It wasn't too hard to predict that Gigginstown House Stud's 11-time Grade 1 winner Apple's Jade (Fr) (Saddler Maker {Ire}) would be the star of the Goffs December National Hunt Sale and, entering the ring just a handful of lots before the end of the two-day auction, the 8-year-old mare (lot 515) duly commanded the top price of the sale, eventually bringing the hammer down at €530,000.
Along with her own illustrious race record, an extra selling point was provided by the fact that Apple's Jade was offered carrying her first foal by the hugely popular Walk In The Park (Ire), the sire of top-class chasers Douvan (Fr) and Min (Fr). It was her former trainer Gordon Elliott who placed the final bid, and he was acting on behalf of Noel Moran's Bective Stud.
“It will be a very, very long time before we see her like again and it's next to impossible to have a chance at auction to buy a mare like her who won 11 Grade 1 races,” said Moran via telephone after the sale. “We're delighted to have gotten her and I'd say in future we will definitely be keeping her progeny to race.
Gordon Elliott added, “She's been a horse of a lifetime for me and I hope she will be just as successful for Noel and Valerie. They are looking for some high-class broodmares and she topped the bill. I hope she's really lucky for them.”
Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary also reflected on the career of Apple's Jade. He said, “She's a very, very special mare and if she breeds horses with half the heart she has they will be absolutely fine. We're sorry to see her go as she's been such a special mare for us and I hope that she will be just as successful for Noel and Valerie.”
Along with Apple's Jade, her dam, the five-time winner Apple's For Ever (Fr) (Nikos {Fr}), has also produced the useful Grade 2-winning hurdler and full-sister Apple's Shakira (Fr) among her five winning offspring to date.
Gigginstown House Stud, which also sold Cheltenham Festival runner-up Barra (Fr) (Vendangeur {Ire}) in foal to Poet's Word (GB) for €70,000, was the leading vendor at the sale.
The majority of the catalogue was made up of foals, and the demand for the stock of Walk In The Park continued during the second day but the most expensive weanling of the day was a filly by Flemensfirth, who was retired from stud duties in August at the age of 28. The half-sister to the Grade 2-winning chaser and hurdler Irish Saint (Fr) (Saints Des Saints {Fr}) was consigned as lot 288 by Ballyreddin Stud and, at €80,000, was the selection of Peter Molony, a noted buyer of National Hunt fillies whose purchases include the unbeaten five-time Grade 1 winner Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}).
Molony, who owns Rathmore Stud, said, ” I saw her six weeks ago at home and loved her, and she's turned inside out since then. It's a lovely, current pedigree with lots happening and she's one of the last Flemensfirths.”
He added, “We will take her home and dream for the next two years. We'll see whether she'll come back [to the store sale].”
Molony also signed for lot 324, a Walk In The Park filly, for €40,000. He said of Peria Stud's half-sister to listed bumper winner Glory and Fortune (Ire) (Fame And Glory {GB}), ” She's a lovely big filly. I love the sire and, again, it's a nice current pedigree. She'll definitely be one for the Land Rover Sale in 2023.”
Walk In The Park had 23 foals sold across the two days at an average price of €31,000, well above the overall average for the foal section of the sale, which was €14,487, which was 2.5% up on last year's trade. The turnover for foals was €4,520,000, which was down by 8% but from 35 fewer foals sold.
For the sale as a whole, the aggregate was €5,219,100, almost exactly on par with last year, but from the sale of 41 fewer horses. The clearance rate was up a point at 71%, the average was up by 11% at €16,010, and the median down by 4% at €10,000.
Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “To hold the first Thoroughbred sale in Ireland on its scheduled date since the outbreak of Covid-19 is noteworthy in itself. Like everyone in the country we have endured a truly torrid time and approached the sale with a degree of trepidation. Could we even conduct the sale and, if so, how would it measure up?
“On behalf of all the team at Goffs I want to thank everyone – vendors, purchasers, sales staff, vets, caterers, Covid stewards – for their support, forbearance, help and understanding over the last few days. We have managed to conduct a sale in as near to traditional format as possible whilst respecting and implementing a whole range of protocols to ensure Kildare Paddocks was safe and compliant at all times. We salute the patience of all attendees and their acceptance of one-way systems, number restrictions, social distancing, compulsory facemasks and the rest. This is not the way we like to 'welcome' visitors to our sales but this is truly a time of 'needs must'.”
He added, “So to the business. We have been both relieved and delighted with the strength and depth of the two days which was good enough to feel 'normal'. Indeed, there has been fierce competition for the superb bunch of foals with which we were entrusted by our vendors and to end up with a set of figures that were anywhere near last year's excellent results, never mind ahead, is such a relief. Again we are so grateful to our vendors who are supporting us with increasing numbers of their best bred National Hunt youngsters as we are nothing without them and their support has allowed us to grow this sale into a catalogue of market leading potential.
“And then there's Apple's Jade. We were truly honoured to be entrusted with her by Michael and Eddie O'Leary, and simply overjoyed that she lived up to her star billing. Her price of €530,000 obliterates the record for a National Hunt mare to ensure her appearance in the sales ring absolutely matched up to her racecourse reputation and we look forward to seeing her progeny carry on her mighty legacy, perhaps even in the Goffs sales ring en route to big-race success.”
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