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Iffraaj Sets European Sire Record

Irish stallion Iffraaj set a European freshman sire record of 36 2-year-old winners when his son Dixlesio won Nov. 21 at Madrid in Spain.

Goffs Breeding Stock Sale Suffers Setbacks

The Goffs November breeding stock sale ended its two-day run Nov. 20 in Ireland with decreases in gross, average price, and median price from the previous year.

Blas Ceoil Leads the Way at Goffs

Blas Ceoil, who is in foal to 2009 Horse of the Year Sea The Stars, topped the opening session of the Goffs November breeding stock sale, bringing 300,000 euros ($407,946 in U.S. funds) Nov. 19 in Ireland.

Average, Median Rise at Goffs From Last Year

The Goffs November foal sale ended its three-day run in Ireland Nov. 18 with a gross of €10,134,900 ($13,687,600 in U.S. funds) for the 399 horses that were sold.

Ferguson Strikes Again as Orby Sale Ends

He purchases a Dubawi colt that tops Part 2 of the auction in Ireland.

Galileo, Teofilo Offspring Top Goffs Opener

The filly and colt each bring 300,000 euros ($404,034 in U.S. funds) during the Ireland-based yearling auction.

Business Improves at Tattersalls Ireland Sale

The Tattersalls Ireland September yearling sale posted increases of 6.8% in the number of horses sold and 10.6% in gross revenue from a year ago during its two-day run, which ended Sept. 22.

Moyglare's Haefner Could Add to Legacy

On the eve of his 100th birthday on Sept. 13, Moyglare Stud's Walter Haefner will have two horses running at The Curragh with chances to add to his long list of group I winners.

BC Has Deal for British, Irish Wagering

At The Races and SIS won the exclusive right to license betting operations in Great Britain and Ireland for pari-mutuel wagering on the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Keeping Our Place in the World

Keeneland has successfully developed the September sale into the largest international marketplace for Thoroughbred yearlings. But will the sale continue offering the kinds of horses European buyers want?

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Tattersalls Restructures Breeze Up Calendar

The England-based company will expand Craven sale and replace the Guineas auction with a new sale in Ireland.

Ivan Denisovich Sires First Winner

Ivan Denisovich, an English group II winner and a grade I stakes performer in the United States, was represented by his initial winner when his son Premier Clarets won May 20 at Haydock in England.

Irish Horseman Liam Cashman Dies

Liam Cashman, owner of Rathbarry Stud in Ireland and breeder of leading filly Finsceal Beo, has died.

Holy Roman Emperor Sires First Winner

First-crop stallion Holy Roman Emperor, a French champion and Irish group I winner, sired his first winner when his son High Award won the first race for 2-year-olds in England and Ireland this year.

Goffs Sale Posts Across-the-Board Increases

Gross rises 14% while average price increases 11.1% in Ireland.

Daylami to Coolagown in Ireland

Daylami, a Cartier Horse of the Year and winner of the 1999 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), has been relocated to stand at Coolagown Stud in Co. Cork, Ireland.

Group Stakes in Ireland to See Purse Cuts

Horse Racing Ireland has announced a series of budget cuts, including a reduction in purses for 2010 of 10.2%, from 53.1 million euros to 47.7 million euros.

Goffs November Sale Average Falls 27.6%

Fourpenny Lane, a 4-year-old stakes-winning daughter of Efisio, brought the top price of 100,000 euros ($148,700 in U.S. funds) as the Goffs November breeding stock sale ended its two-day run in Ireland Nov. 22. She was the most expensive horse sold during the entire auction.

Bon Nuit Leads Way at Goffs Sale in Ireland

Bon Nuit, a stakes-winning daughter of Night Shift, topped the opening session of the Goffs November breeding stock sale, bringing 230,000 euros ($342,339 in U.S. funds) Nov. 21 in Ireland. Clive Gardner purchased the 7-year-old bay mare from Ballincurrig House Stud.

Average Increases at Goffs Foal Sale

The Goffs November foal sale, which ended its four-day run in Ireland, posted increases of 5% in gross revenue, 11.1% in average price, and 30% in median price.

Median Rises 12.5% at Goffs Auction

There was lively trade at the Goffs horses in training sale, with the median price increasing 12.5% from last year Nov. 16 in Ireland. The clearance rate was 74.5%.

Art Connoisseur to Irish National Stud

Group I-winning sprinter Art Connoisseur has been retired from racing to stand at the Irish National Stud.

Saratoga Sale Topper Wins in Debut in Ireland

Fighting Brave, who brought the sale-topping price of $2 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction, made his career debut a winning one at Dundalk in Ireland Oct. 4.

Goffs Orby Sale Ends on Positive Note

Goffs Orby Sale for vendors and purchasers alike drew to a close this evening with a strong third day's trade that saw an increase in average price of 27% over the corresponding day last year.

Median Price Increases at Goffs Orby Sale

Part one of the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Ireland ended Sept. 30 in Ireland with an 11.1% increase in median price from 2008 and a 6.7% loss in average price. This year, there were two sessions in part one of the auction -- down from three last year -- and the sale's gross dropped 31.5%, in part because fewer horses were offered and sold.

Giant's Causeway Filly Tops Goffs Opener

A Giant's Causeway filly, the second foal out of 2005 Boylesports Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) winner Saoire, was the star of Goffs Orby yearling sale's opening session in Ireland Sept. 29. She commanded the highest price of 475,000 euros ($695,124 in U.S funds) from bloodstock agent Hugo Merry, who was acting on behalf of Dr. Jim Hay.

Chace, Finley Buying at Goffs Orby Sale

New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace was a new buyer at the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Ireland on the opening day of the auction Sept. 29. Acting on behalf of longtime client West Point Thoroughbreds, he purchased a Holy Roman Emperor colt for 140,000 euros ($204,879 in U.S. funds)from Camas Park Stud and an Ad Valorem colt for 50,000 euros ($73,171)from Ashtown House Stud.

Leroidesanimaux's First Winner

Champion Leroidesanimaux was represented by his first winner when his son Marfach won July 6 at seven furlongs at Roscommon in Ireland.

Rock Hard Ten's Debut Winner Takes Ire Stakes

Rock Hard Ten, the multiple grade I-winning son of Kris S., got his inital winner and first stakes winner June 26 when Long Lashes won the Ballygallon Stud Stakes for juvenile fillies at the Curragh in Ireland.

Bonus Scheme Will Reward Yearling Buyers

Sellers of yearlings in Britain and Ireland are working to put together a bonus fund worth £2-million (approximately $3,269,400 in U.S. funds) for the connections of nominated horses that win maiden races next year for 2-year-olds. Each bonus will be worth £10,000 ($16,347), and it is hoped that up to 200 races will be supported. Some of the bonus money also will be made available to 3-year-olds.

Barathea, BC Mile Winner, Euthanized

Barathea, the 1994 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner, was euthanized May 14 at Liam Cashman's Rathbarry Stud in Fermoy, Ireland, because of complications from laminitis.

Tattersalls Ireland Moves Breeders Sale

Tattersalls Ireland has moved the breeders flat sale from its traditional date in December to November this year. The auction, which had taken place the second week of December in previous years, will be held Nov. 14 and 15. It was felt that both vendors and purchasers would benefit from moving the sale, according to Tattersalls Ireland.

O'Brien Readies Stable for Classics

Turf Flat racing resumed in Ireland at the Curragh on Sunday, March 22, but probably more significant was Aidan O'Brien's decision to work 48 horses on the course after racing.

First Foals for Authorized, Teofilo

The first foals by European champions Authorized and Teofilo have arrived.

Rayina Shines as Goffs Sale Ends

Rayina, a 3-year-old winning Irish-bred daughter of Sinndar, brought the most expensive price of 100,000 guineas during the second and final session of the Goffs November breeding stock sale in Ireland. Spratstown Stud purchased her from the Aga Khan Studs Nov. 23.

Four Sins Leads Way at Goffs

Four Sins, winner of the Irish National Stud Blandford (Ire-II) and Blue Wind (Ire-III) Stakes in 2007, brought 620,000 euros to top the opening session of the Goffs November breeding stock sale in Ireland. John McCormack Bloodstock purchased the 4-year-old German-bred Sinndar--Four Roses filly Nov. 22 from the Aga Khan Studs. She is in foal to Dansili.

George Washington Filly Tops Goffs Sale

George Washington's only foal ended the Goffs November foal sale with a bang, selling for 280,000 euros during the fifth and final session Nov. 21 in Ireland. The price was the highest of the auction.

Invincible Spirit Colt a Goffs Star

A son of Invincible Spirit topped the fourth session of the Goffs November foal sale in Ireland, bringing 72,000 euros from Summerhill Bloodstock Nov. 20. Consigned by the Irish National Stud, the colt is out of Indienne (by Indian Ridge), who is a full sister to Irish group III winner St Clair Ridge. While racing in America, St Clair Ridge captured the 1999 Marie P. DeBartolo Oaks at Louisiana Downs and the 2000 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Irish Racing Funding Cut Due to Economy

Horse Racing Ireland announced Nov. 20 a series of budgetary measures for 2009, including a reduction in prize money, a freezing of grant aid to organizations supported by HRI, a pay freeze for HRI staff and restrictions on racecourse capital development projects.

Oratorio Colt Tops Goffs' Third Day

A son of Oratorio topped day three of the Goffs November foal sale in Ireland, bringing 90,000 euros from Pier House Stud.

Byron Colt Tops Goffs' Second Day

Trade stepped up a gear on day two of the Goffs November foal sale in Ireland. The average price was down only 10% from the corresponding session a year ago.

George Washington Weanling in Goffs Sale

Goffs' seven-day November Sale gets under way at Kill, Co. Kildare, Ireland Nov. 16. There are 1,281 lots catalogued for the foal section running from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, with trade likely to be highly selective from wary pinhookers before the better offerings appear later in the week.

Private Fee for Galileo at Coolmore

Prominent European sire Galileo, who underwent colic surgery in September, will stand for a private fee in 2009 at John Magnier and partners' Coolmore Stud in Ireland.

Curragh Redevelopment Project on Hold

Citing "the current unprecedented economic conditions," the Irish Turf Club announced Nov. 5 that it was postponing the redevelopment of the Curragh Racecourse, estimated to cost approximately $100 million.

Goffs Sportsman's Sale Suffers Declines

Following sharp declines at its flagship Million sale, Goffs conducted its one-day Sportsman's yearling Oct 2 in Ireland, and it also fell short of its 2007 counterpart.

Goffs Million Sale's Gross Plunges

Ireland's premier yearling auction, the Goffs Million sale, recorded its lowest turnover for over 10 years by the time selling concluded at the Co. Kildare, Ireland, vendue Oct. 1.

Business Down Sharply at Goffs Sale

The key business figures fell short of their 2007 equivalents on the opening day of the Goffs Million yearling sale in County Kildare, Ireland.

Goffs Million Sale Tests Irish Market

Ireland's flagship yearling auction, the Goffs Million sale, gets under way at Kill in Co. Kildare Sept. 29. There are 657 lots in the catalog, 49 less than last year.

Tatts Ireland Sale Shows Downturn

Tattersalls Ireland's two-day yearling sale ended significantly down at the close of business Sept. 24.

Sahm Colt Shines at Tattersalls Ireland

A U.S.-bred Sahm colt, which had been bought for $15,000 at Keeneland in January by Beech Tree Farm, rose in price to 80,000 euros (approximately $116,651) Sept. 23 to top the opening session of Tattersalls Ireland's September yearling sale.