Henry Beeby

Liss House had cause to celebrate again at the conclusion of the second and final session of the Goffs Arkle Sale Part 1 on Wednesday, having sold a gelding by Tunis (Pol) to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for €210,000. That followed the consignor's other significant result during Tuesday's opening session when Ian Ferguson purchased their gelding by No Risk At All (Fr) for €160,000. Already named Leader Des Bordes (Fr) (lot 317), the Tunis gelding is a half-brother to the top-class French chasers Utopie Des Bordes (Fr) (Antarctique {Ire})...

Goffs will celebrate 10 years of the London Sale as the boutique auction is set to raise the curtain on Royal Ascot week once more, on Monday 17 June at Kensington Palace Gardens.   Luxury fintech company Privat 3 Money returns as title partner for the third consecutive year, whilst supporting brand partners include Ascot Racecourse, Château Léoube, Ampito Group, The International Yacht Company (IYC), Racing Post Bloodstock, and Hofmeister.  Privat 3 Money first partnered with Goffs in 2022, when Derby runner up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) sold...

Donnchadh Doyle is the latest recipient of the Willie Stephenson Memorial Trophy, which commemorates the co-founder and first chairman of Doncaster Bloodstock Sales (DBS), now known as Goffs UK, the sales company announced on Friday. The award is presented annually by the Goffs UK board to the person they feel has made the biggest contribution to the success of the company during the year. Doyle is a point-to-point handler based in Wexford, and is a regular vendor at Goffs point-to-point sales. Several lots from his consignment have topped Goffs UK...

The Gowran Park Breeze-Up Sale is set to make its return in 2025 with powerhouse consignors Willie Browne, Con Marnane and Roger O'Callaghan pledging to support what was formerly known as the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale.  The Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale was relocated to Fairyhouse and run by Tattersalls Ireland back in 2019. However, this year marks the first time that Tattersalls Ireland will run the sale away from the banner of Goresbridge.  After a four-year hiatus, Goresbridge Horse Sales returned to the point-to-point and horses-in-training market last month under the leadership...

The Ballyboy Stables-consigned Swing Davis (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) (lot 5) took top billing at Thursday's Goffs Punchestown Sale when selling to Mags O'Toole on behalf of Robcour for €320,000. The four-year-old was successful on the second of her two starts in points-to-points, having failed to complete on her first attempt, running out a commanding winner at Loughanmore last week. From the family of the top-class chaser Klairon Davis (Fr) (Rose Laurel {Ire}), Swing Davis is set to go into training with Gordon Elliott. That proved to be...

Henry Beeby has opened the door to Goffs embracing the publication of official times and other data at its newly slated breeze-up sale at Naas racecourse next year but admitted that such a move was unlikely to be met with universal approval from the breeze-up fraternity.  No consignor would be more staunchly against the re-introduction of official times at the breeze-up sales in Europe than Brendan Holland. The Grove Stud operator says official times would create an increased reliance on the clock and would ultimately drive down clearance rates at...

The initial races nominated as part of the Goffs €50,000 Bonus Series for horses purchased at last year's Goffs Orby Book 1 and 2 Sales have been released along with the publication of the Flat programme for 2024.  The bonus series carries a maximum prize fund of €500,000 and will see up to 10 bonuses of €50,000 paid to the winning connections of a diverse programme of juvenile races throughout Ireland this year. The Goffs €50,000 Bonuses, part of the Goffs Two Million Series, is open to two-year-olds who were...

Well-bred jumps mares dominated trade on the final day of the December National Hunt Sale at Goffs with Grade 3-winning chaser Zarkareva (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}) leading the way at €240,000. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned Scarlet And Dove (Ire) (Jeremy), successful at Grade 2 level and placed at the Cheltenham festival, confirmed that the demand for high-class mares remains as strong as ever in the National Hunt.  However, similarly to the Flat breeding stock sales in Britain and Ireland throughout recent months, the middle to lower end of the market proved...

Goffs has paid tribute to its former managing director Jonathan Irwin, one of the most influential people in the history of the sales house, who died aged 82 on Sunday. Irwin joined Goffs in 1975 and oversaw the construction of the world's first purpose-built bloodstock sales complex in Kill, County Kildare. He was also appointed CEO of the Dublin International Sports Council (DISC) in 1993 and established the Jack and Jill Foundation along with his wife Mary Ann after the birth of their son Jack. Since 1997, the foundation has...

There was a rather aptly-named top lot to the final session of the November Breeding Stock Sale as Over The Moon (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) led the way on Saturday with Goffs chief Henry Beeby summing up the trade at Kildare Paddocks this week as "historic". Over The Moon (lot 1373) was sold in foal to Space Blues (Ire) to Ted Naughton for €80,000 from Knocktoran Stud in a week where the Niarchos draft, headlined by record-equalling half-sisters Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman...

Pa Doyle of Galbertstown Stables labelled the pinhookers who were out in force at the Goffs November Foal Sale "as brave as lions" with the popular consignor capping off a memorable week by topping the Thursday session with a €90,000 Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) colt.  The Thursday sale-topper was bred by Tony Cosgrave, who Doyle described as one of the best show people in the business, and it played a part in Galbertstown ending the week as one of the top consignors with 17 horses selling for €632,000. The Phoenix...

Bobby O'Ryan and Dermot Weld purchased the top two lots during the second session at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale on Thursday. A filly (lot 727) from the family of Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}) by Havana Grey (GB) topped the session and the two-day sale at €65,000 from the consignment of Erenagh House Stud. Earlier in the day, lot 538, a son of Blue Point (Ire), brought €50,000 from the same duo from the draft of Rochestown Lodge Stud. Across the two days, the clearance rate dropped...