High Stakes on Top at Goffs UK September HIT Sale

The Goffs UK September HIT Sale featured National Hunt horses-in-training, and High Stakes (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}) (lot 61) was knocked down to Tessa Greatrex on behalf of Highflyer Bloodstock to top the sale at £85,000. Offered by John Walsh, the Champion Irish Point-to-Pointer has won four of his five point-to-point starts.

Also a main draw for the sale was the Gigginstown House Stud dispersal, which featured 39 lots, and all of them found new homes for an aggregate of just over £500,000. The dispersal's top price was also the second highest of the day at £42,000 for lot 59, the bumper and chase winner Forged In Fire (Ire) (Presenting {GB}),who went to Gordon Elliott Racing.

Overall, the sale featured a clearance rate of 85% for 129 sold from 152 offered for an aggregate of £1,522,800. The average was just off 2020's at £11,805 (-4%), but the median posted a double-digit increase to £8,000 (+33%).

Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent commented, “The annual dispersal from Gigginstown House Stud will always draw a crowd to the Goffs UK Sales Complex and this has been the case throughout the day with buyers at all levels bidding for a range of horses from a wide variety of vendors. These high-profile drafts have proven to be happy hunting grounds for those looking to buy future winners and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Michael and Eddie O'Leary for once again entrusting their draft to Goffs UK and this sale.

“It's a busy time for the Goffs UK team as we have back-to-back sales this week with the third annual Yorton Sale to be held tomorrow from 1 p.m. at Yorton Farm in Wales. We look forward to seeing many of today's buyers at Yorton tomorrow and we extend our thanks to all those that were involved with today's sale and wish everyone the best of luck with their purchases.”