The best was kept to last at the Oct. 2 second session of the Goffs Million sale in County Kildare, Ireland, when--close to the end of play--a daughter of Sadler’s Wells became the dearest yearling filly ever to sell at auction in Ireland when she brought 2.4 million euros ($3.39 million).
The first foal of three-time German grade I winner Albanova was bred by Kirsten Rausing and Sphere Bloodstock and consigned by Rausing’s Staffordstown farm. The light-gray filly was purchased by Demi O’Byrne for the Coolmore team.
Her price broke the 2-million euros yearling filly record set 12 months ago for a Staffordstown-sold Sadler’s Wells filly out of Albanova’s half-sister, Alakananda. The top lot helped contribute to an increased second-day gross of 20,275,000 euros ($28.7 million), up from 18,118,000 euros ($25.6 million) in 2006.
Steven Harris, owner of the Galway-based Glenview House Stud, had earlier bought another blue-blooded filly through agent Dermot Farrington. The Rock of Gibraltar filly out of Salsbail’s sister, Spirit Of Tara, consigned by breeder Pat O’Kelly’s Kilcarn Stud, brought 900,000 euros ($1.27 million).
An Invincible Spirit filly out of the Mtoto mare Watch The Clock, knocked down to John O’Byrne for 92,000 euros ($130,000) as a foal, jumped in price to 440,000 euros ($623,100) when re-consigned from Paul Shanahan’s Ashtown House Stud.
In all, 162 horses were sold compared with 171 for the same session in 2006. This year’s average of 117,878 euros ($166,900) was up from $105,953 euros ($150,000) last year. The median of 80,000 euros ($113,300) was up from 72,000 euros (101,900) last year.