Glamorous Approach Bags The Highest Price

Goffs February Sale got off to a strong start with a rise of 52% in both turnover and average and a top price of €130,000 that almost doubled that of last year’s opening day. Demand for weanlings was topped by a beautiful daughter of Kodiac out of the highly rated Sindjara from Jockey Hall Stud (Lot 145) that sold to Timmy Hyde for €130,000. A Bated Breath colt from Ridge Manor Stud (Lot 164) took the next top spot when going to Goodwill Bloodstock for €70,000. A well-related colt by Fastnet Rock was also amongst the highlights, selling as part of the draft from The Castlebridge Consignment (Lot 87) to Grangemore Stud to €62,000.  Another to make the same price was a Kodiac filly out of an own sister to the Group 1 winner Favourable Terms.  Consigned by Tullamaine Castle Stud (Lot 102), she was bought by MAB Agency.  Just five lots beforehand Jamie Railton went to €55,000 to secure a colt by Australian sire Hallowed Crown, consigned by Ballybin Stud (Lot 97).

Trade for weanlings on the second day of Goffs February Sale continued in a similarly strong fashion to yesterday’s first session, returning a 32% rise in average price and 45% increase in median over last year’s corresponding day. The only Dark Angel in the sale took top billing as Lot 397 (pictured) from The Premier Consignment, a colt by the Yeomanstown Stud star out of Listed winner Mary Boleyn, was knocked down to C and S Bloodstock for €140,000. He was one of three six figure weanlings today, the other two being Collegelands’ Make Believe half-brother to the Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed Hamza (Lot 372), and a son of Bated Breath consigned by Norelands Stud (Lot 409).  They were both purchased by Jamie Railton for €115,000 and €105,000 respectively.

Glamorous Approach, a dual Listed winning daughter of New Approach from Jim Bolger’s Glebe House Stables (Lot 578 - pictured), provided the highlight of the third and final day of Goffs February Sale when the five year old, who was also placed twice at Group 3 level last year, was purchased by Ballylinch Stud for €280,000. Two lots later another filly by New Approach (Lot 580) was in great demand as the winning four year old Harrana was sold to Tally Ho Stud for €150,000.  Consigned by the Aga Khan Studs, Harrana is out of Listed winner Hazafara who is a half-sister to the Derby winning Champion Harzand. 

After 3 days of astonishing sale the final number do show a 7% decrease in turnover than last year. This year Goffs sold 333 horses out of the 508 on offer, to accumulate 4,800,000 Euros, with an average of 14,414 Euros.

By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com