FORMED in 1920, Kerr & Company’s association with Goffs has few rivals. For several decades, the agency led the buyers’ list, its volume of trade surpassing all competitors.

Of the four brothers, Bert, Desmond (insurance) Kevin (veterinary & trainer) and Fergus (stud & breeding), it was Bert who looked after bloodstock dealing and he developed a flourishing business.

When Bert attended a sale he truly immersed himself in proceedings. Orders from all over the world would need to be filled and every minute was given over to carrying out instructions. Lunches (ham sandwiches) and refreshment (small glasses of whiskey) would be brought to Bert, normally perched on his stool, to the left of the auctioneer, and he seldom left the ring once events were under way. In September 1941 he bought a total of 87 yearlings, more than a quarter of all the lots sold.

He was oblivious to all distractions as an instance in the 1960s illustrated. It happened that Alec Wildenstein attended the September Sale and he brought with him the screen idol and international heart throb Omar Sharif, fresh from his performance in Dr Zhivago. That evening Bert was on his way home to Drumcondra, when his driver asked “Boss, did you see Omar Sharif there today?” Bert replied, in all seriousness “No, Geoff, what lot number was he?”

A story from 1954 exemplifies Bert’s talent. In less than an hour he bought three yearlings, two colts and a filly. The filly, Garden State (costing 1,000gns) won the Irish Oaks, while Lucero (1,500gns) won the Irish 2000 Guineas and Talgo (1,350gns) won the Irish Derby.

Success for Kerr & Co was truly global and champions in lesser racing nations such as South Africa, Venezuela, Malaya, Turkey and Spain were all found at Ballsbridge.

In America, there was the remarkable Rounders who brought defeat on the 1941 Triple Crown winner Whirlaway at Arlington. Closer to home were the likes of Beau Sabreur, the Irish 2000 Guineas and Coronation Cup winner, and the brilliant champion The Bug whose blinding speed won him a July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes.

One that got away, however, was in 1961. Bert would do the rounds of all the studs looking at yearlings and, at one particular farm, he was quietly taken with a neat, quality colt. When the colt entered the ring Bert started bidding but, just as the hammer was about to come down in his favour, Paddy Prendergast (accompanied by his clients Jim and Meg Mullion) raised his catalogue. After a short exchange of bids, the colt was knocked down to the trainer for 3,800gns. The colt by Ribot, rejected by his breeder on account of his diminutive stature, turned out to be Ragusa.

Bert lived into his 80th year and he died in 1973, coincidentally on the last day that the last sale was held at the old sales paddocks in Ballsbridge, where he had played such a leading role in proceedings.

Spectacular sale

THE most spectacular sale of 1981 occurred at 1.15pm on the afternoon of November 25th when Arkadina strode into the ring at Kill. David Nagle was on the rostrum and Goffs’ senior auctioneer finally brought the gavel down at the new European record price for a broodmare of 900,000gns, then the equivalent of $1.5 million.

Consigned by Airlie Stud, the classic-placed Arkadina was sold to dissolve a partnership between Captain Tim Rogers and Robert Sangster. She was covered by Northern Baby and, when the hammer finally fell, it was in favour of John Magnier, described in reports at the time as the Coolmore Stud manager, acting on behalf of the property tycoon Patrick Gallagher.

While Arkadina was the undoubted sale highlight, the previous Irish broodmare record was actually surpassed four times, including by the previous record holder Sweet Mimosa. This time around she fetched 122,000gns when John Magnier acquired her from Derrygrath Stud.

The other mares to move into this territory were Hardiemma, the dam of Shirley Heights, and this former 15,000gns purchase was sold, in foal to Great Nephew, for 300,000gns. Tim Rogers bought out his partner Robert Sangster when he bid 160,000gns for the leading French two-year-old Suvanee, in foal to Acamas.

Arkadina also played a major role in the foal section of the sale, setting a European record price with her son of Habitat. He was sold for 240,000gns and to a cash purchaser, though it was generally reported at the time that Captain Tim Rogers was the successful purchaser. Arkadina would later become the dam of a classic winner when her daughter Dark Lomond won the 1988 Irish St Leger.

Black Monday

ALAN Clore suffered terrible losses on Black Monday, the stock market crash of October 1987. Clore had built up a significant thoroughbred empire, numbering close to 300 horses, which was claimed by his creditors.

Two thirds of the horses were in France and the rest were divided between France and the UK, where Clore had 17 horses with Barry Hills and Luca Cumani. The decision was taken to offer the bloodstock in March 1988 at three venues, Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky, Agence Francaise in Deauville and Goffs in Ireland. This was a technical step forward from the London and Dublin linked sales of nominations in the early 1970s and the three sale rings were linked by satellite. Bids could be taken in any of the venues and relayed to the auctioneer who would be conducting the sale depending on where the horses were.

The star of the show was the brilliant racemare Triptych whose Group 1 victories included the Prix Marcel Boussac, Irish 2000 Guineas, Champion Stakes (twice), Coronation Cup (twice), the International at York and the Irish Champion Stakes. Trained by David O’Brien when she won her classic, she is the only filly ever to win the Irish 2000 Guineas.

Triptych was sold at the sale for $3.4 million to Patrick Biancone, who had taken over the training of the filly after David O’Brien. Biancone also gave $1.3 million for River Memories, whose victories included the Grade 1 Rothman’s International. The third seven figure lot at $1.5 million was the dam of River Memories, in foal to Riverman.

The leading Irish purchase at the Kentucky sale was made by Vincent O’Brien when he gave $510,000 for Thorough, in foal to El Gran Senor.

The subsequent offspring was the good winner Rua D’Oro. A total of 32 lots were sold in the ring at Goffs, realising 1,241,800gns.

These are some of the many stories in Memoirs of An Irish Auction House-, a new book celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Goffs.