Goresbridge Continues to Punch Above Its Weight

By Daithí Harvey 
For a relatively recent entrant into the international breeze up market, Goresbridge Bloodstock Sales has made quite a splash both in the sales ring and on the track. This year sees the County Kilkenny-based sales company host the 10th edition of its breeze-up sale May 22. The inaugural sale back in 2006 featured 72 lots with a top price of just €40,000. Among these lots, however, was the subsequent Italian Group 3 winner Shot Bless (Ire) (Daggers Drawn) and a long list of individual winners, which provided enough impetus for the intrepid boss of Goresbridge, Martin Donohoe, to commit to taking on the established European auction houses with his family run business. 

Fast forward 10 years, and the sale has grown to become the largest in Europe and the only breeze-up sale in Ireland. In those 10 years two subsequent Group 1 winners have been sold–Music Show (Ire) (Noverre) and Fiesolana (Ire) (Aussie Rules)–for a combined total of just over €50,000. Numerous other group winners such as Hitchens (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Dutch Masterpiece (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) have also flown the flag for the sales company, which has welcomed an increased number of buyers from all over the world year-on-year. 

This year sees 236 horses catalogued, but it has taken a lot of hard graft and the proverbial ‘blood, sweat and tears’ to get to the situation to where the company can now proudly promote the sale as a genuine source of Group 1 horses. 

52-year-old Martin Donohoe has been at the helm of the company since 1995, and at that stage Goresbridge was focused on selling show jumpers, eventers and even antique furniture. They began holding mixed sales of Thoroughbreds in the late 90s until Donohoe spotted a gap in the market that he thought he could fill. 

“So many Irish breeze-up horses were going to England to be sold and I thought surely we could keep some of them here to do the same job,” explained Donohoe. “I approached a few of the major vendors and they said they would support a new Irish sale and we started the first year with 72 horses. We were thrilled with how the first sale went and it gave us the confidence to move forward. Each year since it has grown in both quality and quantity and we are very happy with where we are at the moment.” 

From a logistical point of view the sale also works well. Horses breeze at nearby Gowran Park Racecourse the day before the sale and are then vanned three miles to the Goresbridge sales complex to be auctioned the following day. 
“Gowran Park is a wonderful facility and we are very lucky to have it nearby,” said Donohoe. “It’s a great track for breezing 2-year-olds; they always produce a nice strip of well railed fresh ground and it’s very fair on horses with just a gentle incline up the home straight.” 

Donohoe also believes the timing of the sale is a big factor in its success. 

“I think the fact that we sell towards the end of May gives juveniles more time to develop naturally and consignors aren’t under as much time pressure to work them harder and younger. This is also borne out in the results we have had on the track. Our horses may need a little more time but their longevity is well proven. Fiesolana, who ran in the Breeders’ Cup last year, won a Group 1 at five years of age.” 

An innovative feature Donohoe launched three years ago was to host footage on the Goresbridge website of all lots being hand-walked two weeks before the sale. 

“We commissioned Sam Sangster of Sirecam to visit all the consignors and take footage of each lot at a walk,” he explained. “We get very positive feedback from prospective buyers about this facility. It’s particularly useful for overseas clients to get a look at horses before they travel, as it helps reduce their workload when they arrive at the sale.” 

It would seem the customer is very much to the fore at Goresbridge. The hospitality is generous and Donohoe appears to treat all buyers with the same respect, whether they intend to spend €5,000 or twenty times that amount. 
Last year at Goresbridge saw the first 2-year-olds bought specifically to go to America when bloodstock agent Brendan Heeney signed for two fillies by Excellent Art (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Approve (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Though neither has won yet it looks only a matter of time before the Excellent Art filly, now called Stormy Alexis (Ire) makes her breakthrough. In four starts she has made the frame each time, most recently at Gulfstream Park Feb. 15 when third in a maiden special weight for trainer George Weaver, and Heeney sees more than enough potential in Stormy Alexis to warrant a return trip to Goresbridge this week. 

“I really believe she’s a stakes filly; she has been quite unlucky in her races so far and if she gets a clear run in her work and some luck in running I think she’ll soon show her real ability,” Heeney said. “I’m definitely going back to Goresbridge as I think it offers something that is hard to find over here. I don’t go there looking for a sprinting type; if you’re in the market for a horse to go maybe seven to nine furlongs on the turf, then you have some real nice options there.”

Heeney is also a big fan of the walking in-hand feature on the website and commented, “I think it’s a great idea, I wish more sales companies would do it. I find it really useful to get a certain amount of the work done before I even leave home. Time is of a premium for me as the sales calendar is pretty packed so it helps to be able to see some lots beforehand, even if they are only walking.” 

So what does the future hold for this thriving sale that arose from humble origins? Above all else, Martin Donohoe hopes to continue to strengthen the quality of horse on offer but is also keen to add a select Horse-In-Training section, possibly as soon as 2016. 

“I am convinced a quality selection of horses with form will work and I’m keen to develop it as part of the sale,” he explained. “I have mentioned it to a few trainers already and I would be very hopeful that I can get support for such a venture next year. We all know the international demand for horses with quality form is strong, whether it’s for a potential Royal Ascot 2-year-old or a progressive 3-year-old staying type for Australia; it’s something that I definitely think will work.” 

This year’s sale would appear to hold something for all tastes. Stock by Big Brown, Drosselmeyer, Lemon Drop Kid, Candy Ride (Arg), Haynesfield and Birdstone will help make U.S. visitors feel at home but it’s horses by the likes of Lope De Vega (Ire), New Approach (Ire), Raven’s Pass, Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire), Peintre Celebre, Teofilo (Ire), Iffraaj (GB), Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) and Zebedee (GB) that offer prospective U.S. buyers something different. 

Some potential box office lots could include lot 178, a Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality) colt from the family of Group 1 winners Youmzain (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), Creachadoir (Ire) (Kings Best), and Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent). Mayfield Stables consign lot 79, a Roderic O’Connor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) half brother to Group 3- winning sprinter Sir Maximilian (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}), while lot 35, from Powerstown Stud, is an Iffraaj (GB) (Zafonic) filly out of a half sister to GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Pounced (Rahy). Lot 137, a colt from Kilminfoyle House Stud, is also a likely one on pedigree, being by promising sophomore sire Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Notnowcato (GB) (Inchinor {GB}).