Henry Beeby

Well-bred jumps mares dominated trade on the final day of the December National Hunt Sale at Goffs with Grade 3-winning chaser Zarkareva (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}) leading the way at €240,000. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned Scarlet And Dove (Ire) (Jeremy), successful at Grade 2 level and placed at the Cheltenham festival, confirmed that the demand for high-class mares remains as strong as ever in the National Hunt.  However, similarly to the Flat breeding stock sales in Britain and Ireland throughout recent months, the middle to lower end of the market proved...

Goffs has paid tribute to its former managing director Jonathan Irwin, one of the most influential people in the history of the sales house, who died aged 82 on Sunday. Irwin joined Goffs in 1975 and oversaw the construction of the world's first purpose-built bloodstock sales complex in Kill, County Kildare. He was also appointed CEO of the Dublin International Sports Council (DISC) in 1993 and established the Jack and Jill Foundation along with his wife Mary Ann after the birth of their son Jack. Since 1997, the foundation has...

There was a rather aptly-named top lot to the final session of the November Breeding Stock Sale as Over The Moon (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) led the way on Saturday with Goffs chief Henry Beeby summing up the trade at Kildare Paddocks this week as "historic". Over The Moon (lot 1373) was sold in foal to Space Blues (Ire) to Ted Naughton for €80,000 from Knocktoran Stud in a week where the Niarchos draft, headlined by record-equalling half-sisters Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman...

Pa Doyle of Galbertstown Stables labelled the pinhookers who were out in force at the Goffs November Foal Sale "as brave as lions" with the popular consignor capping off a memorable week by topping the Thursday session with a €90,000 Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) colt.  The Thursday sale-topper was bred by Tony Cosgrave, who Doyle described as one of the best show people in the business, and it played a part in Galbertstown ending the week as one of the top consignors with 17 horses selling for €632,000. The Phoenix...

Bobby O'Ryan and Dermot Weld purchased the top two lots during the second session at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale on Thursday. A filly (lot 727) from the family of Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}) by Havana Grey (GB) topped the session and the two-day sale at €65,000 from the consignment of Erenagh House Stud. Earlier in the day, lot 538, a son of Blue Point (Ire), brought €50,000 from the same duo from the draft of Rochestown Lodge Stud. Across the two days, the clearance rate dropped...

His Highness The Aga Khan Studs' draft took pride of place during Tuesday's Goffs Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. The top two lots bore the forest green blankets and crimson trim of His Highness, as they circled the ring yesterday. Leading proceedings was the 3-year-old New Approach (Ire) colt Kadeen (Ire) (lot 85), who sports one victory--at the Curragh--and four placings in five starts to date. He was picked up by Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud for €100,000. His dam, the listed winner Kadra (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), is from the...

The first Coral Gold Cup Sale, featuring select point-to-pointers at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday, Dec. 2, was launched by Goffs on Thursday. Held after racing on Coral Gold Cup Day in the Newbury winner's enclosure, the sale is the latest offering by the sales company that also conducts point-to-point sales at Aintree, Punchestown, Sandown and Yorton among other locales. In the past, Newbury also featured on that list, and a sale there set a world-record price for a National Hunt horse-in-training at public auction when Un Temps Pour Tout (Ire)...

Over 40 lots from the Niarchos Draft headline the 541-strong Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale catalogue, which was released on Tuesday. Some of the stars of the two-day stand on Nov. 24-25 are Classic heroine and four-time Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (lot 1263) in foal to Sea The Stars (Ire); Group 1 winners Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) (lot 1240) in foal to Frankel (GB) and Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 1212) carrying to St Marks Basilica (Fr). All three mares are from the...

A full-brother to multiple Group 1 winner and young sire Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will be offered during the Goffs November Foal Sale at Kildare Paddocks from Nov. 20-Nov. 23. One of 1,041 foals catalogued, the colt will sell as lot 767. His older brother brought €1.1 million at the same sale. There is also a Dark Angel (Ire) half-brother to multiple group winner and Classic-placed Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 768); a colt by Hello Youmzain (Fr) who is a half-brother to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba...

Goffs chief Henry Beeby acknowledged the selective nature of the trade at the re-branded Part 2 Goffs Orby Sale where a €140,000 Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly led the way on Friday when selling from Derrinstown Stud to Macie and Kishore Mirpuri. That sale continued the theme of well-bred fillies commanding plenty of respect in the ring during Book 1 and Book 2 of this year's Orby Sale.  Lot 955 was purchased by the Polish agent Kishore Mirpuri on behalf of Macie Jodlowski, the leading trainer in that jurisdiction. However,...

With great trust comes responsibility and nobody knows that better than Henry Beeby. After throwing down the gauntlet to the breeders of Ireland to support this year's Goffs Orby with their top-tier yearlings, Beeby has assembled what he describes as the strongest catalogue for this sale in his 41 years working for the company.  Along with some of the major farms in Ireland--your Glenvales, Camas Parks, Barodas, Tally-Hos, Ballylinches and more--Philip Stauffenberg is here. Consigning at the Orby Sale for the first time, Stauffenberg Bloodstock will offer the Kingman (GB)...

Aidan O'Brien has set his sights on winning the Goffs Million at the Curragh for the first time on Saturday and says that Cherry Blossom (Ire), who has Group 1 targets later this season, could be just the answer in the lucrative contest. Bred by Barronstown Stud, the daughter of No Nay Never was a €360,000 buy at the Goffs Orby 12 months ago by MV Magnier. Cherry Blossom broke her maiden at the second time of asking over six furlongs at the Curragh before running second to Relief Rally...