TURNOVER on day one of the Goffs February Sale was nearly €3.9 million, a greater figure than was spent across both days together last year.
Trade on Wednesday was dominated by flat-bred weanlings and 16 of them fetched €50,000 or more, compared to just four at the equivalent session in 2025. This drove up the day’s average price by an enormous 71%, while the median soared by 129%. However, the clearance rate of just over 67% was in line with 12 months ago.
Topping the session at €220,000 was a Mehmas colt out of the listed-placed two-year-old winner Russian River (by Dandy Man). Consigned by Clare Manning’s Boherguy Stud and from the family of Group 1 winners Marsha, Soviet Song and Ribbons, the colt was bought by Tony O’Callaghan from Tally-Ho Stud who saw off a host of rivals to secure the top lot.
“The horse is right, the price is wrong,” he said. “We had to have him. We liked the horse; he is the full shilling. Trade is good for the good ones.”
His son Roger added: “He is the best horse in the sale.”
Manning said: “That was unbelievable. He’s a very nice colt and has been going down very well for the past couple of days, but I don’t think we expected to get that much. There were plenty of lads there for him and they were very strong, but Tally-Ho were very keen to have him, clearly.”
Kevin Blake paid €120,000 for a Starman filly consigned by Ballybin Stud and bred by Jacqui O’Brien and Andrew Everard. The filly is a half-sister to three winners on the continent.
After denying underbidder J.J. Frisby, Blake said: “She was a beauty, the sire speaks for himself, and she was a physical standout of the day, I thought, by a margin.
“She is bought by a new client for resale, and will come back to me at Golden Farm, and you will see her again in seven or eight months. I am not surprised at her price – I expected her to make 100,000 plus. The sire is red hot, and she is a beauty.”
Moyglare Stud sold a Sioux Nation colt out of a placed Kodiac mare for €100,000 to Yeomanstown Stud. David O’Callaghan of Yeomanstown said: “He was a man amongst boys in the sale. A very good colt, a good sire and comes from a good outfit. We will bring him back for sale and see what happens. Hopefully we will have made a good decision.
“Good horses are always hard to buy and today is no different. There seems to be a good spread of people here. I would say vendors and the sales company are happy.”
Sioux Nation is also the sire of a filly fold by Ballintry Stud for €70,000 to Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy of Rigsdale Stud.
Bloodstock agent Matt Coleman gave €100,000 for a New Bay colt bred by John Fielding and the New Bay Syndicate. The colt will be reoffered later in the year.
Pinhooker Fearghal Hogan, who trades as Apollo Bloodstock, was one of the day’s big spenders. Having sold a €120,000 foal for 800,000gns last autumn, Hogan was reinvesting at Goffs. He spent €95,000 on a filly by Ace Impact and €88,000 on a Blackbeard colt.
There was just one weanling in the sale by Paddington and he was bought for €80,000 by Ciaran Conroy of Glenvale Stud who hopes to resell him in the autumn.
Outbid for the top lot, J.J. Frisby bought a Sands Of Mali colt for €75,000 and a colt by Minzaal for €66,000.
Frisby and his father Dick are leading buyers of National Hunt foals but J.J. and his brother George also trade in flat stock.
There were also some National Hunt yearlings on offer on Wednesday and the highest priced of them was a €67,000 Doctor Dino colt from Harry and Lorna Fowler’s Rahinston Stud. He was bought by Kieran Shields.
Mark Dwyer spent €62,000 on a colt by Nirvana Du Berlais from Donal White’s Foxwood Stud, and Martin Down and Anthony Cahill signed at €60,000 for a Jukebox Jury colt from Dan O’Mahony’s Ballygarvan Stud.
Day two of the sale starts at 10am on Thursday and the session will end with a new point-to-point sale.