Raven’s Pass Filly on Top at Goffs Orby

For those who thought they’d seen the star of the show on Tuesday at Goffs there was a surprise in store when Kilcarn Stud’s Raven’s Pass filly out of the 21-year-old sales queen Spirit of Tara (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) (lot 432) rocketed past the first-day high to top the Orby Sale at €2 million.

Three yearlings fetched seven-figure sums during the second session, boosting turnover to €38,953,500, an improvement of 1%, albeit for

17 more horses sold than in 2014. Clearance rate fell fractionally to 86% for 373 horses sold from 434 offered, and the average and median figures also both dropped, to €104,433 (-4%) and €62,000 (-11%) respectively.

The second session cleared €19,309,000 at an average price of €107,872 (-5%) and a median of €62,000 (-11%).

“Never before have we sold four seven-figure lots at a Goffs yearling sale, nor three in a single day, so we are naturally elated to have catalogued this quartet of truly illustrious yearlings and send our heartfelt thanks to Pat O’Kelly, Noel O’Callaghan, the Hanburys’ Triermore Stud and Kirsten Rausing for entrusting us with their best yearlings,” said Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby.

“As we have always said we cannot do anything without the support of leading Irish breeders and we are delighted to have repaid their confidence in our service by returning such good results.”

Family a Must for Moyglare…

Fiona Craig was determined to add the member of Pat O’Kelly’s prized family to the Moyglare Stud ranks but had to withstand a similarly dogged attempt by Tony Nerses, who finally gave way when the bidding reached €2 million.

Standing with Moyglare Stud’s regular trainer Dermot Weld, Craig proclaimed, “Pedigree, pedigree, pedigree. What else can I say?”

Indeed, the grand-daughter of the stellar racemare and producer Flame Of Tara (GB) (Artaius) hails from a dynasty which has scaled some notable heights in recent decades and contains such flag-bearers as dual Classic winner Salsabil (Ire)–a full-sister to Spirit Of Tara–Marju (Ire) and Echo Of Light (GB). The latter, Spirit Of Tara’s son from the sole crop of Dubai Millennium (GB), topped the 2003 Orby Sale when selling for €1.2 million, while her Dubawi filly, later named Irish History (Ire), prevailed at the 2010 sale at a price of €950,000.

Craig continued, “She’s a lovely model too–for a mare of that age I was pleasantly surprised by what a strong, solid filly she was when she walked out of her box. Let’s hope she wins races for us but she’s an outcross so we can breed her back to speed-Danzig.

“I’d hoped not to have to pay that much for her but that’s what you have to pay to get into a family like this,” she added.

The sales-topper was the highlight of a successful sale for Kilcarn Stud, which also sold a colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of Galileo’s Group 3-winning daughter Prima Luce (Ire) for €580,000 to China Horse Club. Three horses sold realised €2,592,000 to make Kilcarn the leading vendor by aggregate.

The Start of a Heavenly Partnership…

Frankel (GB) may have led the way on the opening day of the Goffs Orby Sale, but it was his sire Galileo (Ire), the reigning champion in Europe, who made his presence felt during the second session when a colt out of the juvenile Group 3 winner Sent From Heaven (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) (lot 397) brought the hammer down at €1.2 million.

Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and Steve Parkin, flanked by their respective advisors David Redvers and Joe Foley, looked down on proceedings from the gods of the sales ring and bettered every bid made by M.V. Magnier to ensure that the colt was theirs to race in partnership.

“We felt he was the nicest colt here by a long margin,” said Redvers of the late May colt, a second foal for the 1000 Guineas fourth Sent From Heaven and, like his dam, bred by Christopher and Bridget Hanbury of Triermore Stud.

“I hope he’ll look good value by next week,” he added, referring to the fast-approaching Tattersalls October Sale.

Joe Foley commented, “He looks like a real stallion prospect–he’s a beautiful son of Galileo.”

This is the second Galileo yearling purchased by Parkin at the Orby Sale after he went to €300,000 during the opening session for Airlie Stud’s half-sister to Intense Focus. He also owns fillies by Frankel and Makfi in partnership with Sheikh Fahad.

A Galileo for Aislabie…

Just two lots after the sale-topper had left the ring, another Galileo yearling breached the seven-figure barrier, with Oliver St Lawrence ensuring his old Kentucky house-mate Fiona Craig this time had to settle for second place when bidding €1.05 million for Staffordstown’s filly out of the G3 Prix d’Arenberg winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 434).

Bought on behalf of Fawzi Nass, the Bahraini owner of Aislabie Stud in Newmarket, the filly is a half-sister to 3-year-old winner Scottish Strand (GB) (Selkirk) and a great grand-daughter of the Lanwades matriarch Sushila (GB) (Petingo {GB}).

“Fawzi was over in Ireland three weeks ago to look around the studs and he really liked her,” said St Lawrence, who manages Aislabie Stud. “Her dam was really fast and was only just beaten in the Queen Mary S., so she should be a 2-year-old.” (audio)

James Fanshawe will lake charge of lot 355, a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) who was bought from Glenvale Stud by Suzanne Roberts for €380,000.

“He’s for an exiting Hong Kong-based owner with James,” said Roberts of the second foal of the Shamardal mare Question Times (GB), a half-sister to G3 Sceptre S. winner Sunday Times (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

A Pair of Aces for Jacques…

Owner-breeder Yvonne Jacques, whose dual Grade 2 winner Grandeur (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) was retired this week, selected two fillies who will eventually be added to her fledgling broodmare band, which is spread between England and Ireland.

Top of her two picks, both of which were bought through agent Cathy Grassick, was lot 465, a sister to G3 Fred Darling S. winner and Classic-placed Penkenna Princess (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who ended up costing €370,000 after Grassick entered a protracted duel with Michael Wallace.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe we outbid the China Horse Club,” said a relieved Grassick. “I have the best client–she said, ‘Go on, have one more bid’.”

The agent added: “Yvonne was looking for fillies with broodmare potential and she ticks all the boxes, she should be a good racehorse and a lovely foundation mare. There were two we really wanted in the catalogue and we managed to buy them both. The trainer for this one is to be decided.”

The Pivotal filly–who will join the sister to GI E. P. Taylor S. winner Tannery (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) (lot 115) bought by Jacques for €100,000 during Tuesday’s session–was the highlight of the Grangemore Stud draft and proved something of a triumph for Guy O’Callaghan, who paid 62,000gns for her at Tattersalls in December.

The first to hug Grassick when the hammer fell at €370,000, O’Callaghan said, “We’ve had a great season. I’ve just been lucky to have really good horses. This filly was a pleasure to deal with the whole way through and I hope she’s very lucky for her new owner.”

Shadwell Keep it in the Family…

G2 July S. winner and young Tara Stud sire Alhebayeb (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) cost Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum 170,000gns at Tattersalls in 2011 and he had to dig a little deeper to secure his brother, lot 291, who was knocked down for €360,000 to the Shadwell supremo.

Offered by his breeder Yeomanstown Stud, the late April colt is a son of the Indian Ridge (GB) mare Miss Indigo (GB), who is also the dam of listed Scarborough S. winner Humidor (Ire) (Camacho {GB}).

Ross Doyle and Richard Hannon were busy throughout the Orby Sale with the agent going to €350,000 for lot 255, a daughter of Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of treble winner Lethal Quality (Elusive Quality) and consigned by the Irish National Stud.

“She’s for an existing client and will go to Richard Hannon,” said Doyle. “She’s by a sensational stallion and we felt she was the best physical today. She seems to have a great temperament–every time we went to see her she just had her head down getting on with it.” (audio)

The duo also bought lot 286, a son of Teofilo out of a half-sister to G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City) for €260,000. The colt, a half-brother to multiple winner Spiritual Star (Ire) (Soviet Star ), was another successful pinhook for Tally-Ho Stud, who paid €52,000 for him in the same ring last November.

A Great ‘Walker’ for Walker…

The SackvilleDonald agency signed for 17 yearlings through the two days, including lot 277, a first-crop son of Born To Sea (Ire) bought by Alastair Donald for €320,000.

“I bought for the same overseas client yesterday and this horse is also going to Ed Walker,” confirmed Donald of the half-brother to dual winner California (Ire) Azamour (Ire), who finished seventh in yesterday’s listed Prix Charles Laffitte at Chantilly for John Gosden.

Sheikh Hamdan was the under-bidder on the Epona Bloodsotck-bred colt offered by Denis Brosnan’s Croom House Stud and hailing from the Ballylinch Stud family which includes last year’s champion 2-year-old Belardo (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

Donald added, “He’s a gorgeous horse from a very good family. I’ve been impressed with the Born To Sea yearlings. This horse had a lot of quality and is a great walker.”

Also heading overseas eventually is Camas Park Stud’s Acclamation (GB) colt (lot 296), one of four purchases by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at €300,000.

“It’s a really good family and he’s just a lovely horse,” said buyer Mark Richards of the first foal of the Pivotal (GB) mare Moment Juste (GB), a half-sister to the stakes winners Imperial Stride (GB) (Indian Ridge {GB}), High Pitched (GB) (Indian Ridge {GB}) and Zero Tolerance (Ire) (Nashwan).

He continued, “He’s very well-balanced and particularly correct. He has a lot of quality about him–I looked at him three or four times and each time I saw him I liked him more, which is unusual for me.”

International Element a Boost…

China Horse Club led the buyers’ table and helped to swell the Goffs coffers by €3,710,000 for eight yearlings purchased, headed by the €1.7 million session-topping daughter of Frankel (GB) and Alexander Goldrun (Ire).

The club’s founder Teo Ah Khing commented on his Goffs experience, “We’ve been really impressed with the quality and organisation at Goffs. We’ve been coming here for the last few years and this year we decided to come and invest. I think we had to pay a premium for the Frankel filly–she walks well and looks perfect.”

He concluded, “The club itself was set up to promote the Thoroughbred all over the world. We have said before that America is our centre and we’d like to get more involved with our partners in the States and build up the club. We’ll participate in all the major sales in one way or another.”

That participation was certainly welcome at Goffs, with Henry Beeby pointing to the increased number of international visitors to the Orby Sale thanks to the efforts of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

He added, “Our sales-toppers have been the highlight of a trade that has been exceptional for the best-bred lots with sometimes frenzied bidding for those that stood out.

“That the four top lots have been bought by four different people clearly illustrates the depth of buyers for the best lots at Goffs and it is surely a most healthy sign that the sale is not reliant on any one group. It is fair to say, however, that the sale was not been as strong at all levels and, if you fell short of some very high standards, it was hard work in places. That is clearly shown by the dip in average and median and the fact that the clearance rate is a point shy of last year, albeit at a very respectable 86%.

“However the bare year-on-year statistics really don’t tell the whole story, as so many buyers have commented on a strong trade and a large number of vendors have enjoyed some really good results. The fact is that a deeper analysis of Orby shows a sale that has grown by 41% in just two years so we have essentially consolidated those gains.”

Click here for an interview with China Horse Club’s Teo Ah Khing.

Goffs today hosts the single-session Sportsman’s Sale, which consists of 254 yearlings and starts at 10 a.m. For full results, visit www.goffs.com.