The Punchestown winners’ enclosure was thronged with many of the leading trainers, owners and agents from Ireland and the UK for a spectacular renewal of Goffs Punchestown Sale after racing on Thursday. A €500,000 top lot smashed the record for this sale, and major increases were recorded across the board with turnover up 37%, a 23% rise in average to €197,000, a median of €170,000 that was up 26% while the clearance rate was 91%.
The sale that boasts Honeysuckle as its most famous graduate saw another potential future star take take her turn in the ring as Colin Bowe’s Qualimita (Lot 14), a four-year-old daughter of Muhtathir who put up one of the performances of the season when winning on her debut at Fairyhouse last Friday, was purchased by Mags O’Toole for €500,000 which shattered the previous record for the Punchestown Sale.
Almost half the catalogue sold for €200,000 or more, and among the other highlights were Lough Owel (Lot 5), another maiden winner from Fairyhouse last weekend that sold to Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for €255,000. Elliott also went to €235,000 for Bleu De Vassy (Lot 20) from Patrick Turley’s Kingsfield Stables who finished a close runner up at Necarne on Saturday nine lengths clear of the rest of the field, and paid €200,000 for Baltimore House Stables’ The Enabler (Lot 4), a son of Walk In The Park from the family of Denman who impressed when runner up at Curraghmore.
Top class breeding prospect Dolcita (Lot 1) by Saint des Saints was first into the ring and set the tone for an evening of spectacular trade, as the Willie Mullins-trained black type performer and Irish Grand National fourth sold to Cyril Crowe for €240,000. Sam Curling’s Boston Boy (Lot 15) was runner up to Histrionic at Tralee last Friday and caught the eye of Stroud Coleman and Jonjo O’Neill who went to €230,000 for the son of Black Sam Belamy, and O’Neill also signed for Dromahane 4YO maiden winner Fortunate Man (Lot 6) from Moate Stables for €210,000. View full results for Goffs Punchestown Sale.
Reflecting on an incredible evening's trade at Punchestown, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said: "Sensational. The Original Festival Sale returned a trade that can only be described in the richest of superlatives with huge increases in every statistic and a magnificent new record top price of €500,000. As ever we are indebted to the vendors who put their trust in the Goffs service and sent such quality to the Punchestown Sale. They are a mighty bunch as they truly put their money where their mouth is year after year and it is fantastic to see results like these. We now look ahead to the Goffs Arkle Sale in June as we put the finishing touches on an outstanding catalogue. Irish Point-to-Point handlers are the backbone of the store sale market and we were delighted to see so many of them well rewarded here at the Punchestown Sale. Last year’s Arkle Sale, formerly the Land Rover, has produced more four-year-old Point-to-Point winners this season than all other store sales combined, and there is plenty more quality awaiting buyers at the Arkle Sale from 13 – 15 June".
Goffs Punchestown Sale 2023: Offered: 22 Sold: 20 (91%) Aggregate: €3,940,000 (+37%) Average: €197,000 (+23%) Median: €170,000 (+26%) Top price: €500,000