Siyouni Filly Tops Goffs At €775,000

In an echo of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal, which continued as the final section of the November Foal Sale, provided the highlight of the week's trade when A Nous La Liberte (Fr), a weanling filly by Siyouni (Fr), sold for €775,000 to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's Shadwell Estate Company.

A daughter of the young Listed-placed Galileo (Ire) mare Amerique (Ire), the filly (lot 1199), as her price suggests, boasts a top-drawer pedigree, with her grandam being the treble Group 1 winner Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill) who has produced three black-type perfomers and is herself a sister to GI Clement L Hirsch and GI Charles Whittingham Memorial H. winner Artiste Royal (Fr).

Conducting the bidding on the sheikh's behalf was his Derrinstown Stud Manager Stephen Collins, who said, “She is a lovely, lovely filly, just gorgeous in every way. She has the looks, the walk, the pedigree and I hope she has the racing career to go with it. Hopefully she will and afterwards become a successful addition to our broodmare band. We bought a couple of Siyouni yearlings in Deauville and we have sent him one or two mares before and we will send him a couple again in the spring, but this filly really was gorgeous.”

The team from Shadwell played a major role in the day's proceedings, going to €320,000 for the only foal in the catalogue from the first-crop of Kingman (GB) (lot 1155). The son of Listed Fairy Bridge S. winner Anna's Rock (Ire) went through the ring 30 lots before the foals from the Wildenstein dispersal but he could easily have been included among them with his third dam Albertine (Fr) (Irish River {Fr}) having played such a major part in the Wildenstein family's success. The equine family from which he springs continues to produce talented runners, including this colt's half-brother Breton Rock (Ire) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) having won nine times for David Simcock, including this season's G2 Park S. and G3 Criterion S.

Having outbid Ross Doyle for the Ballybin Stud offering, Stephen Collins commented, “He seems a lovely colt by a very exciting young stallion in the four-time Group 1 winner Kingman. We have a number of foals by him at home and we're very impressed by them. Hopefully he will be a racehorse in time. We felt he complemented what we have and Sheikh Hamdan was very keen that we secure him.”

Earlier in the day, Collins had also signed for lot 1016, Stanley Lodge's Dutch Art (GB) first foal of 3-year-old winner Danseuse De Reve (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), for €120,000. The colt's young dam is a half-sister to Sheikh Hamdan's G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner of 2010, Bethrah (Ire) (Marju (Ire}).

A Sale Of Two Halves
“Polarised,” was Goffs' Chief Executive Henry Beeby's succinct initial summary of the foal market as a whole this week. The turnover for the five days fell by 22% to €20,056,350 from 695 foals sold––114 fewer than in 2015 despite the fact that only 16 fewer were offered. It was the fall-off in clearance rate, which was down to 67% from 77% last year,that is most concerning for Beeby and for plenty of vendors with stock to sell, but results from some of the lesser yearling sales in Britain and Ireland had already waved a warning flag that a bloated foal market was likely to struggle.

“The difference between the start and end of the sale has been palpable as has been the atmosphere depending on the perceived commerciality of each foal as they entered the sales ring,” said Beeby. “So we have enjoyed a vibrant trade for the most sought after with several multiple-bidder duels and some significant prices at the top of the market headed, of course, by the final 17 lots that made up the foal section of the Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal.”

He continued, “However, just a couple of days ago it was a very different picture with a contracted market and a drop in figures, most notably the clearance rates. Indeed, the warning signs at the foal sales last autumn have proved prophetic and there should be no shying away from the fact that it was very tough for many breeders as the market spoke loud and clear.

“The 2017 yearling market is the goal for the majority of buyers and they will have had this year's sales firmly in their mind as they made their assessments. They will have recalled a mighty Orby Sale full of international buyers battling it out for the cream of the crop. Those foals that look likely to make that grade were keenly sought and we look forward to seeing many of them back here next year as they head to their new homes for the winter. However at some other yearling sales here and elsewhere it was tougher going and far more selective, so it is no surprise to see the most likely candidates for those sales proving less popular this week. Maybe that is always the case but it certainly appeared starker the further back in the week you look.”

Beeby concluded, “Of course the Goffs November Foal Sale has truly been one of the success stories of recent years with a simply storming trade over the last five years. Nothing can rise forever and there has quite clearly been a readjustment over the last five days, notwithstanding several special moments today. Further reflection will no doubt take place over the winter but for now we immediately turn our attention to a very attractive selection of breeding stock over the next two days.”

The final day's trade added €10,009,500 (-20%) to the aggregate at an average price of €77,593 (-4%) and median of €55,000. Considering Beeby's appraisal of a selective market it was no surprise that Thursday brought the best clearance figure of the week––83% for 129 foals sold from 156 offered.

White Birch Farm Returns
Another repeated theme from the Orby Sale was the reappearance of Joseph Allen, who signed for a number of Wildenstein yearlings in the name of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm with Brant unable to travel at that time. However, the White Birch principal was here in person for the foal section of the dispersal and, having had to admit defeat when underbidder on Beauty Parlour (JPN)'s Orby-topping Dubawi colt, he was successful in signing for the mare's Dansili (GB) filly foal––the final lot through the ring as 1201––at €450,000. It will be interesting to see if he shows similar interest in the Classic winner herself when the 7-year-old is offered later today as lot 1431 in foal to Kingman (GB).

White Birch Farm claimed five foals from the Wildenstein Dispersal for an outlay just shy of €1 million. After Beauty Parlour's foal, the next most expensive weanling was lot 1187, a Dansili colt this time, out of the 6-year-old G2 Prix de Malleret winner Pacific Rim (Ire) (Singspiel Ire}) who will be sold today carrying to Zoffany (Ire) as lot 1412.

A Kendargent (Fr) grand-daughter of G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Porlezza (Fr) (Sicyos {Fr}) (lot 1190) was the team's third six-figure purchase at €110,000.

Rabbah Seeing Stars
Rabbah Bloodstock was another of the major operations making its presence felt on Thursday through representative Jono Mills, who signed for a pair of colts by Sea The Stars for €240,000 and €180,000 respectively.

The more expensive of the duo, lot 1102, is a half-brother to dual Group 2 winner Here Comes When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and was consigned by Old Carhue Stud, his co-breeder in partnership with Graeng Bloodstock.

“He's a lovely colt by a really exciting stallion,” said Mills. “We don't buy that many foals but it was hard enough to buy yearlings this year. We'll take him home and decide what to do with him next year.”

Mills also bought lot 1072 from breeder Nuala Lynch. The first foal is a son of Martine's Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a half-sister to the Listed-winning dam of high-class racemare Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Dream Girls
There were only two Oasis Dream foals in the sale, both fillies, each of whom attained six-figure price-tags. Lot 1086, bred by Goffs Director Nick Nugent and his wife Alice and offered through Neilstown Stud, was the selection of bold pinhooker Philipp Stauffenberg. Underbidder Richard Brown gave way when the price reached €220,000 for the half-sister to G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. winner Lily's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Listed winner Zurigha (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) from the family that includes George Strawbridge's G1 Longines Prix de l'Opera heroine We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).

Stauffenberg said, “She's a lovely walker and very correct. I tried to buy [Listed winner] Incahoots from this family––this is a real fillies' family.”

The second Oasis Dream filly (lot 1166), out of the Listed winner Boastful (Ire), a Clodovil (Ire) half-sister to a pair of Group 3 winnners in Lesson In Humility (Ire) (Mujadil {Ire}) and Poet's Vanity (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}), was bought by Joe Foley for €180,000. The filly was offered by the Castlebridge Consigment on behalf of her breeder Louise Quinn.

Angel Still On High
The popularity of Dark Angel remains undimmed and his name featured prominently on the final-session leader board. For the second day running Jacqueline Norris was responsible for the most expensive filly by him, with lot 1125 being Norris's homebred half-sister to G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Mind Of Madness (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) who sold for €230,000 to Noel O'Callaghan of Mount Armstrong Stud.

Lot 1024, Esker Lodge Stud's Dark Angel half-sister to 10 winners including Listed scorer Taqseem (Ire) (Fantastic Light), reached €190,000 when knocked down to Richard Knight on behalf of an unnamed buyer.

“She's for a new client and she'll stay in Ireland,” Knight offered. “The likelihood is that she'll be raced. We were looking for a broodmare at the end of the day and this filly is from a lovely family. We're big fans of Dark Angel and whether or not my client decides to breed to race or sell he should be in good shape.”

Three lots previously, the Yeomanstown Stud team had signed for a Dark Angel colt (1021) at €150,000. The half-brother to Listed National S. winner Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was one of 11 foals bought by Yeomanstown throughout the sale, with the list also containing lot 1063, a colt by Helmet (Aus) out of Loose Julie (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) for €115,000. The unraced mare has made a good start to her stud career, producing a clean sheet of three multiple winners from her three winners.

Airlie Onto A Winner
Bought by Airlie Stud for €190,000 as a 3-year-old at Arqana in 2013, Tecla (Ire) (Whipper) is already rewarding the Rogers family for their outlay with her second foal, a filly by Acclamation (GB) (lot 1140) having brought a bid of €185,000 from Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International. Tecla is a daughter of the former Citadel Stud stalwart Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill), whose dynasty includes her Group 3-winning offspring Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), while another of their siblings, Tonnara (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}) is the dam of Group 1 winners Most Improved (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) and Ectot (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}).

Also among the bestsellers on the final day was a pair of colts by Invincible Spirit (Ire). Lot 1121 was co-bred by his consignor the Irish National Stud, which is also home to the stallion. The late April-born son of the Elusive Quality mare Sharapova (Ire) was bought by Paddy Twoney's Abbey Farm for €150,000 and is a full-brother to the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S.-placed Lottie Dod (Ire).

Emerald Bloodstock signed the docket at €160,000 for lot 1137, Rathasker Stud's first foal of the unraced Syamantaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), a half-sister to a trio of Group winners in Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert, Diamilina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) and Diamonixa (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).

The first day of the Breeding Stock Sale begins at 10am today and includes sizeable drafts from Godolphin, Aga Khan Studs and the conclusion of the Wildenstein Stables Dispersal offered by the Castlebridge Consignment.