BBA Ireland agents sign for the top three lots at February Sale

Demand for well-bred young mares and fillies off the track drove trade during the second and final session of the Goffs February Sale on Wednesday, with BBA Ireland agents signing for the top three lots.

As expected, the six lots from the Aga Khan Studs proved popular with buyers, with two of the top three lots among five young fillies offered by the renowned breeding operation.

Sheranda, a four-year-old daughter of the Aga Khan's leading French-based sire Siyouni, topped proceedings and a glance at the black type under her first dam explained why.

View February Sale results and buyers

Rated 75 and placed twice over a mile for Dermot Weld and Chris Hayes last season, Sheranda is a half-sister to the dual Group 2 Blandford Stakes and Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes winner Shamreen, by Dubawi, and to the Holy Roman Emperor gelding Shahroze, winner of the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine for Graham Motion. They are out of the Bahri mare Shareen, winner of the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack and Lanwades Stud Stakes and a half-sister to the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes winner Sharestan.

Agent Eamonn Reilly was the successful bidder, landing his purchase with a closing offer of €220,000. It was his second six-figure purchase from the Aga Khan Studs' draft, and on behalf of the same client.

"They're both for an established Irish client and breeder, and will be retired to begin their broodmare careers this spring," he said. "The breeder normally breeds to sell and we are trying to buy good stock who are well bred for their broodmare band, and both these fillies fit the criteria. The Aga Khan families are fantastic."

Reilly also stretched to €150,000 for Hazakiyra, a Camelot half-sister to the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and Amethyst Stakes winner Hazapour, out of a winning Daylami half-sister to the dual Derby hero Harzand, whose oldest crop are two-year-olds.

Hazakiyra won over 12 furlongs at three last year and was also placed over an extended nine furlongs, and realised the same sum that her older New Approach half-sister, Harrana, made at the 2018 Goffs February Sale.

The six horses offered by the Aga Khan Studs sold for €396,000 and an average of €66,000, over five times the overall average for the sale.

Hazakiyra, who went the way of BBA Ireland for €150,000, peers over the door of her stable once occupied by Dick WhittingtonCredit: Peter Mooney / Goffs

Mark Hanly of Grange Hill Stud was walking around Kildare Paddocks in a happy daze after the sale of Hergame - a Motivator mare he had sourced privately in the US - for €200,000 to Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland. The Hanly family's Grange Hill Stud has previously bred such stars as Oscar Whisky, Kahuna, Hurricane Alan and Zihba.

"I can't quite believe it," he smilingly admitted. "I brought her over from America and it's a great result. She comes from a fast French family, performed to a high level on the track and is a stunning-looking filly. This sale has been a really lucky one for our family and she fitted the bill for the sale."

A five-year-old Wertheimer homebred by Haras du Quesnay's 2005 Derby winner, she was third in the Listed Prix Six Perfections and fourth in the Group 3 Prix du Bois before her sale to Ecurie du Chene for €110,000 at the end of her three-year-old season. Hergame is a half-sister to the Group 3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Yakaba, by Medicean, while her granddam Senkaya is a half-sister to the European champion miler and sire Sendawar.

Donohoe, standing with trainer Mick Halford, saw off fellow BBA Ireland agent Eamonn Reilly and commented: "She's for an existing client to stay in Ireland and begin her broodmare career. She was a lovely physical specimen."

Hergame takes her turn through the ringCredit: Goffs

A fourth filly broke the six-figure barrier late in the session when Baroda Stud offered Vrai, a Dark Angel three-parts sister to the Group 2 Railway Stakes winner and Group 1 Middle Park Stakes second Lilbourne Lad, in foal to Le Havre. Vrai was purchased for €130,000 by the busy John Walsh, who signed for five horses at an average of €36,000.

"She's for a new client and will most likely stay in Ireland," said the successful agent. "Her family is one developed by Lady Clague and it is a family I know very well as I bought Eurobird, who raced against Dark Lomond (third dam of Vrai)."

Bred by Mariann Klay and Des Leadon at Swordlestown Stud, Vrai is a half-sister to five other winners, including the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes second Bobbyscot, by Alhaarth. Her dam Sogno Verde is a winning daughter of Green Desert and the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes second and Irish Oaks third Gothic Dream, by Nashwan. Gothic Dream is the dam of dual Listed winner and Irish St Leger second Pugin and the Listed winner Chartres, who is the dam of Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup winner Certerach.

Henry Beeby reflected on Wednesday's positive trade in young breeding stock and said: "Today's breeding stock and mixed session has performed well with the top two prices of €220,000 and €200,000 both more than double last year's high. We've been delighted to welcome a truly international group of buyers from across Europe and the Gulf region while the home team has also been very active although, once again, selectivity has been the key word reflecting the market everywhere at present."

Wednesday's second session saw the aggregate climb eight percentage points to €2,098,900, from 12 more horses sold than in 2019. The clearance rate was 66 per cent, while the average dipped slightly by one per cent to €15,099. The median declined significantly from €9,000 last year to just €5,000 on Wednesday.

Tuesday's opening session was characterised by demand for the choice lots but, as seen so often at sales for the past couple of years, the middle-to-lower sectors of the market were once more difficult to operate in. Beeby did not shy away from mentioning that in his end-of-sale statement.

"Yesterday's weanlings enjoyed a vibrant trade for the most part with keen competition for those that a large group of buyers, mostly made up of pinhookers, felt would hold most appeal at the first-choice yearling sales this year," he said. "Of course the knock-on effect is a trade that can be unforgiving for those less obvious picks although it was gratifying to see the clearance rate improve by three points; that said 65 per cent is not a statistic that leads to much celebration but is a stark illustration of the unforgiving nature of the market."

Overall the sale recorded a slight growth in turnover of €4,077,700 - up two and a half per cent on last year's figure - but both the average and median prices dropped to differing degrees. The average was least affected with a seven point decline to €13,965, while the median fell by 19 per cent to €6,500.

Day one report:

Mangan family top trade as Churchill colts find favour with buyers