A PAIR of six-figure lots, which included the €215,000 sale of the unraced Galileo filly Sarrocchi, headlined Tuesday’s Goffs Horses In Training Sale whose final figures couldn’t match the returns of 2016 in several key areas.

At the conclusion of the one-day auction the turnover came in at just over €1.4m which was a 15% decrease on last year. The average of €16,744 was a slight progression but the median dropped back to €6,000 from €6,500 and the clearance rate of 76% represented a 14 point drop on last year.

The top of the market was very similar to last year and, as was the case in 2016, the three top lots made at least €75,000. However, it wasn’t quite as strong further down the scale and the overall level of demand couldn’t match 2016 as evidenced by a somewhat disappointing clearance rate.

BALLYDOYLE

Centre stage this year went to the aforementioned Sarrocchi and the two-year-old daughter of the world’s greatest sire was the only lot on offer from Ballydoyle while she was sold with an entry in a maiden at Leopardstown today. The Aidan O’Brien inmate, whose dam is the listed winner and Group 2-placed Thai Haku, came to trainer Fozzy Stack after he outlasted the attentions of Chinese buyer Zhang Yuesheng. Stack reported that he was acting for an existing client.

The day’s other six-figure transaction was supplied by another two-year-old filly in Rionach. In three starts for John Murphy the daughter of Sea The Stars finished fourth in a decent conditions race at the Curragh in August and she filled the same position in a useful fillies’ maiden at Dundalk several weeks ago. Robert Moran saw off Peter Kelly for the €140,000 filly who is out of a half-sister to the Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House.

The most popular jumping prospect on show was last month’s Gowran Park maiden winner Erratic Path and he was the star turn of a good draft from Ger Lyons.

Gordon Elliott will take charge of the lightly raced son of Elusive Pimpernel after he came to agent Kevin Ross, acting for owner Chris Jones, for €85,000.

Erratic Path represented the same sire and connections as Ex Patriot who made €38,000 at last year’s sale before developing into a high-class juvenile hurdler in the spring.

The Lyons-trained Thunder Crash, who narrowly failed to secure the third victory of his career at Dundalk last Friday week, was snapped up by Jeremy McTaggart for €66,000. It transpired that he was acting for French-based agent Richard Venn.

Another Lyons offering to catch the eye was the useful Sandstorming and he fetched €50,000. This lightly raced four-year-old has won twice this year and came under the hammer with a rating of 88. The middle-distance runner will remain in Ireland after he was knocked down to Robbie McNamara.

Among those who will continue their career across the Irish Sea is the Dermot Weld-trained Solo Saxophone. This Moyglare Stud-owned son of Frankel was placed in four of his five starts this autumn and came to Ryan Mahon and Brendan Bashford for €62,000 with Bobby O’Ryan having to settle for the role of underbidder. The colt was bought to join Dan Skelton.

Also heading across the water is the Weld’s 2014 Cheltenham Bumper victor Silver Concorde. Tom Malone, acting for an owner with Keith Dalgleish, spent €33,000 on the nine-year-old who ran quite well in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown last week. Silver Concorde’s last victory came in the 2015 Leopardstown November Handicap.

Malone also spent €35,000 on Some Day Soon who was placed on two of his three bumper outings for Pat Flynn.

STACK’S PURCHASE

As well as buying the sale topper Fozzy Stack went to €52,000 for an unraced two-year-old son of Galileo from his own Thomastown Castle Stables. The colt is out of the talented Group 3-placed runner Kirinda. This price was matched by Emerald Bloodstock for Michael O’Callaghan’s recent Dundalk nursery winner Military Decoration.

After picking up the aforementioned Ex Patriot at last year’s sale, Ellmarie Holden was again to the fore and this time she parted with €38,000 to secure the Aga Khan-owned Khanisari. The unraced three-year-old son of Dark Angel is a half-brother to a stakes winner out of a mare who numbers the classy French hurdler, Kadabi, amongst her siblings.