“WE are hopeful of a reasonable trade in the circumstances. It should give a good indication of what we can expect for the rest of the year. We kept the catalogue tight and hopefully there will be satisfactory trade.”

They were the words of Goffs CEO Henry Beeby yesterday, ahead of next week’s Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster, which marks the start of the European yearling sales season. The first of 420 yearlings to be offered will arrive in the Doncaster ring on Tuesday morning.

A week ago Goffs announced that the Orby Sale and Sportsman’s Sale will both be staged in Doncaster this year. The Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale is moving to Newmarket and the reaction from consignors to these decisions appears to be positive.

Bill Dwan of The Castlebridge Consignment said: “I think they had no choice but to move. We have 30 in the Sportsman’s and 50 in the Orby, so it’s a bit of a nightmare having to send them all to England. Logistically it is going to be difficult for vendors.”

The Orby Sale will start and finish a day earlier than announced last week. It will now begin on Wednesday, September 30th and conclude on Thursday, October 1st, which allows a longer break before the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale the following week.

Dwan said: “That tweak was needed. The sales companies have done their best to accommodate everyone. Goffs have said that vendors who choose not to take up their slots at Doncaster will have an opportunity to sell at home.”

Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud has managed to minimise his need to travel. “I have less yearlings than I normally do, for several reasons. I found the good foals harder to buy last year, which may have been fortunate, and I also chose to sell some yearlings privately. All the ones I have left can be accommodated between Books 1 and 3 at Newmarket, which makes it easier for my staff.”

Another prominent consignor, who asked not to be named, also said he had taken an early decision to cut back on his yearling draft and focus on Newmarket this year. “I am also keeping more yearlings to race, some are for the breeze-ups and the lesser ones will be sold privately to Eastern Europe,” he said.

Bloodstock agent Alastair Donald confessed he is happy that the major Irish yearling sales have moved closer to him. “I’m 100% delighted. It will be a lot easier and cheaper. I am sure it was the right decision from the sales companies’ point of view too. In terms of the trade, my gut feeling is that the middle and lower parts of the market will take a significant dip, but then that’s what I thought might happen at the breeze-ups and I was wrong.”

Reflecting on the decision to move the sales, Henry Beeby said: “This was not our first choice but it was the best option. It was a decision which people understood and the majority of feedback has been understanding and positive.

“We are not living in an ideal world. In this Covid era, let’s take each sale as it comes. You have to be adaptable, flexible, listen and react. That’s why we tweaked the Orby date this week. Everyone must pull together and get through this as best as we can. Time will tell if we have done the right thing.”