WHILE the first edition of the Goffs Classic Breeze-Up Sale made a good start in 2025, Goffs Group CEO Henry Beedy admits that there were question marks about it, and even its future.

After the second edition last Saturday, staged after racing at the Curragh, Beeby believes the sale is here to stay, having posted increases in turnover (16%), average (8%) and a double-digit median advance (11%).

“Those initial doubts were well and truly forgotten as the sale returned the highest average and highest median ever at an Irish breeze-up,” Beeby commented. He added: “Our second go met with much more approval and has been well supported by our vendors, and it is to them that we extend our sincere thanks in the first instance as without their horses, we have nothing.

“The catalogue read well and the horses lived up to their pedigrees, both on the track on Monday and in the yards at Kildare Paddocks.”

He addressed some of the issues raised after year one. “The debate around the format is not as clear-cut as we initially believed, and some notable judges told us that the extra time between the breeze and the sale, whilst perhaps logistically imperfect, can benefit the horses and allow them to show themselves to better advantage. That is certainly something we will consider as we plan for year three.

“The date is seen as a major selling point as it provides a vibrant outlet for proper horses at the end of the season, and several vendors took full advantage reaping a dividend in the sales ring.”

Beeby concluded: “As ever, we are indebted to Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for their vital work and, again, Naas Racecourse provided perfect ground for the breeze which is vital for the whole event.”

Norman Williamson, who consigned the top lot, concurred with Beeby. “The sale certainly has a future. Last year I think some people were wondering if it would work or not, but it has proven itself. Katie Walsh sold a good horse in it last year [the unbeaten Extremely Zain] and he made plenty of money. Let’s hope it keeps going. I am happy.”

TWO colts who missed their chance to sell at the Arqana Sale in May due to minor setbacks were among the top four lots on Saturday evening. They included the top lot of the session, whose price tag of €330,000 matched the high of 12 months earlier.

This time around the bragging rights to selling the best on show lies with Oak Tree Farm’s Norman Williamson with Lope De Vega half-brother to three winners, the dam being a winning full-sister to the three-time champion Treve.

Avenue Bloodstock’s Mark McStay took instructions by telephone from a determined client. Having seen off Joey Cullen at €250,000, McStay was forced to go €80,000 more by an equally dogged underbidder, Francois Drion. The price achieved was nearly double that of his yearling purchase price of 150,000gns.

Williamson was especially sweet on the colt. He said: “He is a beautiful colt. There was three or four people in on him [after €200,000], all the right people. We are thrilled, but we think he is a very nice horse.”

McStay was also impressed. “I think he is a lovely colt. Norman and Katie Walsh recommended this horse very highly and I have had tremendous luck buying off Katie down through the years, including with Extremely Zain at this sale last year. This horse is by one of the best sires in the world and it is also one of the best pedigrees.”

Also missing out at Arqana was a son of Practical Joke from Brian Slattery’s Meadowview Stables. This $30,000 Fasig-Tipton yearling morphed into a €180,000 two-year-old, bought by Basil Holian who signed as Watchman Racing. He is the latest addition to Holian’s flat string that he is building with Andy Slattery. The owner has a large number of National Hunt horses with Henry de Bromhead.

MAKING up more than half of the catalogue, fillies were in strong demand at the sale, and 82% of those offered were sold. The top three were by Sea The Stars, St Mark’s Basilica and Starspangledbanner.

Cormac Farrell sold the best filly for €215,000, by one of the world’s best sires in Sea The Stars and who recorded the second fastest breeze. Her dual stakes-winning grandam is grandam of another by the Gilltown sire, multiple Group 3 winner Al Aasy who was beaten a neck in the Group 1 Coronation Cup.

Kerri Radcliffe bid by telephone, and later said: “I saw her at the start of March and loved her. I did try and buy out of the yard, but Cormac wanted to see her breeze. She jumped through all the hoops and she’s a gorgeous filly. She’s for a new client who has just come into racing.”

Farrell added: “We’re over the moon; she’s a very smart filly and she showed fantastically and vetted well. Kerri was absolutely mad for the filly and it’s a great result.”

Rathmore Stud’s Peter Molony originally wanted to buy into the St Mark’s Basilica filly consigned by Mick and Sarah Murphy’s Longways, but he made up for that disappointment when giving €190,000 for her on behalf of David Redvers. This was edging close to double what she brought as a yearling in Arqana. Redvers and Molony will be hoping that the three-year-old Night Of Thunder half-sister Midnight Tango can make amends for her neck defeat in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes at Ascot, and she was not disgraced in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup after that.

Michael O’Callaghan stood with Paul and Charles Shanahan for the sale of the Starspangledbanner filly out of a winning mare by Australia, and acquired her for €165,000. She was bought on spec, and O’Callaghan liked her a lot. He said: “She looks like a seven-furlong to a mile filly and looks like she has a bit of scope. She’s a great mover and breezed very well, very professional with a lovely action.”