COMMENT

AFTER two days that were highlighted by top lots of €1.6m and €1.2m, the Goffs Orby Sale concluded on Wednesday with a set of results that were almost on a par with those from 12 months ago.

At its conclusion, the country’s highest grossing sale produced an aggregate of just under €41m which was a 2% improvement on last year. The average of €109,122 was fractionally behind the same figure for 2016, while the median dropped from €67,000 to €65,000 this time around.

The overall clearance rate for the sale came in at 86% which was a two point improvement on 2016.

The two seven-figure lots provided the obvious centrepiece to the week and Godolphin’s purchase of a €1.2m Galileo filly on Tuesday will certainly go down as one of the landmark moments from this year’s round of yearling sales. It was just over 12 years ago that the Maktoum family’s decision not to purchase the progeny of Coolmore sires at public auction came to light but there has been a dramatic shift in direction this autumn.

At Keeneland earlier this month, the Godolphin team purchased yearlings by both active and deceased Coolmore sires – a sea change in the operation’s purchasing policy at public auction.

Back to European sales and that continued into this week with the Galileo filly’s sale which provided further affirmation of what is a hugely positive development for the entire industry.

BEEBY COMMENTS

At the conclusion of the company’s flagship auction, Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby commented: “Two millionaires by Galileo and Frankel were the clear highlights of another strong renewal of our flagship Orby Sale which has been well supported by a huge international cast of buyers who flocked to Co Kildare to buy some beautifully bred world class yearlings that had been sent to us by leading breeders.

“With the likes of Ribchester to promote our wares – and you can’t do much better than have the world’s best horse sold at a European auction – we were hopeful of a big attendance and I think it was revealing that the only complaint we received on Saturday was that a vendor was ‘too busy’!

“That demonstrated a real desire for Orby yearlings and led to a sustained demand for the very best over the two days with two millionaires versus one and more lots realising over €250,000.

“Indeed the Orby is all about the best selling very well and it was perhaps the case that those few that did not live up to that billing were less popular. The fact is that Orby is very much a premier European sale and that is what our huge cast of buyers require at this sale so they will overlook any that do not fulfill that strict criteria.

“There is certainly some food for thought when autumn turns to winter but it is very clear that Orby competes with any sale at the top of the market as we saw on so many occasions with titanic six-figure bidding battles very much the norm on both days.

“Of course last year the sale was boosted by a group of yearlings that formed part of the once in a generation Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal and it is gratifying that we have bettered the sale when you take out those one-offs whilst an improved clearance rate of 86% is very much a positive.

“As ever we are indebted to our vendors, several of whom continue to send us a larger share of their very best, and we wish each purchaser the very best of luck with their Orby yearlings.”