The Ballyboy Stables-consigned Swing Davis (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) (lot 5) took top billing at Thursday's Goffs Punchestown Sale when selling to Mags O'Toole on behalf of Robcour for €320,000. The four-year-old was successful on the second of her two starts in points-to-points, having failed to complete on her first attempt, running out a commanding winner at Loughanmore last week.
From the family of the top-class chaser Klairon Davis (Fr) (Rose Laurel {Ire}), Swing Davis is set to go into training with Gordon Elliott. That proved to be a recurring theme at a sale where the top four lots were all bought by Elliott or his clients, including Familiar Dreams (GB) (Postponed {Ire}) (lot 1) and Ma Jacks Hill (Ire) (Famous Name {GB}) (lot 9), both of whom sold for €310,000.
The five-year-old Familiar Dreams was consigned by Anthony McCann's Shabra Stables–having gained her fourth win in succession in the G3 Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race at Punchestown barely 24 hours earlier–while Ma Jacks Hill, a four-year-old from the family of Grade 1-winning chasers Watson Lake (Ire) (Be My Native) and Feronily (Ire) (Getaway {Ger}), was consigned by Ciaran Fennessy's Glenabo Stables following his win in a Dromahane point-to-point last week.
The clearance rate was down 9% on last year's record-breaking sale as 18 horses sold from 22 offered for a gross of €2,878,000. The average dropped to €159,889 (-18%) and the median also fell to €140,000 (-18%). Five lots made at least €200,000 compared to nine in 2023.
Separate from those statistics was the final lot of the night as Goffs auctioned the silks worn by Rachael Blackmore aboard the sale's most famous graduate, Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}), in all of her many Grade 1 triumphs.
Generously donated by Honeysuckle's owner, Kenny Alexander, in aid of ChildVision's new indoor equine therapeutic centre named in memory of Jack de Bromhead, the colours sold for €105,000 to Peter Molony, who was bidding on behalf of a syndicate of Friends of the Irish National Stud where the framed colours will be displayed.
Reflecting on the sale, Goffs chief executive, Henry Beeby, said, “Tonight's Punchestown Sale was the usual lively affair at what is the original festival sale, with some mighty prices and a huge crowd of active participants. Last year's record-breaking sale was always going to be hard to match but 2024 compares very favorably with previous renewals and we have no doubt that there are some real stars amongst the graduates.
“Finally, we were so pleased to be able to assist the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre for ChildVision by selling Honeysuckle's racing silks at the end of the evening. It was wonderful to see such interest, not surprising given her legendary status. They were sold to Peter Molony for €105,000 who was bidding on behalf of Friends of the Irish National Stud.”
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