“ADAPTABILITY. That is one of the key words that sums up the bloodstock industry throughout this awful pandemic, as all of us have had to react and adapt to circumstances that have been both out of our control and unlike anything we have experienced.”

These were the words of Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby as the two-day online Autumn Yearling Sale drew to a close on Wednesday evening. It was a catalogue blighted by the withdrawal of over 200 lots, and held in circumstances that could never have been foreseen by the auction house or its vendors.

Beeby went on: “The last two days have been a very clear example of reacting and adapting as a purely online sale, devoid of both horses and people. It was never a first preference but was forced upon us by the latest Irish restrictions and the need of vendors to sell into the market place.

“Originally we had planned to hold the sale in January in the hope that the situation would have improved enough to hold a live sale with the usual participants in Kildare Paddocks, and we will still provide that option if the market wants it, but it became clear that the majority of vendors desired the opportunity provided by Goffs Online.

“Indeed, we salute the flexibility and positivity in which so many have approached the last two days, and feel that the decision was vindicated by a level of trade which, although far from a cause for celebration, was acceptable in the current climate.”

While the numbers will not mean a great deal to onlookers, Goffs reported that 2,261 bids were registered via Goffs Online, and these were in addition to a great deal of telephone activity.

“While direct comparisons with last year have to be viewed with a certain amount of caution, the company was pleased to report increases in the average and median figures. Naturally turnover was never in a position to challenge last year’s returns.

Beeby was acutely aware of the difficulties faced by the present challenges, especially with regard to demand for horses at this level of the market. He said: “A 62% clearance rate demonstrates the challenges for the market, but it should be noted that part of the service provided was to allow breeders the chance to qualify for 2021 auction races, and we are grateful to both HRI and the BHA for making the necessary alterations to the criteria to allow these yearlings to be eligible; obviously those ‘vendor’ sales are not included in the clearance rate we quote.”

With buyers absent from the sale paddocks, and travel restrictions obliterating any plans for overseas buyers to attend, the sales company was delighted with the level of participation by foreign purchasers. Beeby elaborated on this pleasing aspect to the proceedings.

“The Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale has always relied heavily on overseas participation and Goffs Online has really come into its own over the two days, with buyers from Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, UK and the USA.

“The user friendly nature of this platform has made it very easy for them to engage at a time when travel is not possible, and we wish all of them the best of luck with their latest purchases,” he commented.

Concluding, he hoped that the coming weeks would see some return to holding sales in their traditional format, saying: “whilst we will not look back on the 2020 renewal of the Autumn Yearling Sale with any affection, we extend our thanks to everyone who has helped the sale take place and, like the whole world, we just hope and pray that a degree of normality will return soon as there is nothing like the Goffs sales ring when it is buzzing with horses, people and bids”.

Sportsman’s Sale contender tops the for Bolger

THE sale featured a number of lots that were originally intended for the Sportsman’s Sale which was moved to Doncaster. That section of the sale produced the top-priced lot in the shape of a New Approach colt sold by Clare Manning’s Boherguy Stud on behalf of her grandfather Jim Bolger. Bred on similar lines and from the same female taproot as this year’s Group 1 winning juvenile Gear Up, the colt is out of a winning daughter of Teofilo and traced back to the multiple Grade 1 winner and Kentucky Oaks heroine Dispute. The colt sold for €40,000 to Eimer Hannon.

The international buying aspect of the sale was best exemplified by the sale of Glacken View Stud’s Zoffany half-sister to two winners and out of a half-sister to the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes winner Watsdachances. She sold to US owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.

The Minnesota-based father and son duo purchased three lots at the sale, making an early splash on day one when securing Ballintober Stud’s Lawman own-sister to this year’s two-year-old winner in France, Specialmente. She cost €19,000. Their third purchase was a Fast Company filly.

Airlie Stud sold a son of Sea The Moon, the first foal of a winning daughter of New Approach, to BBA Ireland and the Spanish-based Stamina Turf for €31,000 on Wednesday. The dam, Notice, is a half-sister to Ziga, a six-time winner in Spain and now a successful broodmare.

Earlsfort Bloodstock’s bid of €30,000 for the last lot sold on Tuesday saw them secure Loughmore Stables’ Oasis Dream colt out of the stakes-placed, four-time winner Maybe Grace who carried the colours of Goffs international client relations executive Hayley O’Connor. Maybe Grace, a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Magic Hurricane, is already dam of a couple of winners.

Meade restocks

Noel Meade enjoyed group race success in 2020 with the two-year-old filly Elysium. Next year he will be hoping to repeat the feat and one of his army of challengers will be a colt from the first crop of Scat Daddy’s son El Kabeir, bred by Sir Edmund Loder at Eyrefield Lodge Stud. One of the colt’s five winning siblings is this season’s Group 3 Marble Hill Stakes heroine Zoffany. Meade paid €29,000 for the colt whose third dam was Marwell.

Con Marnane was stocking up this week and two of his three purchases were fillies. He paid €20,000 for a filly from the first crop of Kodiac’s Group 2 and Royal Ascot winning juvenile Ardad consigned from Tullogher House Stud. This filly boasted one of the most significant updates as her three-year-old half-brother Baron Samedi gained his fourth and most important success in a Group 2 race in France.

Tipperary-based Marnane later paid €15,000 for a daughter of the leading first-season sire Mehmas and she is a granddaughter of the group-winning two-year-old Ugo Fire who ran second in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Cloney Stud’s Profitable filly out of the dual winner Snooze, a daughter of Marju, is closely related to one of Italy’s best juveniles of 2020, Aria Importante. From the first crop of the King’s Stand Stakes winner, she realised €20,000 and sold to Aoife Dunphy. She came soon after Abbeville Stud’s daughter of Fast Company, a half-sister to three winners, sold to Aidan O’Ryan and for Richard Fahey for €18,000.

David Kelly’s bid of €19,500 secured Ashwood Stud’s Starspangledbanner colt, the first foal of dual winner Art Nouvelle. He was sold on behalf of Cloughmealy Stud and comes from one of Ballymacoll Stud’s great female families. Another great female family, developed by Meon Valley Stud, featured in the family of Beechvale Stud’s El Kabeir Stud who sold to Form Bloodstock for €18,500.

Farranamanagh House Stud received €16,000 from Brendan Bashford for a colt by Ruler Of The World out of the Fantastic Light mare Sister Sylvia. A winner in France, her first three runners are winners and she is a half-sister to Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Regal Parade. From the family of recent Breeders’ Cup winner Tarnawa, Tinnakill House sold a son of Holy Roman Emperor to Dakheel Mana Al Otaibi for €15,000.