A Dubawi colt was the most expensive horse sold during Part 2 of the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Ireland Sept. 30. Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock manager, John Ferguson, purchased the bay yearling, which was the property of T.G. Cooke and was consigned by Ballybin Stud, for €80,000 ($108,876 in U.S. funds).
Produced from the Polish Patriotmare Polish Affair, who was winless in two career races, the colt is a half brother to 2002 Henkel-Rennen-82 (German One Thousand Guineas, Ger-II) winner Portella (by Protektor).
Ferguson also bought the €950,000 ($1,282,260) Dubawi--Spirit of Tara filly that topped Part 1 of the Orby sale (Sept. 28 and 29).
The results for Part 1 and Part 2 of the auction combined included a gross of €22,322,500 ($30,379,800) for the 467 yearlings that sold. The average price was €47,800 ($65,053), and the median price was €29,000 ($39,468). Last year, the 499 horses that sold grossed €24,784,600 and averaged €49,669. The median was €28,000.
The clearance rate fell from 81.8% in 2009 to 76.6% this year. During both years, 610 horses were offered.
“The general feeling over the last few days has been one of real positivity with Kildare Paddocks welcoming every targeted buyer to this year’s Orby sale,” said Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby. “On the facts there is no denying that the market has been selective, but there have been plenty of success stories and happy breeders/pinhookers especially on Days 1 and 2. That has been endorsed by the general consensus that the good ones have been as hard to buy as ever, and we are grateful to the vendors who have stepped up to the mark with us.”