'It's a nerve-racking time' - anticipation high as big buyers and blue-chip pedigrees assemble at Goffs Orby

Attention turns to Ireland this week as Goffs host the country’s most significant yearling sale, the Orby. Ireland’s reputation for producing thoroughbreds is underpinned by a rich history, but it is the future that buyers will be fixed on this week with around 1,000 choice lots set to come under the hammer over the coming four days. 

There is plenty to capture the imagination, particularly in the two-day Book 1, which begins at 10am on Tuesday, as Goffs have brought together a collection of blue-chip pedigrees, including a stack of siblings to recent Group 1 winners and a brace of colts from the final crop of the breed-shaping Galileo. 

Barn C was a hive of activity shortly before lunch on Monday as potential purchasers ran the rule over Stauffenberg Bloodstock’s three-strong offering. The draft packs a punch well beyond its numbers, as it includes the Kingman half-brother to Skitter Scatter (lot 313) and a half-sister to German Derby hero Fantastic Moon (373). 

The Kingman colt is making his second appearance at Goffs having topped last year’s November Foal Sale as a punchy €550,000 pinhook. The pedigree has continued on an upward trajectory in the intervening months with a new top-level winner, Belmont Oaks winner Aspen Grove, appearing under the first dam. As if that wasn’t enough, the colt was also catalogued as a sibling to four winners, but that became five when his two-year-old sister Skellet recorded an impressive victory at Salisbury this month. 

Philipp Stauffenberg's Kingman half-brother to Skitter Scatter was popular during inspections at GoffsCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

“As you might imagine, it’s a little bit of a nerve-racking time!” said Philipp Stauffenberg. “But he vets perfectly and it’s clear for everybody to see that he’s a nice horse. So considering what I’ve invested, I’m pretty relaxed.” 

The consignor continued: “He has a real swagger, he just swings along and has developed nicely physically. Obviously it’s nice that his own sister won her maiden very impressively, and then the other sister, Data Dependent, produced a Grade 1 winner. The updates show the family is doing well around the world and all the right people have been looking at him.”  

This is not the first time Stauffenberg has sold at Goffs, although it is the first occasion he has consigned at the Orby under his own banner.

The homebred Masar filly out of Frangipani is another with a progressive pedigree, as her half-brother Fantastic Moon was entered in the sale having already won the Group 1 Deutsches Derby and was last seen running out a decisive winner of the Group 2 Prix Niel. 

The view of the Goffs sales complex on the eve of the Orby SaleCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

The breeder said he would not normally consider offering such a well-bred filly, but suggested the prospect of cashing in on the family's recent success had prompted the move to market.

“We’ve been very lucky here at Goffs over the past, especially with fillies,” said Stauffenberg. “When we started we bought two Classic winners here, Centaine and Que Belle, and we also sold Four Sins to the Aga Khan, which was an amazing moment. 

“This filly is lovely and with Fantastic Moon winning the German Derby and Prix Niel, he looks a really serious horse. Normally we wouldn’t offer a filly like her, but as Fantastic Moon has really become an international horse we think the 'pain money' could be a little different than if he was only a Group 3 winner in Germany. 

“She’s out of a young mare so we just hope we get another filly in due course. We have fillies from three branches of the family so we feel a bit safer about selling her, even if we wouldn’t do so normally.” 

Reflecting on the mood on the sales ground, Stauffenberg said: “There’s an international crowd here, there are quite a lot of Americans, as well as the usual European buyers. Arqana was incredibly strong and Doncaster, the Somerville and Tattersalls Ireland have been very good too, so it looks like the market is in a positive place.” 

Glenn ‘Bo’ Bromagen and Ramiro Restrepo were among the American contingent at Goffs on MondayCredit: SARAH FARNSWORTH

Among the various US buyers doing their due diligence on a balmy afternoon were Glenn ‘Bo’ Bromagen and Ramiro Restrepo. 

“The quality here is fantastic and obviously there’s access to pedigrees we don’t have in America,” said Restrepo, who has been in the headlines this year as the buyer and co-owner of Kentucky Derby hero Mage. “The Irish really know how to raise a good horse so we just want to come along and get a slice of that pie.” 

Expanding on the appeal of purchasing European bloodstock with a view to racing in the US, Restrepo continued: “The New York Racing Association and a couple of other jurisdictions are creating some big turf programmes, and the athletes that come out of here are just a cut above our American turf horses. 

“Rather than trying to go through the private market and buy a horse who's won a maiden or run second and pay a high six figures, you can come here and have the horse from day one, put it through our programme and go after these big races.” 

The Marquee Bloodstock man has already enjoyed success out of the Orby, having purchased the Listed-placed Expert Eye filly Isabel Alexandra from Deerpark Stud in 2021. 

A yearling picks at some grass during inspections at GoffsCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

Bromagen suggested there are other benefits to traversing the Atlantic too, as he said: “From a professional perspective, being able to see a different kind of horse makes us better at our job; seeing more is part of the game. 

“I think that you do get a different type over here and also that there’s relative value, especially as American buyers given our purse structure back home. To come over here, I think there’s a little bit of a gap in the market. Maybe not as much as there once was because there are so many Americans here now, but that was certainly the initial draw for me.”  

The agents noted the strength of the yearling market on both sides of the pond, and said they expected that trend to continue in Kildare. 

“In this day and age there are so many sharp horsemen around that it’s hard to sneak one past the goalkeeper,” said Restrepo. “All the big guys are here. We’ll just do our best to identify something with pedigree and athleticism, and then hope the racing gods are on our side!”

Word on the sales ground suggests there is athleticism in abundance, and there is certainly a strong collection of pedigrees contained within the catalogue. As well as Stauffenberg’s headline offering, Kingman is also represented as the sire of lot 504 from The Castlebridge Consignment, which presents the half-brother to 2,000 Guineas winner and Coolmore resident Saxon Warrior. The pair are out of the Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Maybe. 

The Castlebridge Consignment's Kingman half-brother to Saxon Warrior is the picture of calm during showings at GoffsCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

Sea The Stars has 15 lots entered, including three youngsters who are siblings to Group 1 winners. Perhaps the most eyecatching of the triumvirate is Tinnakill House’s filly out of the budding blue hen Repose (48), which makes the yearling a half-sister to globe-trotting four-time Group/Grade 1 winner State Of Rest. 

The Castlebridge Consignment presents the Sea The Stars filly out of Jumooh (434), a full-sibling to Group 1 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh, Group 2 scorer Raheen House and the Listed-winning Sea Of Faith, while Newtown Stud offers the half-brother to Irish 2,000 Guineas victor and up-and-coming sire Phoenix Of Spain (488). 

There are also four lots by Frankel, including a well-touted half-sister to the Group 2-winning Tilsit from Camas Park Stud (525), while Ballylinch Stud offers the full-sister to Saffron Beach (356).

The final crop of the late, great Galileo contains just a dozen yearlings, making the two that are entered in the Orby Sale bona fide collectors’ items. Baroda Stud offers the colt out of Prix de Lieurey winner Wind Chimes (179), while Castlehyde Stud presents the brother to Irish St Leger Trial and Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes scorer Delphi (269). Both colts were bred by Coolmore.

Goffs Orby Sale factfile

Where Goffs sales complex, Kildare

When Two-day Book 1 begins on Tuesday, with two-day Book 2 starting on Thursday (all sessions from 10am)

Last year’s stats From 467 lots offered, 414 sold (89 per cent) for turnover of €50,204,500 (up 24 per cent year-on-year), an average of €121,265 (up 11 per cent) and median of €87,000 (up 16 per cent)

Notable graduates Eldar Eldarov (sold by Staffordstown, bought by Mags O'Toole and Oak Tree Farm for £110,000); Jannah Rose (sold by Galbertstown Stables, bought by Al Shira’aa Farms for €650,000); Live In The Dream (sold by Clonfert Stud, bought by Philippa Mains and Steve De’Lemos for £24,000); Persian Force (sold by Tally-Ho Stud, bought by Peter and Ross Doyle for €225,000)

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