Goffs kick off the first of three days of their extended February Sale on Tuesday. Day One action, which commences at 10 a.m. begins with a mixture of 2 and 3-year-olds, horses in training and even a potential stallion prospect in G1 Darley Dewhurst S. winner Parish Hall (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), offered as lot 84. From that lot onwards the focus switches to 'short yearlings' as the sale bids to recapture the ground it lost last year following a very successful 2015 edition. A larger catalogue should help ensure the aggregate surpasses last year's total of €4,361,750 while the increased numbers will test the clearance rate which suffered at a number of Irish sales in 2016.
Wednesday's session is again dedicated to yearlings and unfortunately a Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) filly from the Wildenstein Dispersal has been withdrawn. That still leaves one by the Haras de Bonneval stallion, a colt offered by The Castlebridge Consignment as lot 451. Castlebridge also offer a colt by the equally upwardly mobile Dark Angel (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). Lot 369 is out of the stakes placed Bee Eater (Ire) (Green Desert) who has also bred two winners from four runners. Kodiac (GB) (Danehill) continues to be the darling of both pinhookers and trainers alike and his daughter of the dual winner and stakes placed Shifting (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) (lot 263) should be popular.
Thursday at Goffs is breeding stock day when breeders will have an opportunity to buy into some famous, high achieving families as Ballymacoll Stud offer five mares as part of their initial dispersal. Top of the list is probably Edith Wharton (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), offered through Jockey Hall Stud as lot 498. Unraced, the 3-year-old is out of the champion racemare Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Godolphin continue the process of trimming their herd number and have 30 mares catalogued. A good number of these mares are offered with attractive coverings to the likes of Night Of Thunder (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Epaulette (Aus) (Commands {Aus}). A maiden mare offered by Godolphin that catches the eye is lot 519 Leyburn (GB) (Shamardal). The once raced 4-year-old is a half-sister to stakes winners Centennial (Ire) (Dalakhani {ire}) and Siren's Song (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) from the great family of Ali-Royal (Ire) and Taipan (Ire). A chance to buy a half-sister to a recent Classic winner presents itself when lot 530 enters the ring. Saphira Silver (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) is a half sister to Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and will surely attract interest despite showing rather less racing ability than her illustrious sibling.
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