Goffs November Foal Sale Begins Monday

The Goffs November Foal Sale kicks off its expanded run in Ireland Monday Nov. 16 with the first 227 lots slated to go under the hammer in Co. Kildare. An increased Irish foal crop and a resurgence in the sale itself in recent years has seen the sale expanded to 1203 hips over five days from Nov. 16-20 for the first time since 2007. The sale consisted of three days just four years ago, but year-on-year growth since that time has seen an increased demand for spots for quality youngsters in the Goffs catalogue. Indeed, last year’s foal sale saw an increased average of 41% (€37,068) and a median that was up 29.4% (€22,000), despite 54 more horses being sold, and the buyback rate was a very healthy 15%. Last year’s sale also saw a record price for an Irish foal: the €1.8 million paid by agent Dermot Farrington for a filly from the first crop of Frankel (GB) out of Classic winner Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley).

“The Goffs November Foal Sale has been enormously successful, and has grown year-on-year for five years,” said Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby. “Goffs’ foal sale accounts for 82% of the Irish foals that are sold, so it’s a market leader in that sense. We’ve sold the four highest-priced foals in Europe the last 10 years, headed by last year’s €1.8 million for the Frankel filly.”

The success of Goffs foal graduates was highlighted Oct. 24 by the victory of Marcel (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in the G1 Racing Post Trophy. Marcel, a €50,000 purchase by Mick Flanagan two years ago, led home fellow Goffs graduates Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–a €300,000 Goffs Orby yearling–and Foundation (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire})–a €50,000 Goffs November foal turned €190,000 Orby yearling–in the final British Group 1 contest of the year for juveniles.

Click here for an in depth look at the Goffs November Foal Sale Nov. 16-20 and subsequent Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale Nov. 21-22 by the TDN’s Kelsey Riley. For more information or the catalogues, go to www.goffs.com.