Life back to normal at Goffs as Rathbran House Stud snaps up €110,000 Recife

The exploits of Gun Runner, a six-time Grade 1 winner and the best first-season stallion in North America last year, have served to highlight the brilliance of the late, great 'Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway as a broodmare sire.

Baroda Stud consigned an impeccably bred daughter of Coolmore America's former king on the third and final day of the Goffs February Sale, and she had a pedigree that would have graced any catalogue. As it was, Recife shone brightest of all the mares at Kildare Paddocks this week, making €110,000 to Rathbran House Stud.

Successful on her only start, she is a half-sister to Stormy Len, who placed in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. They are out of the Dynaformer mare Rietondale, who has a perfect record with her six foals to race, and is a sister to the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes and Beverly D Stakes winner Dynaforce, who is the dam of Listed winner and Park Hill Stakes second Aljezeera.

Rietondale is also a half-sister to the dual Grade 1 winner and sire Cetewayo, Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Bowman Hill, and to the dam of American Derby winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Willcox Inn.

Recife takes a walk around the ring at Goffs before selling to Rathbran House StudCredit: © Peter Mooney

John Rowe, who manages Rathbran House Stud, near Slane in County Meath, explained what it was that made the team so determined to add the seven-year-old, who is the dam of two foals, and in foal to Mehmas, to their broodmare band.

He said: "She's a lovely young mare by a super broodmare sire and we're building up the stock on the farm. It's a very attractive covering - Mehmas is a very exciting sire - and there's a lot to like about her. We'll see what the foal is like before making plans."

Godolphin mares in demand

Mares in foal to sons of Acclamation were all the rage at Goffs on Thursday, with a Raven's Pass mare from the always sought-after Godolphin draft, in foal to Dark Angel, selling for €90,000 to BBA Ireland.

Belonging, who was Listed-placed in France, can boast the blue hen Fall Aspen as her third dam. Her second dam is Dance Of Leaves, Fall Aspen's unraced daughter of Sadler's Wells who is a sister to Grand Prix de Paris winner Fort Wood. Dance Of Leaves is the dam of Racing Post Trophy winner Medaaly and Charnwood Forest, who won the Queen Anne Stakes.

Belonging is put through her paces before selling to BBA Ireland from Godolphin for €90,000Credit: © Peter Mooney

The O'Callaghans of Tally-Ho pounced for Panegyric, from the same source as Belonging, going to €85,000 for the Monsun three-parts sister to Group 1 winner and young sire Ultra. Panegyric is also a half-sister to the dam of last season's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games.

Panegyric has made a promising start to her own broodmare career; her Shamardal five-year-old gelding Lackeen was Listed-placed in France and she is the dam of two winners from three runners so far. Sold in foal to Cracksman, she also has a three-year-old New Approach colt named True Accolade, a Dubawi two-year-old colt and a yearling colt by Iffraaj.

Byrnes say yes to Bridal Knot

Goffs almost saved the best till last, with the final mare through the ring topping the National Hunt section when making €90,000.

A supplementary entry from Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows, Bridal Knot has impeccable broodmare credentials as a Walk In The Park sister to the King George VI and RSA Chase winner Might Bite, who was also second to Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. She is also a half-sister to the Aintree and Punchestown Grade 1-winning hurdler Beat That.

The five-year-old was bought by a Carlow father and son who share the same name - Seamus Byrne - and are returning to breeding following a spell out of the business.

Bridal Knot: three-parts sister to Might Bite sells to Seamus Byrne for €90,000Credit: © Peter Mooney

Byrne jnr said: "I have bought her in partnership with my dad and we're delighted to get her. We used to breed in the past but were out of it for a few years and decided to get back into it, so hopefully she'll be a good mare to restart with."

They plan on making an immediate beginning to their rejuvenated breeding ambitions but have yet to decide which stallion Bridal Knot will visit for her first covering.

Increases across the board

Goffs were rewarded for their decision to expand the sale to three days with improved figures on the 2020 edition, which was the last time it had taken place in a live, physical format.

The weanling section returned a clearance rate of 74 per cent, compared with 65 per cent in 2020, and turnover jumped by a massive 72 per cent on two years ago, up to €3,413,300 from €1,979,900. This year's average of €17,152 was an improvement of 33 per cent on 2020, while the median showed growth of 25 per cent to €10,000.

The overall sale aggregate of €6,020,200 compared with €4,077,700 in 2020, and from just 60 more horses sold this year. The clearance rate of 72 per cent was up on 2020, while the average climbed 18 per cent to €17,103 and the median of €9,000 was up 28 per cent.

Sale statement

Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby said at the conclusion of the sale: "We're pleased to have kicked off 2022 in a positive way and, perhaps more importantly, with a feeling of normality as this is the first sale since February 2020 we have been able to conduct without a raft of restrictions and protocols.

"The result has been a sale of vibrancy that picked up the positivity of the Goffs November Foal and Breeding Stock Sale, with strong competition in each category.

"Of course. comparisons with 12 months ago are largely redundant given the circumstances forced upon us in 2021, but it is heartening to see that the sale has made significant progress when compared to 2020, rising by nigh on 50 per cent."

He continued: "As in November we would like to pay particular tribute to the Shadwell Estates draft from Derrinstown Stud and Baroda Stud as their blue-blooded consignment added additional depth to the catalogue, although there were several other drafts of note for which we are also most appreciative, while we are grateful to the entire vendor group for supporting the sale as their first choice in such huge numbers.

"They have been rewarded with a broad and eclectic buying bench from home and abroad, all of which was backed up by a significant online presence.

"So, all in all, it was a very encouraging start to 2022, which allows us to look forward with a degree of hope and confidence."

Read more

A 50-1 shot against Coolmore's odds-on favourite? Here's one for you(£)

Baroda Stud and Shadwell combine with €125,000 sale-topper

Goffs' €150,000 session-topper bound for Donald McCain yard

Shadwell's Night Of Thunder colt tops Tattersalls February Sale at 175,000gns

Sire power gives vendors plenty to toast at Tattersalls Ireland

'She's ready to kick on' - winning Irish pointer Criquette heads to Alex Hales