Gestut Gorlsdorf shooting for the moon at Goffs November Foal Sale

As owner-breeders Heike Bischoff and Niko Lafrentz describe Sea The Moon as their golden horse, there can be similarly shiny expectations when they bring his half-sister to market this week.

Sea The Moon proved to be an individual beyond the wildest expectations of the proprietors of Gestut Gorlsdorf, a stud to the north east of Berlin, having run away with the 2014 German Derby by an astonishing 11 lengths.

The couple remain the majority owners of the son of Sea The Stars, who has progressed to make a striking start to life at Lanwades Stud, producing the likes of Group 1 winner Alpine Star and commanding increasing respect with his sales figures.

At the Goffs November Foal Sale they will be offering Sea The Moon's sibling by Frankel, through Newtown Stud, as lot 652.

Gorlsdorf actually bought Sea The Moon back for 230,000gns as a yearling but have managed three hefty sales out of Sanwa, an unraced Monsun mare who is a full-sister to German Derby and Grosser Preis von Baden hero Samum, German Oaks winner Salve Regina and Schiaparelli, who also won the German Derby before globetrotting exploits for Godolphin.

Last year they sold Sea The Moon's full-sister at BBAG for €820,000 to Dietrich von Boetticher of Gestut Ammerland, and Sea The Sky, as she was named, made a winning debut for Andre Fabre at Chantilly this month.

"The mare went to Ireland, because it's the place where she's very close to Sea The Stars, and she's in foal to him again," Lafrentz explained.

"We're very happy with her filly, two weeks ago we were with her and we're looking forward to the sales, we've sold there before and will be going this week."

Gorlsdorf is an independent, family-run venture with more than a century's worth of history and for Sea The Moon to be flourishing is a source of huge pride.

Lafrentz said: "Sea The Moon is called the golden boy in the family, we are using him a lot every year. We have a very nice three-year-old filly that we race in our colours called Mercedes, who won a Listed race at Hanover, and a very nice horse in training with Francis Graffard in France.

"He had 172 mares this year and percentage rate of 98, so we're very pleased. And, very importantly, the Queen sent two mares to Sea The Moon, we're very proud about that, and very thankful.

"The lady [Sanwa] is in good form too, we're looking forward to the next Sea The Stars offspring now."

The filly is one of three Frankels among more than 900 lots set to go through the ring in a hectic four days, which are followed by two sessions of the November Breeding Stock Sale.

The event, which boasts superstar Ghaiyyath among its graduates, also sold his full-brother Al Nafir for a sale-topping €1,200,000 - a new record for a colt foal two years ago. He got off the mark for Charlie Appleby at Kempton on Friday.

Goffs November Foal and Breeding Stock Sale factfile

WhereKildare Paddocks sales complex

When Four-day foal sale from Monday, followed by breeding stock on Friday and Saturday, with all sessions starting at 10am

Last year's foal stats From 637 lots offered, 476 sold (75 per cent) for turnover of €17,489,600 (down 33 per cent), an average of €36,743 (down 12 per cent) and a median of €20,000 (down 12 per cent)

Notable graduatesGhaiyyath (sold by The Castlebridge Consignment to John Ferguson for €1,100,000 in 2015), Alcohol Free (Churchtown House Stud to Littleton Stud for €40,000 in 2018), Romantic Proposal (Fastnet Stud to Amy Lynam for €25,000 in 2016)

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