THIS time last year, foal buyers bid boldly and breeders rejoiced, as rock-solid demand across various price points saw figures soar at the Goffs November Foal Sale. From a smaller offering, the turnover grew by 26%, while the average price rose by 34% to €48,717 and the median increased by 21% to €29,000.

For me, the most surprising figures came on the third day - the strongest of the week. The best pedigrees yielded a median price of €80,000 - matching that at the venue’s Orby Sale. The average price of €113,849 wasn’t a million miles off the average of the Orby Sale at €128,027.