Alhaarth Colt Tops Opening Goffs Session

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

Sheikh Hamdan, attending in person, led the way on day one of Goffs' Orby Million sale in Ireland on Monday when paying 550,000 euros for a yearling colt by his stallion Alhaarth. Seamus Burns' Co Kilkenny-based Lodge Park Stud consigned the colt.

Stephen Collins, manager of Sheikh Hamdan's Derrinstown Stud, signed for the colt, the first foal of Green Desert mare Alluring Park, a daughter of group I Irish Champion Stakes heroine Park Express. English trainer Charles Egerton, who has purchased a number of high-priced yearlings for Derek and Evelyn Hankinson in recent years, was the immediate underbidder.

The introduction of the Goffs Million race next year for graduates of this sale persuaded the vendor to sell the colt in Ireland rather than at Tattersalls in England.

Sheikh Hamdan's team also delivered a pinhooking success for Paddy Kiely's Ballybin Stud when paying 320,000 euros for a King's Best filly, which had cost just 70,000 euros in the same ring in November.

A Danehill colt out of Brigitta, a sibling to Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Lit de Justice, realized 525,000 euros when purchased by agent John Warren. The colt was consigned from Rick Barnes' Co. Wicklow-based Grangecon Stud.

Newmarket trainer Michael Jarvis went to 410,000 euros for a colt from the first-crop of seven-time group I winner Rock of Gibraltar, consigned by Marlhill House Stud at New Inn in Co Tipperary, which sold this month's grade I Garden City Breeders' Cup winner Luas Line at Goffs two years ago.

Coolmore boss John Magnier paid 400,000 euros for another Rock of Gibraltar offering, a filly out of top sprinter Cassandra Go consigned from James Hanly's Ballyhimikin Stud.

Few fillies offered a better - or more current - pedigree than a Galileo three-parts sister to this season's group I St Leger and Grand Prix de Paris hero Scorpion. Herve Barjot, racing manager to owner Sean Mulryan and Pegasus Farms, collected the filly, offered by breeder John Colleran's Grangemore Stud, for 330,000 euros.

Reports that Darley would not generally be purchasing the progeny of Coolmore stallions were seemingly confirmed by the spending pattern of Sheikh Mohammed's team. Darley's purchases included a 310,000 euros Marju colt consigned by Joe Higgins' Gerrardstown House Stud.

The first day figures for Monday, September 26 were 206 catalogued, 16 withdrawn, 190 offered, 171 sold for 16,622,000 euros at an average of 97,205 euros.

There was a select session on the first day of the Goffs Orby Sale last year which generated an average of 65,082 euros.

Matt Mitchell, Goffs managing director, commented when the day's action concluded: "The sale is shaping very well, with the average 50% up. I hope and believe the trend will continue over the next two days."

• Email
• Print
• Tweet