By Brian Sheerin
Commercial weanlings were in demand on day one of the Goffs February Sale as a Havana Grey (GB) colt [lot189] consigned by Kellsgrange Stud led home proceedings at €85,000 to Yeomanstown Stud as turnover dropped 30% compared to last year.
The day one sale-topper is out of the unraced Danehill Dancer (Ire) mare How High The Sky (Ire), who has produced eight winners from 10 foals, including the highly-rated sprinter Up Above (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}).
David O'Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud commented, “A great model. By a very good stallion and a good dam to back him up. He could come back here next autumn and we are delighted to get him. He could go anywhere.”
One of the big stories to emerge from Wednesday was the excellent trade enjoyed by rookie operators Aisling Noone and Simon Kavanagh of Drumloose Stables. Despite not being in business a full 12 months, the Mullingar-based couple built on some solid results posted in 2023 by selling their colts by Havana Grey (GB) and Galiway (GB) for a combined sum of €114,000.
Such results came after Drumloose Stables secured €95,000 for a son of Blue Bresil (Fr) at last year's Arkle Sale, confirming the theory that Goffs is a lucky place for the pair.
Speaking after selling the Havana Grey weanling colt [Lot 91] to Amy and Con Marnane for €46,000 and the Galiway colt [Lot 201] to Yeomanstown Stud for €68,000, Noone said, “It was a brilliant day and Goffs is becoming very lucky for us. Our operation isn't even up and running 12 months yet. We moved back to Mullingar, where we are based, last April. Since then, everything has gone well and we have got some fantastic clients and friends who are backing us all the way.”
She added, “The horses we had today, they were beautiful. The Galiway was very easy to prepare and is a very athletic horse. He walked very well and the sire was a big help to us. The Galiway and Kendargent (Fr) cross has already produced a Group 1 winner. I'm not sure what Yeomanstown Stud are planning on doing with him but I am assuming we might see him back at a yearling sale in the autumn.
“The Havana Grey has gone to Con Marnane, a very good friend of ours. It is about seven or eight years since I did a season with Con at Maisons-Laffitte in France so it's great for things to come full circle. Hopefully both horses will be lucky for both purchasers.”
Tally-Ho Stud is famous all over the world for its association with fast horses on the level but old habits clearly die hard and the master of the County Westmeath outfit, Tony O'Callaghan, went to €75,000 to secure top-notch jumps prospect by No Risk At All (Fr) [lot 148] from Railstown Stud. No Risk At All needs no introduction as a jumps stallion, being the sire of Allaho (Fr), Epatante (Fr) and more. O'Callaghan signed for the colt alongside Hamish Macauley.
Of the 188 lots offered [down from 216 this day last year], 111 were sold, which represents a clearance rate of just 59%. Turnover dropped from €2,081,750 to €1,452,600 while the average fell 18% to €13,087 and the median stayed the same at €9,000.
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