20/11/2021. Goffs: Plying Tops Extraordinary Day 1 At November Breeding Stock Sale
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Lot 1185: PLYING
Sold by Jossestown Farm to BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments for €825,000
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A spectacular opening session of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale was crowned by the €825,000 sale of Plying, dam of this season’s Group 1 Sussex Stakes and Coronation Stakes winner Alcohol Free.
The 11-year-old Hard Spun mare is what dreams are made of; Lot 1185 was bought by Elaine Shaw and Martin Cooney for just €21,000 at the 2018 November Breeding Stock Sale days after her No Nay Never filly foal, who has gone on to win three Group 1 contests so far, sold for €40,000 to Jeff Smith’s Littleton Stud.
Three years later, and now the dam of Listed winner Alexander James as well as Alcohol Free, Plying returned to Kildare Paddocks as the crown jewel in a glittering collection of gems.
In foal to leading sire Lope De Vega, she was purchased by Zhang Yusheng’s racing and breeding operation Yulong Investments, which spans the globe.
“We thought it was a fantastic opportunity to buy the dam of what we think is a champion filly, to be honest. She is such a tough, top-class filly and she is staying in training next year I believe so hopefully there will be more to come from her,” said Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, who was acting on behalf of Yulong. “The mare is not just a flash in the pan, Alcohol Free isn’t her only Stakes winner and she had a very nice covering by a horse that is close to Mr Zhang’s heart in Lope De Vega and we believe she is carrying a filly so hopefully that filly will join Mr Zhang’s broodmare band in time.”
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Lot 1159: EYTARNA
Sold by Aga Khan Studs to BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments for €330,000
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Plying was one of 38 mares to achieve a six-figure price tag on Friday and five of them were bought by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland on behalf of Yulong Investments. Many of the mares have been bought to support another Goffs’ graduate, Yulong’s Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega, who will stand his first northern hemisphere breeding season at the Irish National Stud in 2022.
“We wanted to buy two or three nice mares this week to send to Lucky Vega and support him. Mr Zhang is going to really strongly support him at the foal and yearling sales but he wanted to get a couple of nice mares to help start him off in Ireland,” Donohoe explained.
Amongst the purchases was Lot 1159 from the Aga Khan Studs’ strong draft of mares boasting top class pedigrees. Eytarna was offered in foal to Teofilo, carrying a full sibling to the Group 2 Blandford Stakes winner and Group 1 Irish Oaks, Hong Kong Vase and Yorkshire Oaks third Eziyra and was knocked down to Donohoe for €330,000.
“She is a proven performer from a great family and Lope De Vega has already worked in it, so she’ll be an ideal mare for Lucky Vega. So Unique (Lot 1153 from Ballylinch Stud, €265,000) is also for Lucky Vega,” Donohoe added. |
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Lot 1238: RIQA
Sold by Derrinstown Stud to Barronstown Stud for €550,000
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The exquisite pedigrees from the Derrinstown Stud draft at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale were keenly sought after and breeders with an eye on the new recruits to the Irish stallion ranks were particularly keen to add the Derrinstown mares to their broodmare bands.
Renowned breeders David and Diane Nagle of Barronstown Stud bought the most expensive mare from the Derrinstown draft; Lot 1238 from the outstanding family of Allegretta. Riqa is a Listed placed daughter of Dubawi who is already the dam of the triple French Group 3 winner Tantheem and was sold in foal to Kingman for €550,000.
Lot 1085 from Derrinstown was Garmoosha, the dam of Raabihah, winner of the Group 2 Prix de Pomone this year and runner-up to Tarnawa in 2020’s Group 1 Prix Vermeille. She was bought by MV Magnier for €440,000.
“She is a lovely mare and is already a proven producer. She could go to St Mark’s Basilica or Wootton Bassett,” Magnier commented.
Aaraas was another proven producer from the Derrinstown draft to spark fireworks in the sales ring. Her best offspring to date is the Group 2 Golden Fleece Stakes winner Madhmoon, who was second in the Derby for Kevin Prendergast. Offered as Lot 1077 she too is destined to visit St Mark’s Basilica in the spring.
“She is a lovely mare and I have bought her for an overseas client, said John McCormack of his €330,000 purchase. “We are looking at who to breed her to because we are not looking to ship her right away so we were looking at all the prospects locally and we think the best one of the new stallions to go to stud is St Mark’s Basilica. He is a beautifully-bred horse, great looking and very accomplished. She is an accomplished mare and she has done it, we think that it is a good marriage.”
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Lot 1085: GARMOOSHA
Sold by Derrinstown Stud to MV Magnier for €430,000
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McCormack also struck late in the evening for Lot 1246 from the Aga Khan Studs’ draft. The three-year-old Gleneagles filly is out of Eytarna and could remain in training after McCormack purchased her for €350,000.
“She has been bought to go to America and she could race on, Pat Downes, who I have known for a long time, was very complimentary about her and said there was still racing in her.” McCormack said.
The strength of the market demand added a significant premium to prices on a buoyant day of trading.
“I stretched a bit more than I wanted but that’s the way the day has been, If you want something then you have to be prepared to go between 30% – 40% more than where your comfort zone is because that is the market,” he added.
Click here to view full results for Day 1.
Comparative Figures:
Offered: 228
Sold: 197 (86%)
Aggregate: €13,913,500 (+154%)
Average: €70,627 (+123%)
Median: €30,000 (+122%)
Top Price: €825,000
Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale continues tomorrow morning, Saturday 20 November, at 10am.
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by Goffs
