Goffs

KILDARE, Ireland--There was a palpable energy in the air at Goffs on Wednesday morning with the anticipation of some equine future stars changing hands, and so it proved with a daughter of the new king Frankel (GB) stealing the show when selling to Juddmonte Farms for €550,000. Being the strongest day of the four day foal sale, it was important that the gains made in the first half of the week were built on here and it was encouraging to again see trade maintain the strong pace initiated on day...

KILDARE, Ireland--The momentum built up on day one of the Goffs November Foal sale carried through Tuesday when strong trade was again the order of the day. The step up in pedigree power on offer further buoyed trade and the trend of an improved set of figures also continued its upward trajectory. At the close of business, 84% of the 254 offered foals changed hands for a total sum of €7,374,500, a 49% rise admittedly from a slightly larger number offered. This contributed to an average of €34,460 (+23%) and...

KILDARE, Ireland--Unlike last year when it took place the week before Christmas, the Goffs November Foal Sale returned to its rightful place in the calendar and proceedings got off to a very positive start on Monday. As well as last year's session-topping high price of €75,000 being eclipsed when a son of Mehmas (Ire) sold for €140,000, all the other metrics comfortably surpassed those achieved in an albeit troubled 2020 edition, headed by a 77% clearance rate which yielded an aggregate of €3,384,500, some 55% up on last year. Also...

In life and in bloodstock, the confluence of a few small factors--decisions that may seem minute at the time--can quickly amalgamate into life-changing moments. Like, for instance, when Martin Cooney and Elaine Shaw opted to raise their hands at €21,000 during the 2018 Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale on an 8-year-old daughter of Hard Spun whose first two foals had not yet found the winner's enclosure; while, simultaneously, another bidder hesitated, and ultimately changed their mind too late. "Too late, sir," the auctioneer called, hammering Plying down to Jossestown Farm....

As the bloodstock auction industry rides a wave of resurgence into its final sector of the season, Goffs provides the curtain-raiser in its November Foal and Breeding Stock sales. The action begins next week with four days of foal sales from Nov. 15 to 18, which rolls right into two days of breeding stock on Nov. 19 and 20. The European marketplace provided some welcome upbeat surprises amid the overall tumult of the pre-vaccine pandemic in 2020, but this year has proven an extreme revelation everywhere, and nowhere moreso than...

Demand remained strong on the second day of the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale and Shadwell Estate's Derrinstown Stud continued to sit firmly atop the leading consignor standings. Three of the top four lots on Wednesday and eight of the top 10 lots over the two days were ultimately offered by Derrinstown. Overall, all 26 yearlings offered by the stud sold for a gross of €1,491,000. Leading the way on the second day of the sale was lot 534, a son of Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of the Arcano (Ire) mare...

A quartet of homebred yearlings offered by Shadwell Estate's Derrinstown Stud led the way during the initial session of the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale in Kildare Paddocks Tuesday. Responsible for all four yearlings on Day 1 of the two-day sale to top the six-figure mark, Derrinstown's roster was led by Lot 370, a colt by Dark Angel (Ire), who realized a €180,000 online bid from Adam Driver. Bred by Shadwell Estate Co., the Jan. 25 foal is the first foal out of Moghamarah (GB) (Dawn Approach), who finished second or...

After being forced online last year, the Goffs Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale returned to an in-person format on Monday, with trade topped by the Aga Khan Studs' Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (lot 104), who was bought by Alessandro Marconi for Ahmed bin Harmash and Al Aasfa Racing for €160,000. The gelded 3-year-old is a winner and has been placed this year in the G3 Amethyst S. and Listed Platinum S. for trainer Dermot Weld. Gelded 4-year-old Eagle's Flight (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) (lot 132) also proved popular from Mick Halford's...

Harry Beeby, a key figure within Goffs and Doncaster Bloodstock Sales since the 1960s and an internationally renowned auctioneer, died on Thursday morning at his home with his family at his side. Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern said, "Harry was a stalwart of the bloodstock industry for over 50 years. Greatly respected, a mentor to many, a true friend and loyal colleague, he was first and foremost a family man. To his beloved wife Elizabeth, his son, Goffs Group Chief Executive Officer Henry Beeby, daughters Caroline and Belinda and to his...

Twenty-five yearlings have been supplemented to the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale at Kildare Paddocks on Nov. 2 and 3. The yearlings include progeny of the likes of Gleneagles (Ire), Sioux Nation, Australia (GB), Make Believe (GB), Mehmas (Ire), Starspangledbanner (Aus), Harry Angel (Ire), Territories (Ire), Galileo Gold (Ire) and El Kabeir. Click here for the catalogue. The Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale has produced 2021 Group 1 winner Laws Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Quick Suzy (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}).

Tom Dascombe trainee Flaming Rib (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) became the first winner for his freshman sire (by Iffraaj {GB}) when registering a one-length win in Saturday's Listed Virgin Bet Doncaster S. at Doncaster's Town Moor venue. Flaming Rib bagged a trio of nursery handicaps--at Thirsk, York and Chester--in his three most recent outings and continued on an upward trajectory with a first black-type triumph in this straight dash. The 13-8 second choice was sharply into stride and claimed an immediate lead. Holding sway throughout, he was not for catching once...

Plying (Hard Spun), the 11-year-old dam of this season's multiple Group 1-winning filly Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), is among the highlights of the Goffs November Breeding Sale on Nov. 19 and 20, for which the catalogue was released on Friday. Plying will be offered in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire) as lot 1185. There are a total of 525 fillies and mares catalogued across the two-day sale, and other highlights include the 3-year-old G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Santosha (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) (lot 1184); First Flower (Ire)...