Upswing in trade as Showcasing colt steals November Foal Sale limelight

As had been widely expected, Tuesday's instalment of the Goffs November Foal Sale brought with it a much livelier session of trade than had been experienced during day one.

By the close of proceedings 170 of 230 offered foals had found a buyer for a respectable clearance rate of 74 per cent.

While key market indicators showed year-on-year declines, they were not as marked as many had feared in the run up to the sale. The day two aggregate stood at €5,577,000 - down 14 per cent on the corresponding figure 12 months ago, the average was €32,805 - down seven per cent, while the median was €26,500 - down from €27,000

Five six-figure lots were sold during the day, and a protracted round of bidding ensued as the session-topping Showcasing colt marched his way around the ring. At the €140,000 mark auctioneer Hugh Bleahen scanned the auditorium and, with gavel raised, called: "This time, all done everywhere."

View full Goffs November Foal Sale results

But Grove Stud's Brendan Holland, seated against the back wall opposite the rostrum, had another hand to play, and after a further, brief back and forth the hammer came down in his favour at €160,000.

"He's a grand colt and the sire has his best crop to run next year," said the renowned pinhooker. "Everyone wants to buy a Showcasing and it's nice to have a horse by a sire that's still on the up. There aren't many like him - now I just have to hope he stays on the up."

Grenane House Stud purchased the dam, the High Chaparral mare Casila, through Margaret O'Toole for €200,000 at last year's Arqana December Sale, when the mare was carrying the colt in utero.

The youngster, whose dam is a half-sister to the dam of Johannes Vermeer and Elizabeth Browning, was conceived during Showcasing's seventh season on covering duty when he stood for £35,000. The high-flying son of Oasis Dream is due to stand the 2019 breeding season at Whitsbury Manor Stud for a career-high fee of £55,000.

Following a tough opening day, the state of trade was a hot topic on the sales ground, and Holland was among those to offer his appraisal.

"The market is fine, if a bit selective, but I don't think anyone thought it would be any different," he said.

"The unproven sires are struggling a small bit, they're having to make their own way at the moment and as there's a lot of them it's not as simple for first-season sires as it used to be. People are probably playing it a little bit safe."

McDowall reloads

Another pinhooker to part with a six-figure sum was Morna McDowall, who went to €115,000 for a well-related Zoffany colt bred by Sir Robert Ogden and sold through Churchtown House Stud.

"He's a very good colt by a proven sire who still has plenty of upside," said McDowall, referencing Zoffany's €45,000-conceived crop, who turn two next year. "I like the fact he's out of a Galileo mare too, that's a big plus. He's been bought to resell next year."

The colt is the second foal out of Tiger Lilly, a winning sister to the Group 1-placed Robin Hood. Another sibling, Kelly Nicole, bred the talented Aljamaaheer.

McDowall enjoyed a productive time at the latest round of yearling sales, most notably when she sold a No Nay Never colt to Charlie Gordon-Watson and MV Magnier for 200,000gns during Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale.

No Nay Never show rolls on

Having supplied the top lot on day one of the November Foal Sale, the progeny of No Nay Never continued to make an impact in the Goffs ring on Tuesday. Among those to secure a foal from No Nay Never's third crop was US agent Kim Valerio, who can boast of a much closer association with the Scat Daddy story than most.

"I bought Scat Daddy as a yearling so I specifically came here for a No Nay Never," she explained after signing the €90,000 docket for a Brittas House Stud-consigned youngster. "I handled Scat Daddy for most of his career, I used to pony with him a lot as he was high-tempered so he needed a lot of calming down."

Given her close ties to Scat Daddy, Valerio is well placed to comment on the success of his descendants, and she was glowing in her praise for No Nay Never and his debut two-year-olds.

"His first crop have been unbelievable - I'm not sure what I'll do with this colt yet but I'll take him back to the States and figure it out from there. He looks like he'll be able to handle the dirt so I'm not worried about that.

"There's definitely a similarity between his progeny and Scat Daddy's, especially in the length of stride and the way they cover the ground, so I'm excited to have one."

Camas Park Stud - who co-bred No Nay Never's leading performer, Ten Sovereigns - also got in on the act when the outfit secured a colt offered by Graigue Stables for €100,000.

The March-born colt brought a noteworthy update to the ring, as his Zoffany half-brother - Royal Court, who had also been pinhooked by Camas Park - finished a promising second at Dundalk on his second outing for Joseph O'Brien.

Awesome start for Awtaad

Derrinstown Stud's Awtaad has emerged as an early front-runner in the most talked about first-crop sire stakes, and a couple of notable buyers were willing to put their money firmly where there mouth is when the son of Cape Cross's stock entered the ring.

Eddie O'Leary of Lynn Lodge Stud and Margaret O'Toole combined at €95,000 to secure a colt offered by the Irish National Stud. The March-born youngster is the first foal out of Love Street, a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Bold Union who was bought by the stud for 70,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Sale.

"In fairness, the stallion is getting some very nice stock," said Eddie O'Leary. "And this colt was one of the standouts today."

Earlier in the day Jamie Railton went to €85,000 for a colt out of the Listed-winning Clodovil mare Kanes Pass, offered by Rathasker Stud.

"These are early days yet when it comes to these new sires, we'll get a truer reflection later in the week, but this colt is a stylish horse and he comes from a good farm so we're very positive about him," said Railton. "He'll be syndicate out now, and if anyone wants a leg they can!"

By the close of trade on day two ten Awtaad foals had been sold at the November Sale for an aggregate of €483,000 and an average of €48,300, a healthy return for foals bred at a fee of €15,000.

Part 1 of the November Foal Sale concludes on Wednesday.

View Racing Post Bloodstock's Breeding Stock Sale supplement