'I’d be hopeful the best is still to come' - Sioux Nation to the fore with brace of foals leading Goffs

Sioux Nation’s offspring have been high on the shortlist of every serious pinhooker at the Goffs November Foal Sale this week, and that trend continued on Thursday as the Coolmore sire’s name figured prominently throughout the concluding session. 

The top lot was knocked down to Ciaran 'Flash' Conroy after the Glenvale Stud man went to €70,000 for the colt out of Helen of Albany offered by Ballynure Park Stud. 

“He’s a lovely horse and I love the stallion, I think he’s very good,” said Conroy. “We sold some good yearlings by him so I’d be hopeful the best is still to come too. He’s done very well having started from the bottom. Let’s hope this horse will be lucky, because you have to have luck in this game.” 

Glenvale Stud’s name appeared on the docket of nine lots at this year’s November Foal Sale, with the haul generating receipts totalling €590,000. Reflecting on trade over the four days at Kildare Paddocks, Conroy said: “It’s been very competitive. It was always going to be strong though, especially after the yearling sales. I’ve bought six this week, but I’m not quite finished yet! We normally buy about 20 or 25 over the various sales.” 

The session-topping transaction produced a tidy return for connections after the dam was picked up with the colt in utero for just €8,500 12 months ago. Picking up the story, Ballynure Park’s Jerry Horan said: “Jamie Moriarty picked out the mare here last November. She was vendored [at €15,000] but he recommended we buy her so we bought her for €8,500. She went to Bernard Cloney to foal and Jane who works there looked after her. 

“I know everyone says it, but from day one this colt has just been an easy, straightforward, good-looking horse. He went to Alice Kavanagh for prep and she did a great job with him, then Tara, Sarah and Ciara, who are doing the sales for all the foals, did a top job here this week.” 

Ballynure Park sold seven foals throughout the four days for aggregate sales of €301,000. Leading the group was the Mehmas colt out of Talbah signed for by Fi Fi Bloodstock at €80,000 on day three. The colt was another in utero purchase, with Talbah having been picked up by Hamish Macauley for €31,000 at Arqana last December. 

Horan added: “I’ve been lucky buying mares, but I do buy a few of them so you’re always going to get some sort of touch when you buy numbers. They’ve been lucky for me though, and if one clicks then you can trade away with the others.

“Everything we’ve sold this week has made a good bit more than what I’d expected coming here. That just shows the depth to the market. The footfall has been unbelievable, and I couldn’t believe how many people were still looking at today’s foals yesterday. It was phenomenal. Everyone’s here, there’s a real who’s who, and it seemed like everyone selling got on well and had some sort of a touch.” 

Tara Stud's Sioux Nation colt from the family of Speightstown is knocked down to Aughamore Stud for €52,000 Credit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Sioux Nation was also responsible for the day’s second-top lot after Aughamore Stud gave €52,000 for the colt out of Devine Trinity, who in turn is out of a daughter of Speightstown, offered by Tara Stud. 

“I’m delighted with that result,” said Tara Stud’s Derek Iceton. “The dam is selling here tomorrow in foal to Gleneagles [as Lot 1,048] and hopefully she'll prove popular. The colt has gone to a good home in Aughamore Stud. They also bought the Waldgeist half-sister to Prix Saint-Alary winner Birthe from me earlier in the week [for €45,000]. Her dam Barakaat is also selling tomorrow, as Lot 1214.” 

Coolmore’s Sioux Nation is the sire of 31 stakes performers, a record headed by Australian Group 1 winner Socks Nation. His five Group 2 winners include the likes of the prolific Brave Emperor, Matilda Picotte and Ocean Jewel. The son of Scat Daddy has plenty of representation in the pipeline having covered 254 mares in 2022, 298 in 2023 and 246 earlier this year. His fee has been set at a career-high of €30,000 for 2025. 

Into Space

A couple of first-crop sires also came to the fore on Thursday, with colts by Space Blues and Space Traveller bringing €50,000 and €46,000 respectively. 

Baroda Stud sold the son of Space Blues who was signed for by Anna Max Bloodstock. The three-time Group/Grade 1-winning son of Dubawi had 19 lots sell during the November Foal Sale. 

The group sold for an aggregate of €664,000, an average of €34,950 and with a top price of €92,000 paid by Tally-Ho Stud for the three-parts brother to Thunder Beauty. Space Blue covered his debut book of mares at Kildangan Stud at a fee of €17,500. 

Drumachon Stud was responsible for the Space Traveller colt out of Night Secret who went the way of Ihor and Andray Prokhorchuk, long-serving members of staff at Tally-Ho Stud. 

A foal and handler head out of the sales ring at GoffsCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Drumachon’s James Waldron was another breeder to turn a handy profit on a broodmare purchase, having bought the colt in utero for just €5,000 at the Goffs February Sale. The dam won one of her four stars for Clipper Logistics and William Haggas, and is off the mark at paddocks thanks to the useful two-year-old Smoke Them Out. 

“I’m very, very happy,” said Waldron. “I bought the mare in February carrying this colt, she only cost €5,000 but threw a horse like this. The other big thing was Smoke Them Out, who’s trained by Tom McCourt, came out and won a good nursery in Cork then was second in the Birdcatcher, getting a rating of 86. 

“The pedigree is on the up, and that’s the most important thing in this industry. I knew that Tom McCourt had the Sands Of Mali [Smoke Them Out] and that there was a yearling by Soldier’s Call, so I knew I had half a chance.” 

Waldron confirmed himself a big fan of Space Traveller, who had 16 lots sell at the November Foal Sale for an aggregate of €299,000 and an average of €18,690. He said: “I’ve two foals by Space Traveller and I’ve two mares back in foal to him. This horse has been a cracker from day one, a smashing individual, he’s just got on with his work and continued to thrive day in, day out. If I could get an individual like this every year, I wouldn’t say no!”

Space Traveller’s debut crop was conceived at a fee of €6,500. 

Generation game 

After four days of vibrant trade, the November Foal Sale concludes with striking year-on-year gains across the key market indices. Turnover increased by 26 per cent compared to 2023 at €32,640,000. 

The average price rose by 34 per cent to €48,715, while the median climbed 21 per cent to €29,000. These gains were made despite a smaller offering meaning 44 fewer foals changed hands than compared to 12 months ago. The clearance rate was 76 per cent as 670 sold from 878 offered. 

In this end-of-sale statement, Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby hailed not only the established names who helped drive trade but the diversity provided by the younger generations too. 

The Goffs November Foal Sale concluded on ThursdayCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

“The cream of the Irish foal crop is our proud boast and I think we can say without fear of contradiction that our buyers agreed as we have witnessed a sale of true strength and depth that was, at times, simply extraordinary.

“The early signs were good with packed car parks and yards from first thing Saturday, which led to a sale on Monday that kicked us off in some style with a trade of real vibrancy from start to finish. That vibe continued on Tuesday as we stepped up a gear, although nothing could have prepared us for Wednesday’s truly electric and historic sale. 

“A seven-figure foal is always a big deal, and we are indebted to both vendor and purchaser, as well as the notable underbidder, for their faith in a stunning young colt. He was by no means the only showstopper though as foal after foal attracted proper bidding duels as all the leading pinhookers battled with several significant end-users for stunning colt after superb filly as the day progressed. 

“Indeed, the growth recorded in every statistic was simply mind blowing by Wednesday evening and firmly cemented Goffs November as the first choice for the best Irish foals once again as so many vendors were more than happy to acclaim the sale as the best there is for the category.” 

Baroda Stud's Sea The Stars brother to Teona and Goffs November Foal sale-topperCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

Beeby continued: “There are so many factors that contributed to the week’s success, not least the huge numbers of young pinhookers looking to invest, which is a unique aspect of Goffs November as we enjoy the patronage of so many generations. That means that all levels of the market made progress, and it is certainly worthy of comment that the number of six-figure lots increased from 42 last year to 75 this time with three times more surpassing the quarter of a million mark.

“Another key point is the diversity of buyers so clearly illustrated by 18 different buyers signing for the top 20 lots and 54 individual entities investing in six-figure foals. That points to a quality and depth to the market that augurs well for the Irish thoroughbred industry.” 

Beeby also acknowledged the challenges towards the bottom of the ladder, which were borne out during Thursday’s session. Aggregate sales on day four fell 23 per cent year-on-year to €2,001,500, the average dropped by four per cent to €14,935 and the median was down by eight per cent at €11,000. The clearance rate was just 60 per cent as 134 changed hands from 223 offered. 

Beeby added: “All that said today was harder work and made the point that demand is not endless, albeit any foal that caught the eye of the pinhooking fraternity was as hard to buy as during any other session.

“As ever we extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to every vendor for their support as we are nothing without their wonderful foals and wish each purchaser the best of luck whether they bought to resell or race. If the former we stand ready and waiting to work for the buyers as they switch to vendor mode next autumn. Goffs Orby and Premier provide consistency and strength at all levels of the market and no team will work harder for you.”

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