A GOOD day’s trade which featured an encouraging level of demand at all levels of the market ensured that the three days at Goffs ended on a high as the Autumn Horses In Training Sale produced an improved set of returns.

A relatively small catalogue enabled the one-day auction to produce its strongest set of results for quite some time and the demand for a wide variety of form horses ensured that the week ended on a bright note.

Afterwards the Goffs team said that the company would like to grow this sale in the coming years, and justifiably so on the evidence of what took place on Wednesday. Indeed there was enough trade to suggest that this is a niche that could be worth exploring further in Ireland.

The top price of €200,000 couldn’t quite match last year’s high of €215,000, but even so the final figures for the compact catalogue made for good reading, and certainly one aspect of the market that looks to be in fine health at present is the horses in training sector.

Of the 93 lots offered, 79 were sold which represented an excellent 85% clearance rate – an improvement of six points on 2017.

The turnover from 20 fewer horses offered improved by 2% to just under €1.5 million. The average of €18,558 was up by 11% and the median of €9,000 represented a progression of 50%.

At the conclusion of the sale, Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby commented: “Today’s Horses-In-Training Sale has demonstrated yet again that we can and consistently do deliver the best prices for the category. Indeed this is a sector of the market in which we think we have so much more to offer but lack the numbers to attract a bigger group of buyers.

“That said we have sold horses to the Gulf region and across Europe today which will only serve to inspire us to redouble our efforts to grow the catalogue in 2019, following a sale that has returned growth in every statistic.

“For now we extend our thanks to each vendor and every purchaser, and wish them luck with their latest Goffs graduates,” he added.

THE improving Willie McCreery three-year-old Mazzuri didn’t sell in the ring but a private sale was for her was later completed, with Peter Doyle paying €120,000 for the daughter of Raven’s Pass.

Mazzuri has won twice this season but her value was greatly enhanced by her second place finish in the Listed Carlingford Stakes at Dundalk last month. She will now race on for Amanda Perrett.

ENGLISH trainer Roger Fell has launched some successful raids to Ireland in the past, notably winning with Burnt Sugar on Irish Champions Weekend last year, and he enjoyed an industrious visit to Goffs by picking up two sought after lots.

The most expensive of these was the useful Johnny Murtagh-trained handicapper Admirality who has held his form very well since winning twice during the summer. The four-year-old cost Fell €80,000.

Earlier, the trainer outlasted Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for the Michael Halford-trained and Godolphin-owned Cockalorum who boosted his value with a recent Leopardstown maiden win.

This Cape Cross three-year-old fetched €65,000.

THE star of the show was the Jim Bolger-trained and Godolphin-owned stayer Twilight Payment who sold to agent Bert Kerr for €200,000.

The five-year-old son of Teofilo came under the hammer as a dual listed winner with a host of placings at pattern level and this ultra-consistent sort has only finished worse than fourth once in his 19 starts.

The 109-rated gelding will return to Bolger for a new syndicate who hope to campaign him eventually on the international stage.

ADRIAN McGuinness was already thinking in terms of the Lincoln at Naas next March after his assistant Stephen Thorne secured the Godolphin-owned Halford inmate Saltonstall for €44,000.

This four-year-old son of Pivotal looked like reasonable value given that his form this year included a second in the Lincoln at Naas and a victory in a premier handicap at the Curragh on Guineas weekend.

Another €44,000 purchase came when Gerry Hogan signed for the Godolphin-owned maiden Cloak Of Darkness.

This son of Iffraaj showed promise on both his starts for Michael Halford, the second of which saw him take fourth in quite a reasonable Gowran Park maiden in August.

AS ever, the Aga Khan draft contained its share of sought after lots and these included the capable Dermot Weld-trained maiden Baliyad.

This son of Sea The Stars reached the frame in maidens won by Latrobe and Cypress Creek earlier in the season and he fetched €45,000 to go into training with Seamus Neville.

Another Aga Khan-owned Weld inmate was the Ulster Derby second Sheberghan and he too cost €45,000 after being knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Biggs.

SEVERAL of the day’s higher priced lots are set to head to the Middle East and one of these is Tim Doyle’s dual scorer Krispen whose last start yielded a creditable second in a Leopardstown handicap last month. He cost the BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe €70,000.

A career in Qatar beckons for the Aga Khan-owned two-year-old Vidiyni who cost Hassan Abdul Malik €68,000.

This Halford-trained son of Siyouni showed a useful level of form in his six starts.