersalls last week with Tinnakill House Stud selling a half-sister to Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up Good Vibe (Ire) (Dream Ahead) for 82,000gns.

Nando The Surprise Package

Fellow Irish National Stud-based stallion Nando Parrado (GB) could be viewed as something of a surprise package. Standing for just €6,000, he achieved a rock-solid average of €17,800 for 20 foals sold at Goffs with three foals clearing €30,000. A 20,500gns average for six foals sold at Tattersalls represented another good innings for the son of Kodiac (GB) who makes plenty of appeal to breeders operating on a budget.

Alkumait Packing A Punch

Similar comment could apply to Alkumait (GB), the Showcasing (GB) half-brother to 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who stands for €5,000. Two foals by Alkumait sold for €32,000 and €30,000 at Goffs, with top judges Shane and Alex Power of Tradewinds signing for the latter.

Lope Y Looking Good

A 100,000gns colt capped a memorable debut performance for the foals by Lope Y Fernandez (Ire). Standing at the National Stud for £8,500, Lope Y Fernandez is averaging more than double that fee on 50 foals sold in Britain and Ireland. He has earned the plaudits of some top judges and, along with a 100,000gns colt sold at Tattersalls, Kelly Equine also signed for a colt by the stallion for 78,000gns.

Top Judges Row In Behind Pinatubo

Of the stallions with their first runners next year, it seems as though Pinatubo (Ire) is the one that the majority are rowing in behind. It was a fair achievement for Pinatubo to finish third in the sires table at Tattersalls in terms of aggregate. Granted, Pinatubo was well-represented with 14 foals selling throughout the week, but perhaps the metric to concentrate on here is that his average of 115,500gns and aggregate of 1,617,000gns is greater than what the brilliant first-season sire Blue Point (Ire) achieved through the very same representation. For Blue Point's 14 foals, he cleared an average of 109,929gns and an average of 1,539,000gns. Could Pinatubo chart a similar path next season?

Strong Support For Ghaiyyath

The strength behind Ghaiyyath (Ire) continued last week, with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns, but most interesting was the support from within. Godolphin signed for just four foals last week, two of which were by Ghaiyyath–a colt and a filly respectively to the tune of 540,000gns. That followed on from a bumper performance from Ghaiyyath at Goffs where 23 foals sold for just shy of a €50,000 average and an aggregate of €1,127,500 which made him the second-highest performing stallion at the Irish sale. The figures held up at Tattersalls last week with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns. It's probably an understatement to describe the Darley operation to be in good health with a view towards next season. Rare has there been a more exciting time for the outfit.

Earthlight Adds To The Excitement At Darley

Earthlight (Ire) adds to that excitement at Darley. There were just six foals by the stallion at Tattersalls and they averaged 63,800gns. But the real story was how punters couldn't get enough of foals by Earthlight at Goffs with Yeomanstown Stud, Camas Park, Ballyphilip and Manister House Stud all featuring on the list of buyers where 13 sold for an average of €56,770.

Good Vibes Behind Mohaather

Of the other stallions with runners next year, Mohaather (GB) is one who continues to earn the respect in the ring. Not only does Shadwell have eight horses by the Group 1-winning miler to look forward to next season, but plenty of shrewd buyers snapped up yearlings by Mohaather this year. The foals were equally well-received with Mark Dwyer, Eddie O'Leary, 'Flash' Conroy and Shadwell themselves signing for foals by the big-walking stallion at Tattersalls.

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