The Goffs November Foal Sale got off to a positive start on Monday when two foals shared the top spot by selling for €80,000 each.

Trade was solid through the day and a 75% clearance rate contributed to a turnover of €3,157,000. Both the average of €19,982 and median of €16,000 were in line with the respective figures from last year’s opening session.

Earthlight yearlings went down well during the autumn and colt by the Darley stallion co-topped the session when selling to Paul McCartan of Ballyphilip Stud for €80,000. The colt was consigned by John Banahan’s Ridge Manor Stud out of the Danehill Dancer mare Gilded Flyer.

McCartan did his bidding online for the David Ryan-bred colt and afterwards John Banahan said: "I’m delighted with that, he is a lovely straightforward foal and has been busy the last few days. The Earthlights seem to be popular and it’s great to get the week off to a good start. We have 11 foals to sell so we’ll be busy for the week.”

McCartan embraced the online bidding portal, conducting his business while on the grounds looking at foals and said: "He is a lovely horse, plenty of size and scope and is a grand mover. He has an attractive head and reminds me a lot of some of those Earthlight yearlings who sold well in the autumn.”

The other foal to make €80,000 was a daughter of Mehmas offered by Skara Stud. Knocked down to the Tally-Ho Stud team of Tony and Roger O’Callaghan the filly is out of Kissepal, an unraced half-sister to Group 2 Lowther Stakes winner Besharah.

Lucky Vega has been well supported with mares by Yuesheng Zhang since the Group 1 Phoenix stakes winner retired to the Irish National Stud and the Yulong team began the process of supporting the stallion in the sales ring when purchasing one of the first Lucky Vega foals to be offered. Lot 43 from Irene Scheldt was knocked down to the team for €65,000 and is a half-brother to the stakes placed Secret Time out of the Kheleyf mare Song Of Time.

The Irish National Stud offered a Lucky Vega filly who sold well when knocked down to Jamie Railton for €55,000. It was the second foal by the sire bought by Railton on Monday after he signed at €45,000 for a half-sister to stakes winner Taamol offered by the vendor of the joint session-topper, Skara Stud.

“We didn’t come here in particular to buy Lucky Vega foals but, after seeing a number of them over the past few days, it became obvious to us that as a group they have a lot of quality,” Railton said. “They have great action and the two we bought will hopefully return to a yearling sale next year,” he added.

Eddie O’Leary went to €58,000 to buy a Sioux Nation colt offered by Grangebarry Stables. The dam Inca Husky is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Law Of Indices and has produced a stakes performer in Disillusion.

Another doyen of the bloodstock industry, Con Marnane, successfully bid €56,000 for a son of another upwardly mobile stallion in Blue Point. From Oaklawn Stud, this one is out of the stakes-placed Freezy who is a half-sister to three Group 1 winners in Jakkalberry, Crackerjack King and Awelmarduk.

“I’m a big fan of Blue Point, I think he is one of the best young sires in Europe,” Marnane said. “This is a lovely colt, a great physical and he vetted cleanly. We will aim to re-offer him as a yearling but we have the option of breezing him the following year as well,” he added. Marnane added another foal to his Bansha House team when giving €46,000 for a colt by Havana Grey from Church View Stables.

A brisk start to proceedings saw another Earthlight colt sell well, this one to Greenacre Bloodstock for €54,000. From Oghill House Stud, this colt is a half-brother to the progressive David Evans-trained Wind Your Neck In who has won again since the catalogue went to print and is now rated 83.

The first offering by Yeomanstown stallion Supremacy went for the same price of €54,000 when knocked down to Glenvale Stud. The Castlebridge-consigned colt is out of the dual winner Shorter Skirt whose first yearling sold for £36,000 a few months ago and is in training with Richard Fahey.

During what was a vibrant morning of trade a filly foal by Australia also proved popular when selling to Sophie Buckley for €50,000. The filly from Castle Hill Stud is a full-sister to the smart Swan Bay and her pedigree traces back to the brilliant Moyglare family of Trusted Partner, Kyprios, Search For A Song and Free Eagle.

The second of four days of foals continues on Tuesday at 10am.