A €300,000 filly from the first crop of Ten Sovereigns broke the long standing record price for the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale on Thursday.

For 15 years the record price at this sale belonged to a Danetime colt who fetched €240,000 but that mark was eclipsed on another day that made good gains on the figures from 2021.

Even well before the finish of the session the turnover from day one in 2021 had been surpassed and it eventually settled at just over €6 million which was a 54% progression on last year. The average of €28,085 was up by 32% and the €24,000 median grew by 50%, all of which points to another remarkably strong yearling sale.

The standout lot of the day hailed from Abbeville Stud and had plenty to recommend her on pedigree as she is a half-sister to this season’s Commonwealth Cup fourth Cadamosto.

Allied to that she hailed from the first crop of a sire whose first yearlings have sold for up to €500,000 this week. Thus all the stars aligned to make this filly by far the most sought-after yearling of the day and it was Kilfrush Stud manager David Ryan who struck the winning bid.

“She’s a filly that speaks for herself. She was a standout and would have been quite at home if she were in the Orby Sale. She’s been bought for Rabbah Bloodstock/Kilfrush and we will get her back home to the farm and take things from there,” said Ryan.

Condon purchase

Just prior to this Ken Condon outbid Kevin Prendergast for an €80,000 daughter of Territories from Hollyhill Stud. This half-sister to two winners is out of an Acclamation mare who numbers the Prendergast-trained dual stakes winner Rose Bonheur amongst her siblings.

“We’re familiar with the sire already through Teresa Mendoza and she’s a very nice filly coming from a very good nursery,” reflected Condon. “She was well recommended but she recommended herself too. She’s got a lovely attitude and she has a bit of substance to her and you’d always take a lot of encouragement when such a good judge as Kevin Prendergast is underbidder.”

Kevin Prendergast did make his mark later in the session when he forked out €64,000 on a daughter of Invincible Army out of a winning Teofilo half-sister to his dual Group 3 winner and classic-placed Decado.

American buyer

American involvement at Kildare Paddocks this week wasn’t just restricted to Orby Sale as Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales struck for a pair of €70,000 lots.

The first of these was a colt from the first crop of Invincible Army while Top Line’s other €70,000 purchase came in the form of a Ten Sovereigns filly from the family of Peintre Celebre.

“We’ve bought two today and also got two at the Orby Sale and the plan is that they will all come back to America to breeze. We came to Europe looking for a sharper type of horse,” reported Torie Gladwell.

New Bay daughter

Curragh trainer Takashi Kodama, signing as The Old Mew Stable, picked up one of the most interesting lots of the day when giving €70,000 for a daughter of New Bay from Ballylinch Stud. The sire’s credentials are already well established while this filly is the first produce of a dual Group 3 winner in Argentina.

Micro-ownership

Among those bought with a trip to the breeze-up sales in mind was a €90,000 filly from the much sought-after second crop of Sioux Nation. Emma Chilcot, seated with Johnny Hassett, signed for this filly whose sire’s first runners have made such a bright start on the track this year. For good measure the Wraymount Stud offering enjoyed a fairly significant update this year when her juvenile half-sister Manhattan Jungle won a listed race in France.

“We felt she was a standout filly and very well reared from a great farm that you would have loads of confidence buying from,” commented Emma Chilcot who has been an integral part of the Bloodstock Connection team for the last six years.

This filly was bought for Hassett’s fascinating Get In The Game concept which has brought micro-share ownership to the sales process.

This is the second year of the Get In The Game concept and already 15 yearlings have been gathered up for this concept which has brought a level of accessibility and connection to the sales process which would previously have been unattainable for a great many bloodstock enthusiasts.

Mehmas colt

Earlier Willie Browne forked out €67,000 for a popular Mehmas colt out of a Danehill Dancer mare.

“There’s probably a bit more Danehill Dancer about him than Mehmas but he’s a fine, strong colt and he looks like he will be well able to gallop,” observed Browne. “He’s a very physical and he’s got a great chance being a son of Mehmas. We’ll look forward to the breeze-up sales with him.”

The tone for the day was set by the first lot into the ring this morning and the Newlands House Stud-consigned son of Bungle Inthejungle cost Joe Foley €62,000.

“He’s been bought for the Bronte Collection. The last Bungle Inthejungle I bought from Paddy Burns (Newlands House Stud) turned out to be Living In The Past and I’m delighted to be able to buy another one off him. Karl Burke trained Living In The Past and that is where this colt will go as well,” commented Foley.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR DAY ONE OF THE SPORTSMAN'S SALE

YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGGREGATE MEDIAN AVERAGE

2022 270 245 217 €6,094,500 €28,085 €24,000

2021 230 206 186 €3,945,000 €21,210 €16,000

2020 215 144 104 €1,404,000 €13,500 €10,000

2019 219 205 158 €2,868,500 €18,155 €14,000