THE Starman success story continued at Goffs on Monday when three of the top-priced six foals on day one of the November Foal Sale were by the Tally-Ho Stud stallion, the leading first crop sire in Europe this year.

Monday’s session, the first of four dedicated to foals this week, saw a clearance rate of just under 80% which was up from 75% on this day last year. The average (up 8%) and median (up 11%) prices also saw significant gains. The better-bred foals sell on Wednesday.

The Starman colt who topped Monday’s trade at €125,000 was sold by the Hyland family’s Oghill House Stud in Monasterevin and was bought by renowned pinhooker Blarney Holland of Grove Stud in Fermoy.

From the family of Havana Gold, the colt is out of a placed mare who has yet to have a runner.

Holland said: “He is a nicely balanced colt, a good mover but still immature. He seems to have a good outlook, is correct, and will be for sale as a yearling. I have been lucky with this family in the past.”

Johnny Hyland of Oghill House Stud said: “We thought we had him in the right day, but no way did we think he’d make €125,000. All the top judges were on him and I’m delighted for the owner, David McGuinness; he’s a good client of ours and a long-time supporter.

“He’s a really nice foal and what more can you say about Starman that hasn’t been said before? He stamps his stock; they’re brilliant horses.”

Holland used the anonymous online platform to put in his winning bid, as did the unknown bidder who paid €120,000 for a Starman filly minute earlier. The filly from Baroda Stud was hammered down to “Monday Ventures” and no other information was made public.

Grove Stud also gave €85,000 for another filly by the sire out of a half-sister to top sprinter Mrs Danvers, consigned by Joey Lyons’ Summerhill Stables.

Shane Lyons, signing as Piercetown Stud, went to €92,000 to secure the Ghaiyyath colt out of the winning Fascinating Rock mare Spilt Passion from Padhraic and Adelaide Doran’s Knocktartan House Stud, based in Co Wexford.

“We saw him on Saturday and he was the pick of the day,” said the purchaser, who is assistant trainer to his brother Ger. “We didn’t think we were going to get him. We don’t generally give that much, but we had to have him.

“He had everything, the wow factor, from the first time we saw him. He’s a proper horse: a proper physical with a proper mind. He went around with his ears pricked. Padhraic does his horses brilliantly.

“We’ll just get him home and take stock. We don’t normally pay that much but all avenues are open. There’s a man in Meath who’ll be able to train him, anyway!”

Eoghan Grogan of Killourney Mor Farm in Co Offaly is making a name for himself as an excellent judge of horseflesh, having pinhooked this year’s unbeaten Gimcrack Stakes winner Lifeplan from this sale in 2023 and resold him at Goffs Orby last year.

Grogan was back restocking at Goffs on Monday and struck at €88,000 for Middlelane Farm’s Sioux Nation colt out of Eyeshadow, a placed Expert Eye half-sister to Oh So Sharp Stakes runner-up Gavota.

“He’s by Sioux Nation, a sire on the up, and he ticks a lot of boxes, being a good, strong, correct, good-walking colt,” said Grogan. “Hopefully we’ll bring him back to Goffs Orby Book 1 next year and follow a similar path to Lifeplan.

“I bought Lifeplan as a foal from Joey Lyons for €85,0000 and got €165,000 for him as a yearling. It was a good profit but it’s just as important they also do it on the track, as you have to be seen to be selling good horses, you need people coming back to you. It’s exciting to have a Gimcrack winner on my CV and fingers crossed he kicks on at three and goes on to even bigger things.”

The sale continues onTuesday.

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