By Emma Berry
Daughters of Le Havre (Ire) have done a great job in advertising their sire's prowess over the last few seasons and one of just two yearlings catalogued by the Haras de la Cauviniere resident led the way as the Goffs February Sale got underway on Tuesday.
Consigned by Airlie Stud as lot 123, the Niarchos family-bred filly is a late addition to the pinhooked squad at Pier House Stud, with the Morrin brothers going to €75,000 to secure the daughter of the Listed-placed dual winner Kithonia (Fr) (Sadler's Wells).
“She'll be reoffered later in the year, perhaps at Deauville,” said Ger Morrin. “She's a really good-looking filly with a great walk.”
In addition to her physical attributes, the January-born filly hails from a family which has served her breeder well, her third dam Whakilyric (Miswaki) having produced the Group 1 winners Hernando (Fr) (Niniski) and Johann Quatz (Fr) (Sadler's Wells) among five stakes scorers.
The section of short yearlings, which followed a group of horses in training and continues today, provided the highlights of a relatively quiet day's trade at Kildare Paddocks. With a reasonable number of those youngsters having previously been unsold when offered at foal sales at the end of last year, the level of trade has not improved sufficiently in most cases to make the quick return to the ring worthwhile. The day's clearance rate stood at 58% for 116 sold from 201 horses put up for auction. Cumulatively they sold for €880,500 at an average price of €7,591 and median of €4,000. Full comparative figures of the yearlings sales will be compiled upon the conclusion of the yearling portion of the sale on Wednesday.
The great support given to the first crop of Coolmore's treble Classic winner Camelot (GB) continued with a member of his second batch of yearlings. Prospect Stables' son of the winning Oasis Dream (GB) mare Rugosa (GB) (lot 247), was the most expensive colt of the session when bought by Tally-Ho Stud at €54,000. A descendant of the Juddmonte matriarch Monroe (Sir Ivor), he is the first foal for his dam who won as a 3-year-old in the colours of Barry Hills when trained by his son Charlie.
Ballyhane Stud's Dandy Man (Ire) is routinely popular with pinhookers and he was the sire of another leading colt of the day (lot 205), the second foal of Passion Planet (Ire) Medicean {GB}), a half-sister to the Group 2-winning stayers Nearly Caught (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Pale Mimosa (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). Bred by Pat Turley, the colt was offered by Kingsfield Stud and was signed for by Richard Fitzsimmons of BBA Ireland on behalf of the Glencoole pinhooking syndicate at €42,000.
Amy Marnane picked up a commercial-looking individual in the form of Milltown House Stud's Kodiac (Ire) colt (lot 230) out of the dual Group 3 winner Redstone Dancer (Ire) (Namid {GB}). Dam of the five-time winner Alnaahee (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Redstone Dancer also has a juvenile Kodiac filly to run for her this season. The colt is another to emanate from an established Juddmonte family, being a descendant of Rainbow Quest's dam I Will Follow (Herbager {GB}).
The second of three Goffs February sessions begins today at 10am and the sale concludes tomorrow with a session of broodmare prospects.
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