Galileo Trio Leads Goffs Foals

The flagship session of the Goffs November Foal Sale was dominated by Galileo (Ire) and the dispersal of stock bred and owned in partnership by Coolmore and the China Horse Club.

The Castlebridge Consignment has assisted as vendor and was responsible for three of the top four foals of the day, including the sole weanling to breach the seven-figure mark. That came just three lots into the start of trade when the full-sister to G1 Criterium International winner and recent G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Group 2 winner Elizabeth Browning (Ire) (lot 541) brought the hammer down at €1.1 million. Hugo Lascelles signed the ticket on behalf of unnamed “American interests” and said that the filly is likely to be trained eventually in England.

“The mare's first foal was a Group 1 winner, she's proved she can do it again with Elizabeth Browning and this was a very good-looking filly,” said the agent.

Bred in the partnership name of Desert Star Phoenix Jvc, the January-born filly is the fourth foal of the juvenile winner Inca Princess (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) who has been mated exclusively with Galileo and is herself the daughter of G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Miletrian (Ire) (Marju {Ire}).

The 9-year-old Inca Princess will be offered during today's breeding stock sale as lot 970 and is in foal to Galileo on a Feb. 13 cover.

A similar situation was in play for lot 569, a Galileo colt out of the dual Australian Group 1 winner Melito (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) who was signed for at €625,000 by Ken Bolger of Redmondstown Stud.

The half-brother to the Japanese Group 3-placed Campbell Junior (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus}) will eventually be trained by one of Galileo's staunchest allies, Jim Bolger.

“Galileo has been very lucky for us and this is a grand colt with a good page who we'll put into training down the line,” said Bolger.

The Bolgers were back for more late in the session when adding the Galileo daughter (lot 732) of treble New Zealand Group 2 winner Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) to the team at €400,000.

A half-sister to the G1 South Africa Derby runner-up Galileo's Destiny (NZ) (Galileo {Ire}), Fix was bought by Tom Magnier at Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015 for A$1.25 million and has been covered by Galileo in both her seasons at stud in Ireland to date.

Melito, who is also back in foal to Galileo, features later today as lot 973, with Fix offered three lots later as lot 976. Also set to be offered for the same partnership is Muravka (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 971), who is sold not in foal after being covered by Starspangledbanner (Aus), the sire of her Group 1-winning first foal The Wow Signal (Ire). Muravka's No Nay Never filly went under the hammer on Wednesday as lot 586 and sold for €130,000 to Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency.

Third Consecutive Millionaire…

Lightning trade from start to finish during what was always going to be the strongest session of foals saw turnover improve by 50% compared to the equivalent day of 2016, with a total of €14,966,500 changing hands for 159 foals–or 85% of the 187 offered on Wednesday. The average of €94,129 was up by 21% and the median rose 7% to €60,000.

Describing activity at Kildare Paddocks as “buzzing,” Group Chief Executive of Goffs Henry Beeby said as he prepared to switch to two days of fillies and mares, “It is rare for any foal to realise over €1 million at any sale but there was something very special about the sale-topping Galileo filly that headed today's incredibly strong sale at €1.1 million. We wish the buyers the best of luck and hope she follows in the footsteps of the last Goffs foal to make that price; now named Ghaiyyath, he heads into the winter as one of the market leaders for next year's Epsom Derby.”

He continued, “Trade over the three days has made significant advances and we have to put a lot of that down to the more customer-friendly format that has allowed purchasers considerably more time to view all the Part 1 foals. Logistically the format has made life significantly easier for both vendors and purchasers although, of course, nothing is perfect so we will review the format after the entire sale as we still have two days of commercial foals to sell at the weekend. However it is our firm belief that Part 2 will also benefit from the change and the level of trade so far.”

“For the third time in four years the sale has been topped by a millionaire foal but the constant of the week has been the sustained demand at all levels as end users and pinhookers battled each other for lot after lot each day,” he said. “As ever we are indebted to our vendors who have trusted us with the cream of the Irish foal crop and have been duly rewarded with a trade that firmly cements the sale's market leading status.”

The hope now is that the sustained strength in the foal market during Part 1 will trickle down to Part 2, which begins on Saturday. The comparative figures for the first section of foals shows a 43% upturn in aggregate to €25,515,750 along with a 22% rise in average to €47,693 and an improved median of €27,000 (+8%). From 660 foals offered so far this week, 535 have sold at a clearance rate of 81%.

Oh Brother…

The High Valley Equine syndicate, which has been buying foals through Anna Sundstrom and Amy Austin in the last few weeks, was in action again on Wednesday and went to €340,000 in pursuit of a Dark Angel colt offered by Rossenarra Stud (lot 650). It's now commonplace to have to pay top dollar for the Yeomanstown stallion's offspring but there was extra incentive when it came to this colt, who is a full-brother to the former Shadwell colour-bearer Heeraat (Ire), the winner of the G3 Hackwood S. who now stands at Mickley Stud and has had some well received yearlings among his first crop this season.

John McEnery, who runs Rossenarra Stud in County Kilkenny with his father Martin, bought the colts' dam Thawrah (Ire) (Green Desert) as an unraced 2-year-old for 17,000gns back in 2005.

“It was a lot of money to me and a big decision but I loved her as soon as I saw her and I kept going back to look at her and she kept telling me that I should take her back to Rossenarra,” recalls the breeder.

It transpires to have been a big decision well made as Thawrah, a half-sister to G1 Golden Jubilee S. winner Malhub (Kingmambo), produced Heeraat as her second foal. He was sold as a weanling by Rossenarra for 50,000gns and three subsequent offspring have sold for six-figure sums as yearlings, including dual winner Manshood (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). The mare's other black-type performer is the listed winner and G3 Molecomb S. third Ambiance (Ire) (Camacho {GB}).

McEnery continued, “I haven't really got enough mares to keep sending them across the water but I've followed Heeraat's foals and yearlings and I've liked what I've seen so I may have to send him a mare.”

Thawrah is back in foal to Dark Angel, as is her retained 3-year-old daughter Aintisari (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}), who suffered an injury while in training at two.

Muhaarar Makes His Mark…

The first Muhaarar weanling (lot 575) to go through the ring ensured that his first-crop sire's name would make the leaderboard when selling for €340,000 to Shadwell.

Bred by Mags Durkan, the colt is a son of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Miss Beatrix (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and a half-brother to three black-type performers in Jally (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Arbalet (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Tamga (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}).

After signing for the docket, Derrinstown Stud manager Stephen Collins said, “Obviously Sheikh Hamdan bred and raced Muhaarar and we felt that this was a lovely athletic colt, one of the best movers at Goffs this week with scope and presence. Sheikh Hamdan has sent 12 to 14 mares to Muhaarar each year and we're very pleased with his foals that we have on the farm.”

Collins was back in action later in the day when going to €270,000 for lot 622, a Sea The Stars half-sister to the prolific winner and listed scorer Oh This Is Us (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) bred by Ronan Burns's Herbertstown House Stud and consigned by Jockey Hall Stud. The daughter of Group 3 winner Shamwari Lodge (Ire) (Hawk Wing) hails from the further family of top-class sprinter Pipalong (Ire) (Pips Pride {GB}).

The three Muhaarar colts to be offered during the premier foal session returned an average of €258,333, with lot 655, out of a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil), being bought by Peter and Ross Doyle from Springfort Park Stud for €235,000.

Late in the day, Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud went to €200,000 for a Muhaarar first foal of Listed Spring Trophy winner Dusky Queen (Ire) (Shamardal), who was offered by Ballylinch Stud on behalf of China Horse Club as lot 719.

Tinnakill's Star…

One of the highlights of a good day for Sea The Stars, which saw 10 of his weanlings sell for an average of €167,800, came with the €330,000 sale of lot 696, the Tinnakill House-consigned first foal of Chicago Dancer (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) to Gerry Dilger of Dromoland Farm.

The colt was bred by Forenaghts Stud and Samuel Mencoff, the latter having raced Chicago Dancer, a half-sister to G3 Prix Edmond Blanc winner Skins Game (GB) (Diktat {GB}) who was bred by Tinnakill House in partnership with Eric Cantillon.

The transaction also capped a good few days for Dermot Cantillon and Meta Osborne's operation, which sold 11 foals for a total of €749,200.

Cheval's Golden Investment…

The 50-strong French syndicate Cheval Invest, led by Pascal Adda and Hubert Honoré, saved their best bid for last when going to €290,000 for a filly from the first crop of Darley's Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn (GB) two lots from the end of the day's trade (lot 750). The April-born filly, offered by Yellowford Farm, was bred by Brian Gleeson of Brucetown Farms from the Galileo mare Hikari (Ire), a half-sister to G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner Raymi Coya (Can) (Van Nistelrooy).

“To be honest, we thought we'd be short as we thought she might make a bit more than that, but we are very happy to have her,” said Honoré of Normandy-based Haras d'Omméel. “She walked very well and vetted well and was the nicest foal here by the sire. She will come back to France and the aim is to resell at some stage but not necessarily as a yearling.”

The Cheval Invest team has bought five foals over the last two session at Goffs for an outlay of €608,000 and including another first-crop foal, lot 734, Knockainey Stud's Gleneagles (Ire) filly out of Four Eleven (Arch), a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winners Mandaean (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and Wavering (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}).

Quick Kodiac Double…

Neil Gilchrist and Peter Vaughan wasted no time in snapping up two Kodiac weanlings within a handful of lots for €220,000 and €250,000 under the name of Capital Bloodstock.

The first, lot 587, a filly from the Castlebridge Consignment, was bred by Diomed Bloodstock and is the first foal of 3-year-old winner My Twinkle (Ire), a Sea The Stars (Ire) daughter of Kenilworth House Stud's What A Picture (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) and thus a half-sister to listed winner Partner Shift (Ire) (Night Shift).

Gilchrist also signed for lot 590, bred by Mariann Klay and Des Leadon of Swordlestown Little Stud, a half-brother to 10-time winner Spring Loaded (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) and the useful Hong Kong-based Dinozzo (Ire), who is a son of the Swordlestown Little graduate Lilbourne Lad (Ire).

“They'll both go back to England and will eventually go into training,” Gilchrist explained. “We're trying to buy a few racehorses and we were underbidders on the Muhaarar colt bought by Shadwell earlier.”

Gilchrist was true to his pledge and caused a further stir when going to €460,000 for the final lot through the ring (lot 752), a Sea The Stars colt out of Holy Salt (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) from the further family of the versatile veteran sire Poliglote (GB) (Sadler's Wells) offered by Stanley Lodge.

Klay and Leadon's Swordlestown Little enjoyed a successful Wednesday at Goffs, selling five foals for a total of €705,000, including Lilbourne Lad's half-sister (lot 633) by Coolmore freshman Glenagles (Ire) for €170,000, who was bought by Ted Naughton on behalf of John Connaughton.

Harley Heads For Australia…

Many of the day's higher-priced horses were bought by owners who plan to race the youngsters but the odd bold pinhooker decided to swim in the deeper water, most notably Paul Harley, the former racing manager and trainer for Baron Von Ullmann's Gestut Schlenderhan who set up his eponymous bloodstock operation earlier this year.

Harley is another big fan of Australia (GB) and bid €220,000 for lot 611 on behalf of an unnamed client.

“He's a pinhook and we hope to take him back to [Tattersalls October] Book 1,” said the agent of the son of champion Scandinavian filly Rock Of Ridd (Ire) (Antonius Pius {GB}) whose half-brother Bank Of Burden (Hawk Wing) was also a champion in Scandinavia in three consecutive years, winning 19 races in the process including 10 at Group 3 level.

“We loved the horse,” continued Harley. “He has a lot of quality and is a great walker. He had everything you look for in a good racehorse and I think the sire is going to be the real deal. He's also from a very tough damline. Bank Of Burden was especially tough, he was unique really.”

Invincible Ladies…

An all-female battle was pitched for one of the leading fillies early in the session, with Harriet Jellett outbidding Anna Sundstrom for lot 559, an Invincible Spirit half-sister to G2 Railway S. winner Painted Cliffs (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}).

“She was a supremely confident and athletic individual with a good physique,” said Jellett after signing for the Lisieux Stud-consigned filly at €195,000. “She's been bought for an American client but we're not sure yet whether she's to race or resell.”

The well-related foal is out of Lulawin (GB), an unraced Kyllachy (GB) half-sister to the champion miler and stallion Excellent Art (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

Liking The Look Of Eagles…

A quartet of foals by Coolmore's dual Guineas winner Gleneagles (Ire) landed six-figure returns on Wednesday, with one bound for Japan after Katsumi Yoshida went to €150,000 for lot 660, a colt out of the listed winner Waveband (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), full-sister to young Rathasker Stud sire Bungle Inthejungle (GB) from the family of Chris Wright's Stratford Place Stud foundation mare Crime Of Passion (GB) (Dragonara Palace).

The aforementioned half-sister (lot 633) to Lilbourne Lad was the most expensive at €170,000, with the average for the four being €138,750.

The interest now turns from foals to fillies and mares for the next two days at Goffs, starting at 10 a.m. both days.