By Brian Sheerin
Well, that was good. The jam-packed car parks at Kildare Paddocks translated into rip-roaring trade on the opening day of the November Foal Sale as the momentum gathered up towards the end of the yearling season carried over into what proved a memorable Monday for vendors at Goffs.
And the €90,000 top lot by Blue Point (Ire)? It came at a time where the vendor needed it most. Rob Tierney might be best known as the face of Noel O'Callaghan's Mountarmstrong Stud. Together, the pair have enjoyed many good days. But Monday's sale-topper was consigned by Tierney under his own Mayfield Farm and he already has a home for the money–literally.
“My wife Ciara and I are actually building a house this year so I'm not buying foals this year–we're trying to get money in rather than spending it! This touch is timely. We're delighted,” Tierney beamed.
The Blue Point colt hails from Exceed And Excel (Aus) mare Emerald Isle (Fr), who Tierney sourced at Goffs in 2016 for just €12,000. Her latest offspring was snapped up by Guy O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud.
He continued, “I'm delighted-it's a great day. Look it, I've had some great twists with Noel over the years but you'd never get ahead of yourself and it's brilliant when it happens. This foal was very busy. We liked him a lot at home and we were hoping he'd be popular. But for him to make what he did, sure it's only a dream. I have to say that the trade there at Goffs today was unbelievable. You know, for what is meant to be one of the lesser days of trade, it was exceptionally strong and it was brilliant to see it.”
O'Callaghan described trade at Goffs on Monday as “very strong” and admitted to being a huge fan of Blue Point after adding the top lot to his team.
He explained, “Very good-looking horse by a brilliant stallion and out of an Exceed And Excel mare. Hoping for the best. Trade is very good and if you have a good horse you get very well paid. The market is very good. We've traded a few Blue Points well over the years and David [O'Callaghan] and I have the dam of Charyn (Ire) in foal to him so we're believers.”
Of the 232 offered on Monday, 168 were sold at a clearance rate of 72%. The turnover stood at €3,834,500, the average at €22,825 and the median rested at €18,000. The clearance rate was the only metric that took a dip on Monday [down 3% from 75% in 2023]. The turnover was up a whopping 21% while the average climbed 14% and the median was also up by 12%.
Talking points
One of the first Perfect Power (Ire) foals to hit the market was well-received by Michael Fitzpatrick of JC Bloodstock, who went to €60,000 to secure the Tinnakill House-drafted filly early in the session. Lot 56 is out of a Cape Cross (Ire) mare Cairncross (Ire), who has already produced a black-type performer in Thunder Of Niagra (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). The only other offering by the stallion on Monday, another filly, sold to Moanmore Stables for €18,000.
Tally-Ho Stud were the leading buyers on day one and added a Showcasing (GB) colt to the team from Windsor Stud for €88,000. The colt hails from Frankel (GB) mare My Only One (GB) and the result left Windsor Stud's Frank O'Callaghan visibly delighted. He said, “Delighted with how we got on today. A lot of the right people were on him and Tally-Ho ultimately won. He's gone to a great home and Tally-Ho have been great supporters of ours. Dad and Tony are brothers so we like to support them and they've supported us. He's been a dream to prepare–he'd a dote and is an unbelievable walker. Anyone who saw him loved him. He walked all day and I think he'd about 170 views. Delighted. We'd our fingers crossed–we thought we might do okay but delighted by how it went.”
It was a pretty strong day overall for Cotai Glory (GB). The Tally-Ho Stud-based stallion was responsible for four of the top 10 yearlings sold on Monday and, all told, averaged €29,267 for 15 sold.
First Foray Into Breeding Works A Treat For Forge Bloodstock
Rory and Dan Maher of Forge Bloodstock | Goffs
Rory and Dan Maher of Forge Bloodstock are rightly regarded as shrewd pinhookers and the brothers' first foray into breeding didn't go too badly, either, when selling a Cotai Glory colt to Paul McCartan under the banner of KM Bloodstock for €85,000.
Consigned by Philip O'Dwyer of Ardreigh Stud, the Cotai Glory colt is the first foal out of the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Cantata (GB), who the brothers picked up at the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls for just 2,500gns.
Rory said, “He is a lovely foal–lovely mover, shape and blessed with a great attitude. A simple foal. He's gone to a good judge in Paul McCartan and fair play to Paul, he's operating at the top end and is one of the best at what he does. Best of luck to him.
“For us, we usually buy a couple of foals every year but we purchased a couple of mares a few years ago and that has to work, too, as there are nominations to be paid. That's how this fella found himself here today. We knew he was a nice foal who would be accepted well at the sales so we decided to enter him to see where we were at and he sold above our expectations.”
Maher added, “We bought the mare for 2,500gns at Newmarket. She was a maiden mare when we bought her and went to Cotai Glory because we're fond of him. But the mare is a big-walking mare and we knew she'd suit him. The mare is back in foal to Good Guess (GB). We actually only have two mares and the other is in foal to Mehmas (Ire). A special thanks to our good friend Philip O'Dwyer of Ardreigh Stud, who consigned him for us.”
Buy of the day
Roger O'Callaghan told TDN Europe on Sunday that Tally-Ho Stud's modus operandi when sourcing foals at the sales is a simple one; buy the ones that you think will run. In the shape of lot 137, a colt by the stud's own Cotai Glory (GB), the outfit looks to have filled that brief. At €62,000, Tally-Ho sourced a belting foal out of a Stakes-performing mare [Lady Beware (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire})]. Doubtless this is a horse that will be turned into money. Whether that be as a yearling or down the breeze-up route, only time will tell.
Thought for the day
Regardless of what way you look at it, there is a distinct lack of mile-plus foals that hit the market. Barring the odd exception, like Aughamore Stud paying €20,000 for a colt foal by Maxios (GB), most pinhookers and end users seem to prefer investing in speed and precocity at the foal sales. Such an observation is hardly a new one but it would be good to see some more variety to the market at times.
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