Strong trade for mares but figures can't match Wildenstein dispersal

Two well-related mares lit up the bid board at Goffs in the last of two sessions of the November Breeding Stock sale on Friday, with both breaking through the six-figure ceiling.

However, despite posting double the number of six-figure sales than on this day last year, as well as a higher price for the top lot, the figures for the second day declined.

Total sales of €1,635,200 were down by around €500,000 on this day last year, with the clearance rate dropping from 82 percent in 2016 to 69 per cent 12 months on.

However, both those figures may have been boosted in 2016 by the activity of Luke Comer, who purchased 74 fillies and mares on the equivalent day last year.

The average of €11,124 dropped by six per cent from last year’s figure, while the median saw the steepest decline, down 27 per cent to €5,500.

Goffs CEO Henry Beeby remarked: “Today’s sale may not have hit the heights of the first session but there remained a strong trade from an international group of buyers.”

Taken as a whole, the two days recorded a fall-off from last year’s overall trading figures despite a number of high-profile sales on Thursday including that of Inca Princess, dam of Group 1 winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up Johannes Vermeer, for €1.9 million.

However, the 2016 Foal and Breeding Stock Sales both featured the Wildenstein Dispersal, which distorted the returns for both sales.

“While the bare statistics show a sale that is down we are quite content as, of course, last year included the once in a generation Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal which saw 28 beautifully bred fillies and mares adding more than €7.8 million to the totals," said Beeby.

"Take those away from last year and the statistics make for very happy reading with turnover average and median all advancing while we have made significant gains versus the dispersal free 2015 sale."

In comparison with 2015, turnover increased significantly to €14,924,450 - an enormous leap from the €9,826,400 recorded two years ago. The average also gained by a large percentage, up from €31,294 in 2015 to €43,259.

The most expensive mare on Friday was Beyond Intensity, an Intense Focus half-sister to Group winners Beyond Thankful and Turret Rocks, who has also finished placed in the Prix Marcel Boussac and Pretty Polly Stakes for Jim Bolger.

Offered by Jim Bolger's Redmondstown Stud in foal to Dawn Approach, the six-year-old boasts some very famous relations. Her second dam, the Nashwan mare Gold Bust, is a half-sister to Coronation Stakes and Prix Marcel Boussac winner Gold Splash and to Born Gold, the dam of outstanding champion Goldikova and Prix Vermeille winner Galikova.

The chestnut Beyond Intensity has two foals on the ground, a yearling colt by Vocalised and a Fastnet Rock filly foal, and was purchased by Eamon Reilly of BBA Ireland for €150,000.

“She's for an existing client who has a stud farm in County Meath and has a nice pedigree," said the agent. "Turret Rocks is to stay in training next year and the dam has a Fastnet Rock filly foal and is back in foal to him, so there is plenty happening in the family."

Moyglare Stud marvels

Moyglare Stud offered a quartet of fillies on Friday and they were destined to be popular with breeders, given the strength and depth of their pages.

Most expensive of the four was the first through the ring – Heartful, a winning daughter of Shamardal out of Mad About You, who won the Group 3 Garnet Stakes and was placed in four Group 1 contests including the Prix Marcel Boussac and Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Heartful will make the journey to Japan after her purchase for €100,000 by Kawakami Racing but plans for what stallion she will visit when she gets there are still fluid.

Mad About You is a daughter of Ribblesdale winner Irresistible Jewel, making her a half-sister to Irish St Leger winner Royal Diamond and Princess Highway, who emulated her dam by winning the Ribblesdale for Moyglare and Dermot Weld.

Heartful proved the pick of the Moyglare Stud draftCredit: Peter Mooney

Mad About You has a yearling colt and foal both by Dubawi and was covered by Kodiac this year.

Another star from the Moyglare draft was Lost In Silence, who has the distinction of defeating this year’s Derby winner Wings Of Eagles when breaking her maiden at Galway last year.

A daughter of Holy Roman Emperor, like Thursday’s €1.9m purchase Inca Princess, Lost In Silence has an American pedigree with champion racemare Alywow as her second dam and is a half-sister to Speaking Of Which, who won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes when trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld and the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes for Christophe Clement in America.

That relation was one of the main attractions for Cathal Beale of the Irish National Stud, who purchased the filly for €65,000.

“Moyglare is a top-class operation and this filly has such a deep pedigree. You know that Moylgare are going to continue with great matings for their mares and this is a very deep family,” commented Beale, who is in his first sales season as CEO of the farm.

“One of the biggest things for us was her half-brother Speaking Of Which, who is by Invincible Spirit, and we would have it in mind to cover her with him. She is out of a Mr Prospector mare too, and I really like him so that was a big draw too and she is an excellent purchase for us.”

Shadwell shining

The Shadwell pedigrees on offer from Derrinstown Stud were also in demand on day two of the sale and Cathy Grassick had to go to €85,000 to secure a lovely daughter of Teofilo who boasts a very strong pedigree.

Ugneya is an unraced half-sister to Convergence, whose victories for trainer Ger Lyons prior to his 420,000gns sale included the Group 3 Ballycorus Stakes. She is out of a Listed-placed half-sister to Mujarah, the dam of multiple Group 1 winning miler Ribchester and the third dam is Irish 1000 Guineas winner Mehthaaf.

“She's for an existing client, Gerard Kerin of Abbey House Farm who bred Besharah [winner of the Lowther Stakes and placed in the Cheveley Park Stakes and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches]," said Grassick.

"He was looking for a mare to add to his broodmare band and this filly has so much going for her. Teofilo is developing into a good broodmare sire and she comes from a great family with so much happening in it and colts by Dubawi and Oasis Dream to run for her, so I’m really happy to be able to get her."

Wild for Rewilding sibling

Bitooh, a half-sister to recent Melbourne Cup hero Rewilding, was sold to BBA Ireland for €32,000 from Jockey Hall Stud. In foal to Middle Park Stakes winner The Last Lion who stood his first season at Darley in Kildangan.

The 12-year-old daughter of Diktat won at three in France and is the dam of four winners, three of whom are by Sea The Stars, while she is also a half-sister to Golden Sword, runner-up in the Irish Derby for Aidan O’Brien.

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