'It's the biggest draft I've had so far' - show goes on to Goffs as foals take centre stage

The Goffs November Foal Sale properly ushers in the start of breeding stock sale season and, with graduates starring on the track this term, it is an event that will likely have long-lasting impact. 

Star performers sourced from the sale in recent years include Alcohol Free, who cost Jeff Smith's Littleton Stud €40,000 in 2018 and, four Group 1 wins later, was resold for 5,400,000gns, and Romantic Proposal, a €25,000 purchase by Amy Lynam in 2016 and subsequently winner of the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes. 

Arrest, a 2020 graduate, has done his bit with wins in the Group 3 Chester Vase and Geoffrey Freer Stakes to go alongside his St Leger runner-up spot and 2022 Criterium de Saint-Cloud second. 

The Juddmonte colt made €440,000 from Swordlestown Little, while other high-performing graduates this year include Group 2 Duke of York Stakes winner Azure Blue, Group 3 Acomb Stakes victor Indian Run and Group 3 Amethyst Stakes winner Power Under Me. 

A certain Ghaiyyath – world champion for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby in 2020 and now an exciting first-crop yearling sire – sold to John Ferguson for €1,100,000 at the 2015 event, and his brother (lot 767), who sells very near the end of day three on Wednesday, looks certain to play a leading role for consignor Springbank Way Stud.

Arrest: dual Group winner and St Leger second is a recent graduate of the Goffs November Foal SaleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Immediately after Ghaiyyath's brother, and the penultimate lot on Wednesday, Swordlestown Little returns with a Dark Angel half-brother to Arrest (768), so guaranteeing a power-packed few minutes for sale attendees. 

Newtown Stud offers a Starspangledbanner brother to Group 3 Summer Stakes winner and Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up Flotus (686). while another of note from the consignor is the Kingman filly (581) out of Sea The World, a Sea The Stars sister to Classic winner and sire Sea The Moon.

Also catching the eye is a colt from Haras d'Etreham's champion sprinter Hello Youmzain (667). Church View Stables' April-born individual is a half-brother to this year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi. 

Alice Kavanagh of AK Thoroughbreds offers her largest team of foals over the next few days, including lots by aforementioned duo Ghaiyyath and Sea The Moon, plus Saxon Warrior, Acclamation and Churchill. 

She told Goffs: "This year we've got 20 foals for the November Foal Sale and ten mares [for the breeding stock sale which follows], so it's the biggest draft I've had so far. 

"We've got a very nice Advertise colt (940) who moves along well, while I'm very excited about the Ghaiyyath filly (685). She's out of an Adlerflug mare and her half-sister was recently third in a Listed race at Newcastle since the catalogue was printed. 

Marhaba Ya Sanafi: Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner's half-brother is another lot to watch at GoffsCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

"The Lope De Vega filly (563) is the first foal out of Quiet Times, a Reliable Man mare and she won a Listed race and was rated 95. She's a belter of a first foal and has a great attitude and swing."

She added: "It's my fourth year now and numbers are growing all the time, we're prepping 15 at home and I'm very lucky with the facilities we've got."

First-crop sires represented include Classic and/or Group 1 winners Lucky Vega, Palace Pier, St Mark’s Basilica, Space Blues, Starman and Supremacy.

Also among the established stallions with stock going under the hammer are Camelot, Cracksman, Havana Grey, Invincible Spirit, Kodiac, Mehmas, New Bay, Night Of Thunder, No Nay Never, Sea The Stars, Sioux Nation, Teofilo, Too Darn Hot and Wootton Bassett. 

The four-day sale begins on Monday at 10am and the catalogue can be viewed here.

Goffs November Foal Sale factfile

Where Goffs sales complex, Kildare

When Four-day sale begins on Monday, with all sessions from 10am

Last year's stats From 918 lots offered, 740 sold for turnover of €29,584,000, an average of €39,979 and median of €24,000.

Notable graduates Ghaiyyath (sold by The Castlebridge Consignment, bought by John Ferguson for €1,100,000); Arrest (sold by Swordlestown Little, bought by Juddmonte for €440,000); Alcohol Free (sold by Churchtown House Stud, bought by Littleton Stud for €40,000); Romantic Proposal (sold by Fastnet Stud, bought by Amy Lynam for €25,000)

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