Decent trade at Goffs as average down 24% on smaller catalogue

The Goffs Dundalk Breeze Up Sale on Tuesday saw a 70% clearance rate which was topped by a son of Coolmore's first crop sire Antonius Pius (Lot 13) from Bansha House Stables. The good moving colt who is out of a half sister to Stakes winner Green Eyed Lady was sold to Norman Steel for €42,000.

The next highest priced lot of the day was a Royal Applause filly (Lot 5) from Long Acre Stud who made €28,000 when knocked down to Bobby O’Ryan, who also paid €24,000 for Hilfield Stud’s Noverre filly (Lot 21).

With a reduced catalogue from last year the aggregate declined by 45%, though the average saw only a 24% reduction at €10,920 from €14,483 in 2008. The median declined by 22% from €11,000 to €9,000.

The broad appeal of the Breeze Up Bonus Scheme was very apparent with buyers, and among those looking for the next piece of the £500,000 incentive was Noel Wilson, trainer of the very first Bonus winner Lady Lube Rye, who purchased a well related son of Dubawi from Bansha House (Lot 68) for €20,000 and Confey Stud’s Bahamian Bounty colt (Lot 56) for €8,000.

A large number of existing and new Italian buyers were active throughout the sale, and Marco Bozzi Bloodstock were leading purchasers signing for nine lots totaling €105,500, while nine horses are also bound for Greece

Commenting on the Breeze Up trade, Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:

“We are very happy with a lively trade from start to finish and we take our hat off to the excellent work of ITM who secured a diverse group of Italian buyers who together with our Greek clients ensured a really solid market.

The Breeze Up bonus undoubtedly acted as a powerful draw as it did at Kempton & Doncaster and this brought real interest from the UK and further afield. Today’s sale has proved that this venue has serious potential and if we get the horses we can get the results”.