Aisling Crowe saddles up for another spin on the sales merry-go-round

I'm back on the sales merry-go-round for 2023 with the February auctions at first Tattersalls Ireland, then this week at Goffs, a gentle welcome back rather than a full-throated roar 'hello'.

This week's Goffs February Sale wasn't a particularly long event, the two-day catalogue timed to finish at a very civilised hour, which allows for all the main stories of the day to feature in the next day's edition of the Racing Post. That rarely happens as print deadlines are set much earlier than sales usually finish. It also enabled me to get home a little after 8pm on both nights, almost 12 hours after shutting the front door behind me each morning.

The biggest result of the week was nabbing the final slice of lemon meringue pie at Lily & Wild's coffee shop in the sales pavilion on Thursday evening. As it was the last one it was larger than the usual slice, so I ran off with my prize and, along with the caffeine which I almost spilled, it provided the energy and impetus to sustain me through the final hours of the sale. The free mini-doughnuts which I was unexpectedly given to take to the press room were also a nice surprise and one that went down well with my colleagues.