Land Rover Sale: Increases Across The Board At Phenomenal Part 1

A phenomenal Part 1 of Goffs Land Rover Sale, extended to two days for the first time this year, saw the amazing level of trade from yesterday continue right throughout today’s second session at Kildare Paddocks resulting in increases across the board with average up 10%, median up 11%, turnover up 105% and an 88% clearance rate for Part 1.



Top spot today went to Glenwood Stud’s Walk In The Park half-brother to Grade 1 winning chaser Monalee (Lot 249 - pictured) that sold for €220,000 to Andy and Gemma Brown and Joey Logan Bloodstock, purchasers of one of yesterday’s stars in the €200,000 Aide Memoire, while the same buyers also secured today’s top priced filly when going to €150,000 for a daughter of Champs Elysees from Peter Nolan Bloodstock (Lot 299).

The second highest priced store today was a son of Milan from Kilmoney Cottage Stud (Lot 339), vendors of Altior at this sale previously, purchased for €165,000 by Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls who earlier went to €135,000 for Ijing Shang Enki (Lot 273), a Network gelding from Brown Island Stables.

Click here to view full results.

At the conclusion of Part 1 of the Land Rover Sale, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:

“It’s good to be back…and how.

The last two days have been positive in so many ways. Firstly to be in a position to hold a sale in Ireland for the first time this year is a massive step forward, not just for Goffs but for the Irish bloodstock industry, as it lays solid foundations upon which to build for the rest of the year. Let there be no doubt that Goffs is open for business in Ireland as has been graphically illustrated this week.
 
We have been pleased to welcome a small but significant group of UK buyers to Kildare Paddocks using the ‘bubble’ method successfully utilised at our breeding stock sales last autumn and replicating the measures for British connections travelling to Punchestown and the Irish Guineas meetings. At this point we would like to thank Brian Kavanagh and his colleagues at HRI who have been pivotal in this connection as I’m not sure it would have been possible without them.
 
Those British buyers have helped fuel a truly amazing level of trade from start to finish as they bid ferociously against a huge and enthusiastic home team. Of course they had to find the horses to appeal and we salute our wonderful vendors who have sent us another increased share of their best. When expanding a sale there is always a risk that the quality is diluted but that has very much not proved the case with a two day Part 1 that has more than maintained the momentum that this sale has built up over the last decade. We always say we are nothing without the horses as we can’t do it without them and vendors have largely reaped the benefit of their support for which we thank them most sincerely.
 
As the sale approached we were encouraged by the strong trade at our UK Spring Sale but to return an double digit increase in average and median from a significantly bigger catalogue is a major achievement for the sale and it has been gratifying to witness an increase in the number of €200,000 and over lots (three), those breaking the six figure barrier (22) and a massive 130 making €50,000 or over. These are the kind of statistics that allow us to proclaim this sale as a genuine first choice for so many whilst a clearance rate of 88% points to a real depth to the market.
 
So we look forward to the rest of 2021 with hope and positivity. The atmosphere at Kildare Paddocks has been wonderful as buyers and sellers were simply happy to be back at a live sale. Who could imagine how jolly everyone could be despite having not a bar in sight as we focussed on the business, although I’m told the ice cream van did a roaring trade; but the serious point is that Goffs can and will deliver the best prices for the best horses when we have them, regardless of the category. We would submit it was ever thus but it almost felt like we needed this sale to prove the point again and, with the help of our vendors and the enthusiasm of the purchasers, Goffs has delivered.
 
Tomorrow’s Part 2 of the Land Rover Sale also has lots to recommend it and will undoubtedly enjoy much racecourse success in the coming NH seasons. And it is the incredible and consistent racecourse success at the highest level that helps drive this whole sale forward year after year. Vendors send us their best, they are bought by the best and then win at the best meetings”.
 
The Land Rover Sale continues at 10am tomorrow with Part 2 featuring another quality selection of National Hunt stores.
 
Land Rover Part 1 Comparative Figures