KEY gains at the upper end of the market pushed this year’s edition of the Goffs Orby Sale to an improved set of returns following its conclusion on Wednesday evening.
Twelve months on from a landmark renewal that produced a quartet of six-figure transactions, the Orby Sale saw just one lot reach the hallowed €1m mark.
However, the turnover for the sale came in at just under €40m which represented a 2 1/2% increase on last year. The average of €109,986 finished 5% up on last year while the €67,000 median represented an improvement of 8%.
Last week Tom Goff made the prescient observation that it’s not all about what makes the most money and that comment rang true as the sale was able to better 2015 without prices at the head of the market going stratospheric.
A more detailed examination of the sale follows elsewhere but it was the increased level of activity from €200,000 onwards and the diverse international buying base which allowed Ireland’s flagship sale to better last year’s efforts.
“Twelve months ago we were reflecting on a remarkable Orby Sale with no less than four yearlings realising over €1m,” remarked Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby on Wednesday. “That we have made proper advances in both average and median this year with a single millionaire is testament to the depth of trade over the two days which is also highlighted by a very good clearance rate”.
“The most notable aspect of the Orby 2016 has been the depth of the buying bench with our regular supporters from Ireland, Britain, across Europe and further afield finding strong, top of the market competition from a number of new investors from the USA, the Far East and Australia following concerted and proactive marketing campaigns by our international agents and the team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.
“As we worked to attract them we did so safe in the knowledge that the catalogue had advanced again as vendors continue to send us a greater share of their best and those that did so reaped the reward of a truly international sale. As ever we are indebted to each and every one for entrusting us with their yearlings and will only redouble our efforts on their behalf with every sale to repay their faith in the Goffs service.
“Of course today (Wednesday) had an added dimension with the first part of the Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal and we would like to again record our thanks to David Wildenstein for choosing Goffs.
“We do not underestimate the significance of our appointment and are delighted to have generated so much interest in the iconic pedigrees that came under the Goffs hammer today, headed by the sale’s top price of €1.4m and then some lively bidding for the older horses that finished the day,” concluded Beeby.
TOP LOT
From the moment the catalogue for the sale was released a Dubawi colt out of the French 1000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour appealed as a likely sale topper and he matched expectations when selling to John Ferguson for €1.4m.
The colt was the centrepiece of the Wildenstein Stables dispersal and he was the last yearling to enter the ring on Wednesday evening. A lengthy battle for the first produce of his classic-winning dam, who will be offered for sale here next month, ensued and from €800,000 onwards Ferguson did battle with representatives of the American outfit White Branch Farm. The latter’s members included leading owner-breeder Joseph Allen but they had to give best to Ferguson for the relation to the Melbourne Cup hero Might And Power.
STAR FILLIES
Tuesday’s session was headed by a €900,000 Galileo own-sister to the Fillies Mile winner and €680,000 Orby graduate Together Forever. M.V. Magnier saw off Amanda Skiffington for the Ballylinch Stud offering whose three-year-old half-sister by Sea The Stars made €1.1m at the 2014 edition of this sale. The filly’s also numbers the Group 1 scorer Lord Shanakill amongst her siblings.
Another leading light amongst the fillies was a €675,000 daughter of New Approach from Jim Bolger’s Redmondstown Stud. Ross Doyle, seated with Richard Hannon, signed for the daughter of the excellent producer Scribonia whose runners to date include the classic-placed duo of Cuis Ghaire and Gile Na Greine along with the Moyglare runner-up Scintillula and this year’s Nijinsky Stakes heroine The Major General.
In 2015 the brilliant international racemare Alexander Goldrun supplied a €1.7m daughter of Frankel and she was again to the fore this time courtesy of a €600,000 Shamardal filly. The Mountarmstrong Stud-consigned filly was bought by prominent Japanese owner Koji Maeda who owns this year’s UAE Derby winner and Belmont Stakes third Lani.
An Iffraaj own-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Rizeena was offered by Bobby and Honora Dunworth through their Roundhill Stud and she was also among the leading lots when selling to Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown for €410,000. Elsewhere Postponed’s owner Sheikh Obaid will race a Shamardal half-sister to the Irish Derby third Stellar Mass after she came to Roger Varian for €470,000.
LEADING COLTS
This year’s sale contained a number of colts with major appeal and foremost among these was a Frankel half-brother to the Arc de Triomphe winner Bago. Camas Park Stud consigned the colt whose other siblings are headed by the Group 1-winning miler Maxios. Given his pedigree and the manner in which his sire has begun his career it was no surprise to see this colt fetch €750,000. He was bought by Adrian Nicoll on behalf of an international racing partnership.
The opening session featured another €750,000 transaction which came when Shadwell’s Stephen Collins secured an own-brother to the Group 2 winner and Dewhurst Stakes second Cable Bay. From the Irish National Stud, this colt is a grandson of the top sprinter Cherokee Rose.
Shadwell, who ended the Orby in second position in the leading buyers list, also gave €600,000 for an Acclamation own-brother to the Group 2 Richmond Stakes victor Harbour Watch. He was sold by Tom and Geraldine Molan’s Riversfield Stud and hails from a family which has been lucky for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in the past.
An excellent sale for Invincible Spirit also saw John Ferguson pay €500,000 for an own-brother to this season’s Group 3-placed juvenile Promising. Meanwhile a Shamardal half-brother to the smart Pedestal will race for Al Shaqab next year after costing Charlie Gordon-Watson €450,000. The previous day Richard Brown had to go to €470,000 to secure a son of Lawman and the Group 2 heroine Manieree belonging to Max and Lynn Morris.
ON FORM
For over a decade the South African outfit Form Bloodstock have made a major contribution to this sale and they spent over €2m on eleven horses over the two days. Their purchases were headed by the only son of the late Scat Daddy on offer. Form’s Jehan Malherbe had to give €480,000 for the colt whose dam was stakes-placed on both sides of the Atlantic. The colt was bought for owner Mary Slack whose colours have been carried this season by Tommy Stack’s Royal Ascot second Diamond Fields. Form also spent €450,000 on a High Chaparral colt from Barrownstown Stud whose dam is a winning half-sister to the high class miler Gold Away.
OVERSEAS INTERESTS
American trainer Wesley Ward will take charge of several of this week’s lots and these include a €400,000 Invincible Spirit filly from John Tuthill’s Owenstown Stud. She was bought by agent Gatewood Bell who reported that his purchase would race for Jim and Fitri Hay.
Another overseas visitor was Hong Kong-based Little Kwok Hing Hung and, acting through agent Justin Bahen, he gave €375,000 for a Sea The Stars own-brother to a useful winner in Japan. This colt will initially be trained by Ralph Beckett and connections will determine next autumn whether he ships out to Hong Kong.