Classic Success Fuels Goffs November

The worth of any sale should be measured by its ability to turn out winners at the highest level, and with graduates of its November Foal and Mare Sales having featured in British and Irish Classics in 2018, Goffs certainly meets that standard and thus heads into the 2018 renewal of its November sale Nov. 19 to 24 with plenty of momentum behind it.

First it was Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), a €88,000 foal purchase here three years ago, who became a first Classic winner for Joseph O'Brien when taking the G1 Irish Derby. Across the pond, €52,000 foal La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) won the GI Natalma S. for Godolphin, and Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), in hindsight a bargain at €20,000, won the GI Sword Dancer S.

La Pelosa and Glorious Empire were both successful pinhooks for their foal buyers before going on to win at the highest level, again highlighting the diamonds that can be prospected by shrewd shoppers at this sale. A few of the big pinhooking successes from the 2017 Goffs November Foal Sale to this year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale included a €52,000 foal sold for €700,000, a €60,000 foal pinhooked for €300,000 and a €82,000 foal re-sold for €350,000.

Before they sort out their true worth on the racetrack, it is the highest-priced horses that make the headlines, and the Goffs November Foal Sale last year was led by the progeny of Galileo: a filly foal made €1.1-million and a colt sold for €625,000. There are four Galileo foals catalogued this year: lot 709, a three-quarter sister to dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire); lot 637, a half-brother to standout young Australian sire Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}), who shuttles to Britain next year; lot 570, the first foal of an unraced daughter of champion Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill); and lot 680, a half-brother to G2 Lowther S. and G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Galileo's best son Frankel (GB) and half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire) are also well represented. Frankel has three catalogued: lot 655, a half-brother to GI Secretariat S. winner Bayrir (Fr) (Medicean {GB}); lot 647, a half-brother to three stakes winners including G2 Beresford S. winner Curtain Call (Fr) (Sadler's Wells); and lot 604, a filly who is the first foal out of Group 3 winner Stormfly (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Sea The Stars, who had the third-highest priced foal last year at €460,000 as well as a €330,000 colt who sold for 1.1-million gns this October, has 17, including a colt who is the second foal of the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner Pollyana (Ire) (Whipper) (lot 557).

Invincible Spirit closed out the flat season with a Group 1 2-year-old double late last month, and he has three up for sale including lot 567, a half-brother to the G3 Prix Penelope third Rythmique (Ire) out of a half-sister to G1 Irish Oaks winner Vintage Tipple (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}), and lot 583, the second foal of the stakes-placed Sagami (Street Cry {Ire}).

“We are delighted with the foal catalogue and think our Part 1 section is the measure of any, headed by the four Galileo foals and backed up by so many beautifully bred foals from some of the best families in the Stud Book,” said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby. “Overall, the sire profile is simply mouth-watering headed by the likes of Dark Angel, Frankel, Invincible Spirit, Kingman, Kodiac, Lope De Vega, Muhaarar, Nathaniel, No Nay Never, Oasis Dream, Sea The Stars, Siyouni, Teofilo and so many other desirable names.

“The racecourse is the ultimate goal, though, and Goffs November Foals deliver in some style with world-class winners in every crop,” Beeby added. “This year they are headed by a trio of Group 1 horses–Irish Derby winner Latrobe graces the front cover of the catalogue whilst the back is shared by La Pelosa, shown winning the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine, alongside Glorious Empire, winner of the GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga.”

Last year, Goffs introduced a new format of splitting its foal sale into two parts, book-ending the two-day mares sale, to allow shoppers more time to inspect foals: Part I took place over three days at the start of the week while Part II wrapped up proceedings over two days at the end of the week. That format was deemed a success, with combined foal sale figures well up on last year (average €37,134, +29% and median €20,000, +33%, and the clearance rate up 10% to 77%). The same format is used this year, albeit with Part II of the foal sale down to one day.

November Mare Graduates Blossoming

Classic success in 2018 wasn't reserved for just the Goffs November Foal Sale: Chelsea Rose (Ire) (Desert King {Ire} topped the 2012 Goffs November Mares Sale at €450,000, and her second foal to be produced after that transaction, Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), won this year's G1 St Leger, G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G2 Queen's Vase.

Numbers are down by about 100 for this year's mare sale, which Beeby said could be the result of some breeders opting to retain more mares off a strong yearling sale season, and he noted that while there isn't an obvious standout among the catalogue of 447, there is plenty of quality from the usual faithful vendors.

“There isn't anything that really stands out like a Chicquita or a Beauty Parlor that we've had in the past, but there are some very nice pedigrees in there and we're very pleased with what we've got,” he said. “It's slightly smaller than last year. I think when the market is stronger sometimes people hold on to their mares longer than they usually do. The elite yearling market has been so strong so I think that's resulted in a smaller catalogue, because some of the mares aren't for sale, but we're very happy with the catalogue we've got and we think there will be quality and value.”

Some of the more eye-catching lots should include She's Complete (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) (lot 962), a listed winner on the turf at Santa Anita who is carrying her second foal, by Sea The Stars (Ire), and South African champion 2-year-old filly Cloth Of Cloud (SAf) (Al Mufti) (lot 964), in foal to Galileo (Ire).

From the ever-popular Aga Khan draft there is the likes of Baliyana (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) (lot 973), a stakes-winning and producing mare in foal to Kodiac (GB); Simawa (Ire) (Anabaa) (lot 977), a stakes-producing half-sister to Sinndar (Ire) in foal to Gleneagles (Ire); and Eneza (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 1013), a maiden half-sister to this year's G2 Blandford S. and G3 Park S. winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Jim Bolger's Redmondstown Stud and Glebe House Stables offer a handful of good prospects between them: Something Graceful (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 992), the dam of 2018 stakes winner Sometimesadiamond (Ire) (Vocalised) in foal to Dawn Approach; Marina Of Venice (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 993), the dam of two stakes horses including listed winner Vociferous Marina (Ire) (Vocalised) in foal to Fastnet Rock (Aus); Dawn Of A New Era (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 994), a full-sister to Dawn Approach in foal to Belardo (Ire); and Pleisiur (Ire) (Vocalised) (lot 996), a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Pleascach (Ire) in foal to that one's sire, Teofilo (Ire).

“This is a sale with a superb record as shown on the front cover of the 2018 catalogue which depicts Kew Gardens winning the G1 William Hill St Leger at Doncaster,” said Beeby. “Kew Gardens is out of Chelsea Rose who topped the 2012 version of this sale at €450,000, so graphically illustrating the quality provided every year. Kew Gardens is no flash in the pan when it comes to showcasing our November Breeding Stock Sale though, as his victory follows Harzand's stunning Epsom Derby triumph for HH The Aga Khan and Dermot Weld. Harzand's dam, Hazariya was another Goffs November sale-topper when realising €480,000.

“These are just two examples of what is on offer and this year's catalogue features drafts from such leading nurseries as HH The Aga Khan Studs, Ballylinch Stud, Baroda & Colbinstown, Castlebridge, Derrinstown Stud, Godolphin, Jockey Hall Stud, Kiltinan Castle Stud, Moyglare Stud, Norelands Stud, Redmondstown Stud, and so many others who make a habit of breeding the best.”