Following some spectacular action on Tuesday the second and concluding session of the Goffs Land Rover Sale was an appreciably quieter one as the auction concluded with a set of figures that pointed to trade that was especially strong at the top of the market but selective elsewhere.
From a slightly bigger catalogue this year the Land Rover produced an aggregate of just over €13.6 million, which was an 11% improvement on last year while the average of €34,356 represented an increase of six points. The median of €25,000 finished 10% down on last year’s record tally of €28,000 while the clearance rate dropped from 88% to 79%.
In all this will go down as a very notable edition of the Land Rover following the opening session which saw the sale’s record price bettered on three occasions in addition to an unprecedented 14 lots reaching six figures.
However, away from the pinnacle of the market Wednesday’s trade clearly highlighted that buyers were selective in their approach and were perhaps somewhat more measured in their spending compared to last year.
LYNCH REMEMBERED
A pair of €70,000 lots held sway during the second session and the first of these to come under the hammer was a son of Elusive Pimpernel who was bought by the much missed John Lynch for €10,000 as a yearling at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Bobby O’Ryan tried hard to secure the Peter Nolan-consigned half-brother to three winners but it was the busy Kevin Ross who struck the winning bid.
"He’s a lovely, correct horse and I remember him well as a yearling when John bought him,” said Ross. “He’s been bought for Paul and Clare Rooney and I’m a big fan of the sire, I’ve bought a few of them before today.”
An industrious couple of days for David Minton concluded with the €70,000 purchase of a Jeremy gelding from Michael and Ann Cullen’s White Horse Stud. The €9,500 foal is out of a half-sister to several winners and, like a number of others this week, he was bought on behalf of leading owner Trevor Hemmings.
“He’s been bought for Trevor Hemmings and he will go down to Cork to be broken and then a decision will be made on where he goes into training. We like Jeremy, he was a remarkable sire, and this horse was definitely one of the picks of the day,” declared Minton.
In addition to his purchase of the Elusive Pimpernel Kevin Ross picked up a number of other popular lots and these included a €50,000 son of Shantou from Knockara Stables. He was bought for Imperial Racing whose previous representatives include the Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander.
OFF YOU GO RELATION
Also destined to carry the Imperial Racing colours is a daughter of Fame And Glory who cost Ross €40,000. She enjoyed a timely boost to her pedigree earlier this year as he half-brother Off You Go won the Coral Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown for Charles Byrnes.
"She’s a very good-looking, quality type of filly by a sire that has done very well. Obviously the half-brother is very promising and he could do more for the page but first and foremost she is a good individual," reported Ross, who also spent €40,000 on a Shantou filly out of an own-sister to the decent chaser Theatre Guide.
Robert Tyner has enjoyed notable luck with graduates of this sale having won both the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Land Rover Bumper and he forked out €50,000 for a Secret Singer gelding hailing from Galbertstown Stud.
"He wasn’t on my list initially but he caught my eye across the yard here yesterday,” declared Tyner. “I tried a few times yesterday to buy a horse for Brendan Keogh (owner of 2016 Land Rover winner Coeur De Lion) but trade was very strong and I wasn’t panicking as I always had this horse in the back of my mind. He’s big but he’s a French-bred and he could easily come to hand relatively quickly.”
Meanwhile Tom Malone made the first notable purchase of the day when he spent €46,000 on a son of Getaway out of a sister to the Stayers' Hurdle victor Bacchanal.
"He’s been bought to go to Lucinda Russell for Deborah Thomson who is one of the owners of One For Arthur,” reported Malone. "She was here all day yesterday but didn’t get anything but I’m pleased we had to wait for this horse. I thought he’d make a good deal more and he looks like a bit of value.”
READ RYAN McELLIGOTT'S FULL SALE REPORT AND MARKET COMMENT IN THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND
Part II
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVERAGE MEDIAN
2018 273 243 177 €3,118,000 €17,616 €15,000
2017 248 220 181 €3,653,500 €20,185 €16,000
2016 258 218 174 €2,385,100 €13,707 €11,500
Entire Sale
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVERAGE MEDIAN
2018 540 500 396 €13,605,000 €34,356 €25,000
2017 508 434 380 €12,270,500 €32,291 €28,000
2016 610 534 449 €11,795,600 €26,271 €20,000
2015 550 505 437 €11,722,500 €26,285 €20,000