Acclamation's legacy assured as stalwart sire's line proves popular at Goffs Orby Book 2

The Acclamation sire line was to the fore at the upper echelons of trade at Goffs on Thursday where the first of two days of Orby Book 2 returned a clearance rate of just 70 per cent.

On the opening day of the 2023 sale two horses sold for six figures but on Thursday not a solitary yearling got within sight of that mark with the top price this time around coming in at €80,000, although 18 horses went for €50,000 or more which was up from 14 this day last year.

However the median fell by almost a quarter year-on-year with Thursday's figure of €15,500 a decline of 23 per cent on the €20,000 returned last year. The decline in the average was not as a sharp as that evidenced in the median with the final tally of €21,697 representing a drop of 9.6 points on last year.

Overall receipts were down by 15 per cent to €3,753,500 from €4,366,500 in 2023.

It was a difficult day for many vendors, although buyers reported stiff competition for the handful of lots that caught the attention of those with orders to fill.

Rathbarry Stud's stalwart sire provided one of the two most expensive lots on a sticky day with Johnny Murtagh buying Scarlett Mullion's colt from Boherguy Stud for €80,000 while his grandson Supremacy supplied the other yearling to reach that level, with Legion Bloodstock purchasing Yeomanstown Stud's homebred filly on behalf of US owner Graham Grace Stables.

Acclamation's name appeared up close in the pedigrees of six of the day's seven most expensive yearlings.

Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Supremacy is from the first crop of Mehmas and retired to Yeomanstown Stud at a fee €12,500 for the 2022 season. The Richmond Stakes winner whose race profile is quite similar to that of his sire had seven of his ten lots offered on Thursday sell for an average of €31,000.

His most expensive, the filly bought to race in America, possesses a pedigree with very obvious appeal to her buyers.

Travis Durr and the Legion team sign for the Supremacy filly at Goffs Credit: Sophie Webber Photography

She is the third foal out of Dreamadreamforme who won at four for Sierra Farm and was purchased by Yeomanstown at five for $95,000. She is a More Than Ready half-sister to Daddy Long Legs by Scat Daddy, who won the Royal Lodge and UAE Derby for Ballydoyle and Coolmore, and trainer Travis Durr, who will handle her career for Graham Grace, could see plenty of her broodmare sire about the bay.

"I'm not very familiar with Supremacy but there is a lot of More Than Ready in this filly which I really like. She will go to my training centre in South Carolina to be started," remarked Durr.

In addition to Daddy Long Legs, Dreamadreamforme is a half-sister to the Listed Esplanade Stakes winner Tres Dream by Chester House and they are out of Dream Maiden, who was successful at stakes level in the Raven Run Handicap and Likely Exchange Stakes. 

The family includes Bruce's Mill, who was Canadian champion three-year-old colt 30 years ago.

Legion also purchased a Mohaather colt from Baroda Stud for €38,000 and a son of Advertise, offered by Kildaragh Stud, for €26,000.

The best-priced colt from the first crop of Supremacy made €62,000 to agent Kevin Ross on behalf of Gavin Cromwell.

Consigned by Deerpark Stud, the March-born bay is the first foal out of Fictitious Lady, who won as a four-year-old for owner-breeder Deerpark and Willie McCreery.

Fictitious Lady is a Make Believe half-sister to Shaden, who won the Group 3 Firth Of Clyde Stakes for Robert Cowell, and second dam Lady Avenger was also a good two-year-old with the highlight of the Namid filly's racing career second place in the Listed National Stakes.

Anna Ross and Gavin Cromwell in fine form as Kevin Ross signs the docket for Deerpark Stud's Supremacy colt Credit: Sophie Webber Photography

Dark Angel wasn't going to allow his young stud mate to hog all the limelight and as the sale drew to a close Michelle Connolly and John Hall went to €70,000 for Abbeville Stud's colt out of the Listed Prix La Camargo third Ghazawaat by Siyouni.

Connolly has a farm in County Offaly, which is the immediate destination for the grey colt, with a trip Alice Haynes' Newmarket stable in his future as his new owners have enjoyed a charmed start to their ownership voyage with horses trained by Haynes.

On Monday, Connolly's Ardad colt Solvency made a winning debut at Hamilton while Hall is the owner of this season's Listed Premio Mario E Vittorio Crespi winner Naana's Diamond, from the second crop of Invincible Army. She too is trained by Haynes.

“He’s just a lovely sort, with good bone to him and nice conformation. He moves well and we liked his attitude," Connolly said of the pair's purchase. "We’ll take him home to my farm in Offaly and get him broken, and then we’ll race him, probably with Alice. Hopefully he’ll be one for the Goffs Bonuses and maybe even the Million race.

“I haven’t come back down to earth since Solvency won his maiden, and Naana’s Diamond is doing well for John. I’ve always had horses, and we both enjoy racing, so we thought we’d get into it for a while, and see how we go. It’s going okay so far!”

A Mehmas half-brother to Gladness Stakes winner Markaz Paname offered by Rockton Stud was an early mover when bought by Tally-Ho for €65,000Credit: Sophie Webber Photography

Dark Angel is also the broodmare sire of the Kodi Bear colt who was the subject of a bidding battle between Micheal Orlandi and Michael Dods, which was won by the trainer at €70,000.

Supremacy's sire Mehmas was responsible for a colt who made €65,000 to Tally Ho Stud from Rockton Stud, one of the early highlights of the session and Acclamation's line has flourished with breeder Donal Boylan's Vale Of York mare Vale Of Paris.

The triple winner is the dam of Group 3 Gladness Stakes winner Markaz Paname who is by Markaz, a Dark Angel full-brother to Mecca's Angel, while her two-year-old Latin Fever, who impressed when winning on debut at Leopardstown, is a daughter of Equiano.

Vale Of Paris is out of Paris Glory, an unraced half-sister to the Prix Morny winner and sire Elusive City. Mehmas stood for €50,000 in 2022.

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