Inca Princess (Lot 970), the dam of Johannes Vermeer and the €1.1 million foal sale topper was the star of the show on the opening day of Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale when she was sold for €1.9 million to Laurent Benoit's Broadhurst Agency. In foal again to Galileo, she was one of four mares in foal to the Champion sire offered on Day 1 of the Breeding Stock Sale. Another was the Group 1 winner Melito (Lot 973) who was knocked down for €950,000 to Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm in Japan, followed in quick succession by Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock who went to €750,000 for Fix (Lot 976), a dual Group 2 winner in New Zealand. Muravka (Lot 971), the dam of Group 1 Darley Prix Morny and Coventry Stakes winner The Wow Signal, was another highlight when bought by Barronstown Stud for €950,000. Headlining the ever-popular Aga Khan Studs draft meanwhile was Ebalista (Lot 905), dam of several Stakes performers including the Group 2 winner Ebiyza. In foal to Siyouni, Ebalista was purchased by Forenaghts Stud for €300,000.
Day 2 of the Breeding Stock Sale was headed by Lot 1238, Beyond Intensity, a sister to two Group winners in Turret Rocks and Beyond Thankful and from the family of Goldikova, when purchased by BBA Ireland for €150,000. Consigned by Jim Bolger’s Redmondstown Stud, she is in foal to Dawn Approach. Earlier in the sale, Kawakami Racing acquired the second highest priced lot going to €100,000 for the beautifully bred, Lot 1151, Heartful from Moyglare Stud. The winning four year old filly is out of the Group 3 Gladness Stakes winner and Irish Guineas runner up Mad About You.
Commenting on the conclusion of the Breeding Stock Sale, Group Chief Executive of Goffs, Henry Beeby said: "Galileo dominates wherever he goes and the Goffs Breeding Stock Sale followed the trend at our preceding Foal Sale with four of our top 5 mares in foal to the world champion. Top prices of €1.9 million, €950,000 (twice) and €750,000 to buyers from France, Japan, Ireland and the UK clearly demonstrate the global and enduring appeal of this sale, and they were the highlights of another incredibly strong renewal of our mare and filly dispersal with strong trade especially at yesterday’s opening session. Whilst the bare statistics show a sale that is down we are quite content as, of course, last year included the once in a generation Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal which saw 28 beautifully bred fillies and mares adding over €7.8 million to the totals. Take those away from last year and the statistics make for very happy reading with turnover average and median all advancing whilst we have made significant gains versus the dispersal free 2015 sale. Once again we have received wonderful support from so many leading breeders and are very grateful that they continue to choose Goffs for so many of their best bred breeding stock. Today’s sale may not have hit the heights of the first session but there remained a strong trade from an international group of buyers. As ever we extend our thanks to each and every client, for we are nothing without them." Breeding Stock
*2016 Figures include Wildenstein Stables Ltd Dispersal: 28 sold for €7,859,000, average €280,679, median €143,000