THE unraced Ballydoyle inmate Sarrocchi stole the show at a mixed edition of the one day Goffs Horses in Training Sale when selling to Fozzy Stack for €215,000.
The two-year-old daughter of Galileo, who holds an entry for Aidan O’Brien in a Leopardstown maiden on Saturday, made notable appeal on pedigree and not only as a daughter of one of the world’s greatest sires. In addition, she is a daughter of the stakes-winning and Group 2-placed Thai Haku.
The bidding for the filly started off at a relatively modest level but Stack was forced to dig deep to see off several different challengers with the strongest opposition coming from Chinese owner Zhang Yuesheng. However, the filly was destined to return to Co. Tipperary when Stack brought the price to €215,000.
“She’s been bought for an existing client,” reported the trainer, who has enjoyed a fine first season with a training licence. “She’s a lovely filly by a truly great sire and she comes from a lovely family too. Hopefully she’s going to be a nice prospect to look forward to next year.”
Overall this year’s sale was unable to match the corresponding figures from 12 months ago. The average advanced slightly to €16,774 but the turnover dropped by 15% to just over €1.4m. The median fell from €6,500 to €6,000 and the clearance rate for the day was 76% compared to an impressive 90% in 2016.
PROMISE
As the sale neared its conclusion there was another six-figure transaction in the offing as Robert Moran outlasted Peter Kelly for the useful looking juvenile Rionach who fetched €140,000. This daughter of Sea The Stars showed a good deal of promise to be placed on two of her three starts for John Murphy.
Perhaps the best jumping prospect on offer was the lightly raced Ger Lyons inmate Erratic Path who came off here off a good maiden win at Gowran last month and he was snapped up by Kevin Ross for €85,000.
The son of Elusive Pimpernel represents the same sire and connections as Ex Patriot, who made €38,000 at this sale last year before going to end last season as one of the best juvenile hurdlers in the country.
“He had a nice profile and he’s only had the three runs while he’s also shown that he goes on soft ground which is a plus,” reported Ross. “He’s a lovely, big scopey horse who should have a good future ahead of him and he’s been bought for Chris Jones as a replacement for Mega Fortune whom he sadly lost earlier this month. Gordon Elliott will train him.”
The final lot into the ring this evening was Lyons’ useful dual winner Thunder Crash and, after only narrowly failing to strike again at Dundalk last Friday, he was picked up Richard Venn for €66,000.
The popular Lyons draft also featured this year’s dual winner Sandstorming and the 88-rated four-year-old son of Zoffany will remain in Ireland after going to Robbie McNamara for €50,000.
MOYGLARE
The pick of the Moyglare Stud draft was the capable maiden Solo Saxophone who has been placed on four of his five starts for Dermot Weld this season.
Bobby O’Ryan made a strong play for the Frankel colt but he came up just short with the hammer coming down in favour of Brendan Bashford and Ryan Mahon at €62,000.
“He’s going to be trained by Dan Skelton. He’s a nice type and he’s shown some useful form over middle distances and he looks like a horse who could do well over hurdles. Hopefully he’s one to look forward to over the coming months,” declared Bashford.
The day’s first major transaction came when Fozzy Stack spent €52,000 on an unraced son of Galileo from his own Thomastown Castle Stables and this price was matched by Emerald Bloodstock for the recent Dundalk nursery scorer Military Decoration.
Elsewhere. a career in the U.K beckons for the former Cheltenham Bumper hero Silver Concorde after he cost Tom Malone €33,000. The nine-year-old, who also has the 2015 November Handicap amongst his former victories, was third in a Punchestown maiden hurdle last week.
Entire Sale
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2017 161 113 86 1,442,600 16,744 6,000
2016 161 115 103 1,704,400 16,548 6,500
2015 85 65 50 697,300 13,949 9,000