THE absence of the blockbuster lots which had lit up this sale in recent years left the first day of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale with an impossible task of coming close to last year’s figures as evidenced by the returns when day one concluded this evening.

Twelve months ago the top five lots on this day accounted for almost €5 million in turnover and yielded a top price of €1.9 million, but trade at the top of the market was of a more steady variety this time which meant that the turnover of almost €6.1 million was 54 points down on 2017.

The average of €35,946 fell by 47 points, and the €20,000 median represented a drop of 20%. At a time of heightened selectivity, the clearance rate for the day was a perfectly respectably 79%.

The first day of breeding stock was headed by the American stakes winner She’s Complete who was snapped up by the BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe for €350,000.

The daughter of Oratorio, who was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment, was sold in foal to Sea The Stars and showed smart form in two runs in Ireland before going to achieve her blacktype success in California.

“She’s been bought for Yulong Investments and, along with this mare, we bought a nice Shamardal mare earlier in the day,” reported Donohoe.

“Her Golden Horn yearling was nice and sold for 200,000gns and he’s going to John Gosden and obviously she was sold with a very attractive covering.

"She’s a very good physical, from a nice family and she was a good two-year-old as she showed when winning her stakes race on the turf in America.”

The first major transaction of the day came Laurent Benoit of the Broadhurst Agency spent €210,000 on the useful Muirin.

The daughter of Born To Sea won a Curragh conditions race on her debut for Eddie Lynam and then finished fourth in the Moyglare Stakes on her next start. She was consigned by Baroda & Colbinstown Studs.

“She’s perfect for those Galileo line stallions and she’s out of a Pivotal mare which is nice. She’s a good, quick filly with a bit of quality,” stated Benoit.

A number of the day’s best prospects attracted the attentions of Rifa Mustang Europe and acting through Paul Hensey they spent €220,000 on the Irish National Stud’s Lost In Silence.

The winning juvenile was bought for €65,000 at this sale last year and the addition of an Invincible Spirit covering made her one of the most prized commodities at this year’s sale.

Earlier, Rifa Mustang struck for the winning War Front filly Moons Of Jupiter who is the first produce of the American Grade 1 heroine Daisy Devine. The €140,000 filly was offered by Norelands Stud.

“She’s been bought for Rifa Mustang Europe which is a Chinese company that I’ve worked for the last couple of years. Rifa Mustang started in Australia and the European arm is now up and running,” reported Hensey, who also underbidder on Muirin. “We bought some nice mares last year and hopefully we’ll buy some more again this year.”

Another member of the Norelands draft was the placed High Chaparral filly Niku and she cost John Clarke €140,000. The half-sister to the Prix Ganay winner and Arc de Triomphe second Cloth Of Stars hails from a tremendous Niarchos Family dynasty.

“She’s been bought for Sunderland Holding Inc. Given the connection to Cloth Of Stars she could visit Sea The Stars or else she could go to France to be covered by Born To Sea,” declared John Clarke.

Francisco Bernal, who bought Wednesday’s top priced €350,000 Kingman foal, was again in action when giving €210,000 for the Aga Khan’s Simawa.

The daughter of Anabaa was sold in foal to Gleneagles and has already produced a stakes winner while she is a half-sister to the brilliant Sinndar.

“This is the first mare that we have bought and the plan is to send her to France. Maybe she will board at Haras du Quesnay. She looks fantastic,” declared Bernal who was acting for the same Spanish client as when buying the Kingman foal.

Moyglare Stud’s former Dermot Weld-trained Listed winner I’m Yours looks set to head to Japan after being knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for €210,000.

This Invincible Spirit mare, a daughter of the top class Rebelline, is in foal to Ribchester. She could visit Saxon Warrior before heading to Japan.

I’m Yours was followed into the ring by a Moyglare-owned unraced half-sister to Profound Beauty and she cost Mick Flanagan €195,000. The five-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit is in foal to Ulysses.

Day 1

YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med

2018 257 215 169 6,074,900 35,946 20,000

2017 281 233 197 13,239,250 67,204 27,000

Full results

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