“IT was mind-boggling, I’m still on Cloud 9.” That’s how auctioneer Martin Donohoe summed up last week’s Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sales, a one-day auction which saw the Co Kilkenny company turn over a record €4.5 million, up 32% on the previous year.

Selling ended with rising figures across the board, with a clearance rate of 88% and the average price rising by 20% to €25,410.

As reported in last week’s issue, top billing went to a Candy Ride filly purchased by Alberto Panetta and Jamie Lloyd for €170,000 and she will now join Newmarket-based trainer Marco Botti. Eight lots broke the €100,000 barrier. Stephen Hillen purchased the next highest bid going to €150,000 for an Acclamation colt on behalf of Kevin Ryan.

Donohoe said: “It was a massive day for us, so satisfying for us and also for Gowran Park, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, the vendors and I think the Irish bloodstock industry in general.”

This was the 10th year of the sale and the catalogue of 236 horses (203 were offered for sale) made it the biggest breeze-up sale in Europe. “To be honest we were a bit over-capacity and it wouldn’t be our intention to have the same numbers again next year,” Donohoe said. “But we got away with it – we had loads of customers here and there was business done right to the very last lot.”

The clearance rate of 88% was not a big surprise to Donohoe. “Traditionally the clearance rate is in the high 80s but what was particularly pleasing this year was that the median jumped from €14,000 to €17,000.”

For the first time this year the breezes at Gowran Park were shown live on At The Races. Donohoe said: “I’m not sure if it had an impact on trade but it added hugely to the sale in terms of publicity. I’ve had a lot of good feedback about the coverage. At The Races planned to devote two hours to the breezes but said they would pull it if it wasn’t going well. They ended up giving us an extra 45 minutes.”

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing came in for special thanks from Donohoe. The promotional body assisted buyers coming from Britain, Japan, USA, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Libya, Kuwait, Qatar, Mongolia, Scandinavia, mainland and Eastern Europe. Irish bloodstock agents also purchased on behalf of clients from Russia and Singapore.

Impact

“The English buyers made the biggest impact,” Donohoe said. “Up to a few years ago we didn’t have a great share of the British market but that has changed. A number of factors are behind that and one of them is the strength of the pound against the euro.”

Donohoe also paid tribute to the late Mark O’Hanlon, the ITM executive who died earlier this year. A reception in memory of Mark was held in Gowran Park after the breezes. “Mark was our Italian agent from the second year of the sale and, after a couple of years, he was taken on by ITM. He did a fantastic job and became a personal friend of mine. His passing was very sad. The sale would not have become as successful as it is now without Mark O’Hanlon.”