€100,000 Mare & €72,000 foal top Goffs December National Hunt Sale
For the second year in a row the Goffs December National Hunt Sale was topped by a six figure mare from the Gigginstown House Stud draft, with Grade 3 chase winner Tocororo (Lot 537), in foal to Walk In The Park, selling to Coolmara Stables for €100,000. Walk In The Park also provided the headline lot of two days of remarkable foal trade when his colt out of the Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winning mare Glens Melody (Lot 514) sold today for €72,000. Consigned by Ballincurrig House Stud on behalf of Fiona McStay he was purchased by George Stanners bidding for Philip Kirby Racing.
Two other standout foals on the second and final day of the sale included John Hayes’ Presenting colt out of a half-sister to the great Grade 1 race mare Feathard Lady (Lot 478) that was knocked down to Moanmore Stables for €50,000. Also in demand was Grange Hill Stud’s Getaway colt out of a sister to the multiple Grade 1 winning Land Rover Sale graduate Oscar Whisky (Lot 531), purchased by Martin Lynch for €50,000.
Reflecting on a superb renewal of the December National Hunt Sale, Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:
“The December NH Sale is one of the many success stories for Goffs in recent years and has grown by a staggering 700% in this decade alone clearly demonstrating that it sits at the top table for the category.
Indeed, Goffs is increasingly becoming the first choice for so many NH breeders and consignors as our “Serious about National Hunt” mantra has resonated with the industry, so much so that our Land Rover, Punchestown and December Sales now genuinely contend for market leading status in their category as increasing numbers appreciate our unique customer focussed approach.
The last two days has welcomed a huge crowd of buyers from home and increased numbers from the UK leading to a vibrant trade topped by only the second ever 6 figure NH mare and the beautifully bred colt foal at €72,000, himself the third highest priced NH foal we have sold. Of course the catalogue is dominated by NH foals and the category has made more serious ground with advances in clearance, average and median whilst probably the most telling statistic is that the number of foals to make €25,000 or over leapt from 26 last year (in what was a good trade in its own right) to 44 over the last two days.
As ever we extend our heartfelt thanks to every vendor and each purchaser as we are nothing without their backing and support”.