A PAIR of €72,000 maidens, which came in the shape of the Aga Khan-owned Karakoul and the capable Ger Lyons juvenile Midnight Toker, headed a solid edition of today’s Goffs Autumn Horses In Training Sale.

Twelve months ago this sale produced a pair of six figure transactions and those heights were out of reach this time around but the overall figures for the day were still able to make good gains on those from 2021.

The aggregate of just under €1.4m finished 7% up on last year, the average of €16,679 was 24% ahead on 12 months ago while the median jumped from €8,000 to €11,000.

There was also an improvement in the clearance rate which went from 78 to 84%, all of which marks a positive start to what is a particularly busy period in the Irish sales season.

Creditable runs

The aforementioned Karakoul came under the hammer off a couple of creditable runs in defeat at Dundalk while his form as a two-year-old included an excellent second to Piz Badile at Killarney.

All this promised to make the son of Fast Company one of the most popular offerings of the day and he eventually sold to Tom Taaffe, acting for Mohammed Al Attiyah, for €72,000.

“He’s been bought to go to Qatar for Mohammed Al Attiyah. He liked the horse’s pedigree and his form and I liked the horse when I saw him this morning. He has a nice profile for Qatar,” said Taaffe.

Later in the session Italian agent Marco Bozzi forked out €72,000 for Midnight Toker who was sold by the Castlebridge Consignment having shown useful form for Ger Lyons this season by reaching the frame in five of his seven starts.

"We like this horse a lot and have followed him all season. We think he can mature and race well in Italy. He has a very good pedigree and will go into training with Giovanni Colella in Rome for the former owner of (Group 1-winning filly) Grand Glory," commented Bozzi.

Strong Johnson

The next highest price came in at €70,000 and this was paid by Taylors Bloodstock for the very useful 93-rated Strong Johnson who was sold by Denis Cullen’s Beechcourt Stables. Joey Cullen, taking instructions by phone from English trainer Paul Midgeley, signed for Strong Johnson who is a five-time winner and was Group 3-placed last season.

As well as supplying Karakoul, the Aga Khan and Johnny Murtagh were responsible for the useful Shajak who cost €52,000 after being knocked down to Tom Malone and Aidan O’Ryan.

Shajak won a Tipperary maiden over a mile and a half during the summer and he was also Listed placed at Leopardstown in August.

“He’s a very nice horse and he’s one that we’ve had our eye on for some time,” reflected Malone. “You’d like what he has done on the track so far and I thought he wasn’t bad value relative to the horse we hope he could develop into over hurdles. He’s going to be going to Gordon Elliott.”

The former Greenlands Stakes winner Gustavus Weston was perhaps the most high profile offering of the day and he will be returning to Joe Murphy after being knocked down to Crampscastle Bloodstock for €60,000.

America

Joe Murphy, who consigned through The Castlebridge Consignment, was responsible for another popular offering in the shape of the three-year-old Prophets Voice and he was snapped up by Aidan O’Ryan for €46,000.

“He’s going to go to America and has been bought on behalf of trainer Ricky Hendricks and his mother. Ricky is a great friend and has done well with horses from Ireland in the past and this horse looks a nice dual purpose type. He should do well in America,” commented O’Ryan.

A career across the Irish Sea is the plan for Painters Palette after he was knocked down to James Griffin for €60,000. A three-year-old son of Lope De Vega and offered by Ballylinch Stud, Painters Palette came here off a succession of solid efforts in defeat in Curragh maidens in recent weeks.

“I’ve bought him on behalf of Rebecca Menzies who will train him for the Horse Watchers,” said Griffin. “I put him to Rebecca and luckily she had the owners to secure a nice horse who had shown good form and he came well recommended. I’d imagine he will be aimed at the All Weather Series through the winter,” reported Griffin.

Meanwhile Ross O’Sullivan spent €38,000 on Eighty Eight who won a Gowran handicap for Johnny Murtagh during the summer while Tally-Ho Stud gave €34,000 for Picture Blue. A two-year-old daughter of Kodiac, Picture Blue was placed in a Cork conditions race for Paddy Twomey on her only run this year and she is out of a winning half-sister to the Group 3-winning pair of Fantasia and Pink Symphony.

Entire Sale

YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med

2022 144 98 82 1,367,700 16,679 11,000

2021 183 122 95 1,284,900 13,525 8,000

2020 156 86 62 1,019,800 16,448 7,000

2019 147 104 75 991,400 13,219 9,000

2018 133 93 79 1,446,100 18,558 9,000

2017 161 113 86 1,442,600 16,744 6,000

2016 161 115 103 1,704,400 16,548 6,500

2015 85 65 50 697,300 13,949 9,000