Connections of Sportsman's sale graduates given new €100,000 race to target

A €100,000 two-year-old race exclusive to Goffs Sportsman’s Sale yearlings will be held at Naas next year.

The Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge will be run over six furlongs on September 15, 2022, with prize-money down to tenth place, and it is open to two-year-old colts and fillies catalogued in the 2021 Goffs Sportsman’s Sale, which takes place on September 30 and October 1.

This will be the second sponsorship by Goffs at Naas as the auction house resumes its support of the Group 3 Goffs Lacken Stakes, the feature race of the upcoming Royal Ascot Trials Day on May 16.

Thursday's announcement follows hot on the heels of the launch of Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million, for graduates of the Orby Sale, which will be held over seven furlongs at the Curragh next year.

Commenting on the new Sportsman’s Challenge race, Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby said: “Goffs Sportsman’s Sale is an integral part of Ireland’s biggest yearling sales week, coming immediately after the two-day Orby, Ireland’s national yearling sale.

"A real trainer’s sale, the Sportsman’s is a leading producer of two-year-old winners and we anticipate that the addition of this valuable sales race will see demand increase even further from agents and trainers in Ireland, the UK and right across Europe."

He continued: "With the yearling sale inspections commencing, we are delighted to announce these two sales races to provide a lift to the industry following the challenges of the past year. Back in Kildare Paddocks this year, we look forward to offering two catalogues of relative superior quality with the additional bonus that every yearling buyer at Goffs, from September 28 to October 1, will be in with a chance to win some major prize-money.

"Our two new sales races further bolster Goffs’ burgeoning sponsorship portfolio, which from next season will see three high-profile racedays throughout September, leading up to the start of Goffs' yearling sales, with the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge and Goffs Million worth a combined total of €1.5 million.”

Eamonn McEvoy, general manager of Naas, said: “We are delighted to have been approached by Goffs to stage the inaugural Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge race.

"Races like this are a great addition to the calendar and provide owners with excellent opportunity to win a fantastic purse. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Goffs and great credit is due to them for their recent initiatives.”

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