THE Goffs Arkle Sale, formerly the Land Rover Sale, has been gaining in stature over the years, with sales figures growing alongside the buying bench and consignors.
As the sale returns for its 30th year next week, hopes will be high for another strong edition following a terrific 2025/2026 season, when 10 graduates achieved Grade 1 glory. Four of those top-flight wins came at the Cheltenham Festival, where the Arkle Sale was responsible for six winners overall – the highest number of any sale.
Encouragingly, all 10 won for different trainers and owners, and fetched a wide range of prices in the Goffs ring. From the lowest to the highest prices, they were No Drama This End (€26,000), Zanoosh (€41,000), The Mourne Rambler (€45,000), Eachtotheirown (€48,000), Le Frimeur (€50,000), Idaho Sun (€60,000), Western Fold (€82,000), Old Park Star (€120,000), Johnny’s Jury (€150,000) and King Rasko Grey (€250,000).
A Grade 1 winner not included in the 10, but was offered at the Arkle Sale, was With Nolimit, who was retained by Wood Hall Stables at €16,000. The Bande gelding vindicated that decision when bolting up on debut at Liscarroll for Jonathan Fogarty and subsequently sold to Gordon Elliott for £250,000 at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale.
Highpoints
The Punchestown Champion Bumper winner was one of 34 Arkle graduates to win four-year-old maidens between the flags in the most recent season.
They include horses bought at Arkle Part 2, with highlights including Denis Murphy’s €38,000 buy Ilians Way bringing €260,000 from Dan Skelton and Ryan Mahon, and the Crawford brothers’ €15,000 purchase Smithytown fetching €240,000 from Jerry McGrath and Ben Pauling, both reselling at the Goffs Punchestown Sale.
Last year saw two-year-olds offered for the first time at the Goffs Arkle Sale and the venture got off to the perfect start when one topped the sale at €230,000.
Coolmore’s Gerry Aherne paid the top price for a Walk In The Park colt – the sole colt in the sale, which has grown to five this year. A total of 29 two-year-olds are catalogued to sell at the end of Part 1 on Wednesday, June 10th.
There is a distinct French influence on the catalogue’s sire profile too, featuring the likes of Chanducoq, Cokoriko, Doctor Dino, Galiway, Goliath Du Berlais, Great Pretender, It’s Gino, Jeu St Eloi, Kapgarde, Masked Marvel, Nirvana Du Berlais, No Risk At All and Saint Des Saints, as well as more obscure stallions.
All the leading sires closer to home are also well represented; Affinisea, Blue Bresil, Crystal Ocean, Diamond Boy, Golden Horn, Harzand, Jukebox Jury, Maxios, Milan, Poet’s Word, Nathaniel, Walk In The Park, Well Chosen and Yeats.
Big bucks
No Risk At All and Walk In The Park each sired six six-figure lots 12 months ago. Next best was Crystal Ocean, siring four, followed by Jukebox Jury at three. Cokoriko, Kapgarde and Marked Marvel each sired two to sell for €100,000 or more, while Nathaniel, It’s Gino, Zarak and Blue Bresil also made the cut with one each.
Part 1 of last year’s Arkle Sale saw turnover increase by 13%, with 84% of lots selling for an average price of €53,731 (up 11%) and the median price of €45,000 (7%). Figures continued to rise at Part 2, with turnover growing by 42%, the average by 20% and the median by 14%.
Goffs have catalogued a similar number of lots for this year’s sale and judging by last year’s total spends, next week’s market will rely heavily on Monbeg Stables, who spent €1,343,000 on 13 horses.
Highflyer Bloodstock were their closest rivals in the buyers’ table, buying 12 for €897,000, with an additional 14 horses totalling €679,000 bought with Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s trading arm Jet Bloodstock.
Point-to-point handlers were the busiest buyers at Part 2 last year, with the top six spends made by the Crawford brothers, Ballycrystal Stables, Ballyboy Stables, Ballymountain Stables, Monbeg Stables and Rob James, in that order.
All three-year-olds catalogued in Parts 1 and 2 are eligible for the €100,000 Goffs Defender Bumper at the 2027 Punchestown Festival, while two-year-olds catalogued will be eligible for the 2028 race.
Last month’s running was won by Grandeville Racing’s €160,000 recruit Abbeyglen, who won by an impressive five and a half lengths from Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins’ €145,000 buy Altesse Du Luy. The third horse, promising newcomer Tacograph, was picked up by Peter Murphy for €20,000.
A Jukebox Jury half-sister to the 2022 winner Absolute Notions, who was Grade 1-placed over hurdles, is catalogued as Lot 381 next week. A host of other catalogue highlights are featured here.
Three-year-olds
Lot 23: Walk In The Park brother to listed winner Highland Crystal, out of a half-sister to Envoi Allen
Lot 57: Affinisea half-brother to Grade 1 winner Fiddlerontheroof. Full-brother to blacktype chaser Ifiwerearichman.
Lot 60: Poet’s Word half-brother to three blacktype horses, led by Grade 2 winner and twice Grade 1-placed Six Figures
Lot 80: Manatee half-brother to Grade 2 Aintree bumper winner Forthfactor
Lot 128: Old Persian half-brother to Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor Slade Steel
Lot 138: Walk In The Park half-sister to Grade 1 winner Coney Island
Lot 151: Crystal Ocean half-brother to this year’s Grade 2 Aintree mares’ bumper winner Nan’s Choice
Lot 153: Walk In The Park half-brother to dual Grade 1 winner Tornado Flyer
Lot 156: Walk In The Park full-sister to Grade 3 winner Oldschool Outlaw
Lot 194: Santiago half-brother to three blacktype horses, two of them placed at Grade 1 level
Lot 214: Nirvana Du Berlais full-brother to a listed winner and a half-brother to another three blacktype winners, including El Fabiolo
Lot 249: Harzand half-brother to the top-class Tiger Roll
Lot 286: Crystal Ocean half-brother to Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle winner Idaho Sun
Lot 295: Goliath Du Berlais gelding out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Zaidpour and Zaynar
Lot 318: Poet’s Word half-brother to Grade 3 winner Champagne Twist, out of a Grade 2 winner
Lot 320: No Risk At All own-sister to Grade 3 winner Geelong Sport, and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Leader Sport
Lot 327: Jukebox Jury half-brother to Grade 1 winners The Storyteller and Stellar Story
Lot 368: Golden Horn gelding out of multiple Listed chase winner Casablanca Mix
Lot 346: Crystal Ocean gelding out of Grade 2 winner Botani
Lot 368: Golden Horn gelding out of multiple listed winner Casablanca Mix
Lot 400: Walk In The Park half-sister to graded winners Scarlet And Dove and Lets Go Champ
Lot 403: Walk In The Park gelding is a half-brother to graded hurdler Severance, as well as City Of Memphis, a dual group winner on the flat this season
Lot 440: Way To Paris half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Home By The Lee
Lot 456: Affinisea gelding out of Grade 1 winner Skyace
Lot 465: Sea Moon half-brother to this year’s unbeaten German Derby Trial victor Chiefland, out of a full-sister to Caulfield Cup hero Durston
Two-year-olds
Lot 460: Santiago half-brother to two graded winners, including Grade 1 hurdler Martator. Out of a dual listed winner
Lot 462: Nathaniel half-sister to dual graded chase winner Midnight River
Lot 463: Crystal Ocean gelding out of Grade 1 winner Augusta Kate, making him a half-brother to three blacktype winners
Lot 464: Blue Bresil half-brother to multiple graded winner Impervious