AFTER a buoyant edition of the Goffs Orby Book 1 Sale, there was no lessening of vibrancy at the two-day Book 2 sessions. Almost every yearling sale has set some form of record and, in the case of trade on Wednesday and Thursday, a new high was established for the average. It reached €25,296 and this was 25% more than last year.
The record median was under threat and, while this time it was 33% more than in 2024, it fell short of a new record by €1,000. More than €8.5 million was spent over the two days, and this combined with the Book 1 aggregate brought the week’s takings to over €61 million.
Putting a smile on almost everyone’s face was the clearance rate of 86%, and this was 14 points better than before. Once again, a reduced catalogue size proved strategically to be a wise move.
Henry Beeby summed the trade up, saying: “Orby 2 operates at a different level [to Book 1] but the unceasing hunger for horses over the two days has continued the trends set since August when we have seen mighty trade at Saratoga, Deauville, Doncaster, Keeneland and Fairyhouse, all at their own levels.
“We have sold more six-figure lots [five this time and one last year] and the number making €50,000 or over has risen dramatically, all from a strong clearance rate.”
He was keen to stress one point. “Another notable statistic is that the last 10 lots averaged well above the sale average, so dispelling any suggestion of the sale tailing off in any way.”
He thanked his own team and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for their work in attracting a huge number of buyers from all over the world, with new faces coming specifically for Orby 2. He said that 35 entities signed for the 41 lots making €50,000 and above. The impact of the Goffs Two Million Series was a positive, and five Book 2 graduates won a €50,000 bonus this year, including a €5,000 daughter of Coulsty bought by Nick Bradley.
Derrinstown draft
As with Book 1, fillies led the way in Book 2 but two colts realised six-figure sums, and both were sold on Wednesday.
Derrinstown Stud sold four yearlings in Book 2 for an average of €67,500. The last of the four was the best colt over the two days, selling for €120,000. He was the only Too Darn Hot in the catalogue, and a grandson of the dual Group 1 winner Taghrooda. Stephen Collins said: “Thrilled with the price. He was a lovely horse, a lovely active individual; a horse who has improved throughout the year.
“We sell a few every year. We have tight budgets and so we have to keep our numbers fairly tight as well. This horse, we liked him, and in years gone by he probably would have been retained, but again, we have to try to make a profit every year and so we can’t keep them all. I am sorry to see him go because he is a very nice horse. The trade has been great.”
He sold to Cormac Farrell and will go breezing. The purchaser said: “The price was probably a little bit stronger than I wanted it to be, but that’s been the nature of the year. I’m envisaging things will go up another level when we get to Newmarket next week, so I was keen to spend euros.”
Farrell sold the Night Of Thunder colt Distant Storm for €1.9 million at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in May, and last week that colt won the Group 3 Somerville Stakes for Godolphin.
A Starman colt offered by Ballintry Stud on behalf of Pat Beirne’s Cornagher House sold for €105,000. Con Marnane bought him to breeze. He said: “He is a proper, proper horse. We are not doing big numbers for the breeze-ups next year, concentrating more on quality. That’s the plan.
“He is the second horse we have got here this week. It has been impossible to buy. We would normally get seven or eight out of Fairyhouse last week, and we got one.”
REMEMBER the name, Mrs Alanood Althani. The Qatari owner purchased five lots in Orby Book 1 for an average of €107,000, and continued her buying spree in Book 2, ending up with four more costing a total of €327,000. They included the top lot at the sale, a State Of Rest filly from the sale’s leading vendors, The Castlebridge Consignment.
The top price of €150,000 bettered that of a year ago, and the filly is a half-sister now to three winners, her dam’s only previous produce. After she made further purchases, in conjunction with Federico Barberini, her spokesman Eissa Senan revealed more about her: “Mrs Althani has been in racing since 2018 and has a few horses in training in England, and this is another addition to her string.
“Sir Albert was bought from Goffs last year; Mrs Althani saw potential in the horse and he’s done very well [stakes-placed winner of three races at two for Andrew Balding]. She had six horses in training last season and that is up to nine this year. We also retire the fillies for breeding. Some of those, the ones that perform well or have a good page, retire to stud in Ireland.
“We also have horses in training with William Haggas and Karl Burke. We started with Andrew. He’s brilliant, as we all know, he’s the top trainer in the country. We got to know Karl also because he’s had very good success, particularly his two-year-old statistics. We sent him some horses for the first time last season. We’ll get together after the sale and assess what we have bought and how we can grow. We want a manageable operation; we don’t want the numbers to explode.”
Bolger connection
Joe and Marguerite Joyce of Cahermorris Stud and Jim Bolger tied for second place on the table of top lots, both selling fillies for €135,000, matching the best price of 2024.
The fillies sold an hour apart, and it was the Joyce’s daughter of Mehmas who was first to the mark.
The first purchase made by Joyce was Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Saoire, followed a week later by Fracas whom he stands. In Book 1, Joyce sold a Fracas full-sister to three blacktype horses, including Group 3 winner Smash Williams, for €240,000. On Thursday, he traded a Mehmas filly from the same family, €135,000, bought by Tony O’Callaghan. The filly is out of a half-sister to Smash Williams, while her grandam is a full-sister to Saoire.
Joyce said: “I have had this family for a long time.”
Tony O’Callaghan may race or breeze his purchase. He said: “We loved the filly. Mehmas has been very consistent since the start. They put their heads down low and try. Trainers like them. They’re honest and they have a will to win. Trade is good, but then every sale has been good this year. It’s quite extraordinary. It’s been hard to buy.”
Jim Bolger watched on from the seats as a daughter of Teofilo, bred by him and consigned by Boherguy Stud, run by his granddaughter Clare Manning, was knocked down for €135,000 to bloodstock agent Federico Barberini.
He said: “She is a gorgeous filly; she’s worth every penny.”
The trainer recently announced his intention to consolidate. He added: “I came into this game hoping that one day I would train the winner of the Moyglare. That was the height of the ambition and I haven’t got any more ambitious since. I take things as they come. Selling these horses, it makes life easier for me. I don’t pile on pressure.” He will sell 44 yearlings at the Goffs Autumn Sale in early November.
Barberini said: “She’ll stay in Ireland to be broken and then we’ll decide who’ll train her. She’s been bought for Khalifa Dasmal, a very enthusiastic and successful owner who really enjoys his racing.”