The term 'select sale' may have been redefined by the third renewal of the Goffs Champions Sale, at which four horses in training were offered and just two sold, with the Jim Bolger homebred Siamsaoicht (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 6) earning top billing when bringing the hammer down at €300,000.
The 3-year-old sister to G1 Dewhurst S. winner Parish Hall (Ire) and to the Group 2-placed Hall Of Fame (Ire) was herself a dual winner and runner-up to Hit It A Bomb (War Front) in the listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk last term before finishing fourth to Now Or Never (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) on her seasonal debut in the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial. She has now switched from Bolger's ownership to the China Horse Club, with agent Mick Flanagan doing the bidding on behalf of principal Teo Ah Khing.
While Siamsaoicht was making her debut in the sales ring, the only other horse to be sold, the juvenile filly Madam Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) (lot 4), is a more seasoned professional in this sphere. Not sold at £5,000 when offered by her breeder Tally-Ho Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-up Sale at Ascot back in April, she was bought privately by trainer Joe Tuite, who then sold her on within his stable to owner Stewart Brown.
Second to subsequent dual Group 2 winner Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) on debut at Chester in May, Madam Dancealot was entered in the Goffs London Sale where she was bought by Olivia Hoare for £100,000. If this seemed a lofty price tag for a maiden at the time, the filly quickly dispelled that notion, winning impressively at Newbury on July 7 and, most recently, landing the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' S. at Salisbury to boost her rating to 99.
Barry Lynch of Lillingston Bloodstock stepped in to buy her at the Champions Sale for €260,000 and the filly's next destination seems likely to be California after she was purchased on behalf of an unnamed American client.
“Today's Goffs Champions Sale was the epitome of quality over quantity,” commented Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby.
“We are pleased with the results of the horses that we offered and especially pleased to have sold the two top lots of €300,000 and €260,000 to the China Horse Club and a new Californian client. This sale is now a permanent part of Irish Champions Weekend and we will continue to present a small but select bunch of top-class horses with international appeal for the foreseeable future. I would like to extend our thanks to our title partner Brown Thomas for their continued support of the Goffs Champions Sale which helps to open Irish Champions Weekend on the right note.”
The Johnny Murtagh-trained Grand Coalition (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who was fourth in last month's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S., was bought back at €120,000, while juvenile winner Forrest Prince (Ire) (Approve {Ire}) was not sold at €80,000. The Goffs Champions Sale was held at Leopardstown racecourse prior to the opening race of Irish Champions Weekend.
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