MARK Johnston’s Kingsley House Stables sent the 2017 French stakes winning juvenile Izzy Bizu to Ireland for Champions weekend but it was not to race. Rather the daughter of Kodiac, a half-sister to Group 2 winner Donnerschlang, faced Goffs auctioneer Nick Nugent instead of a starter, and she sold for €290,000 at the Goffs sale held before racing at Leopardstown on Saturday.

BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohue was the busiest man at the sale, but on this occasion he had to give best to Tom Malone, accompanied by his daughter Casey, as a protracted duel for the filly was conducted. The Mark Salmon-bred filly was sold as a yearling through Ballyhane for €30,000 and she won in excess of that on the track for Lowther Racing and Peter Savill. She will continue to race in England.

Donohue had more success with another of the sale’s highlights when he paid €260,000 for the Sheila Lavery-trained Burgundy Boy, a son of Red Jazz who broke his duck at the third attempt over seven furlongs at Roscommon and ran fourth behind Derby favourite The Pentagon in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes since. He was a well-beaten fourth on his debut behind Group 1 winner Verbal Dexterity. Owned by Joanne Lavery, the colt was retained as a yearling at €8,500 and that decision was well rewarded on this occasion.

Though still a maiden, Massif Central has been placed on seven times for trainer John Murphy and his most recent run saw him finish second in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes. He didn’t take up his engagement later in the day at Leopardstown, and now Michael Halford, who bought him for Paul Rooney at €200,000, will make racing plans.

Michael Donohue bought two more of the six-figure lots at the sale. He purchased the first lot in the ring, paying €120,000 for the Naas and Roscommon winner Zabalan. This four-year-old son of Dutch Art has been most consistent in six starts for the Aga Khan and Dermot Weld and will now race, at a destination to be decided, for Yulong Investments. Two lots later and Donohue struck for Robbie McNamara’s Galway winner Cascavelle at €130,000 and the Shamardal colt will be another to likely continue his career abroad.

The last lot was another maiden from John Murphy’s yard, the Mawatheeq gelding Kings Inn. Tom Malone had to give €100,000 to secure him and he will hope that the gelding steps up from his debut run when second at Killarney in late August. The three-year-old will now join Paul Nicholls.

Commenting on trade at the Champions Sale, held in association with the leading department store Brown Thomas, Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby said: “Goffs Champions Sale once again proved to be a truly international affair with buyers from the UK and Ireland competing with international interest from China and Hong Kong. We have received great support from vendors this year and again insisted that the Goffs Champions Sale is all about quality. The sale acts as the perfect curtain raiser to Longines Irish Champions Weekend and we are extremely grateful to the Leopardstown team for their support.”