€200,000 sale-topping Ghaiyyath colt strengthens links between Goffs and their longest-standing foal vendors

A posse of high-rolling pinhookers appeared when the Ghaiyyath half-brother to recent Listed winner Pipsy was presented on day two of the Goffs November Foal Sale. 

The Morrins from Pier House Stud were involved beyond the €175,000 mark, as were Michael Fitzpatrick and Barry Mahon, who operate under the banner of JC Bloodstock. But after a string of €5,000 increases it was the O’Callaghan family from Tally-Ho Stud who had the final say at €200,000. 

The youngster is the fourth foal out of Experte, an unraced High Chaparral half-sister to the Wertheimers’ Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Ziyad, and the pedigree goes back to the Wildenstein family of Artiste Royal and Aquarelliste. The dam’s first runner looks a good one as the Ger Lyons-trained Pipsy was last seen landing the Legacy Stakes at Dundalk. 

The six-figure result continued a long and successful association between Goffs and the company’s longest-standing foal vendors, the Finegan family of Milltown House Stud in County Meath. 

“My dad Noel is 93 and has been selling foals at Goffs for 60 years or more, even before the company came to Kill and was still based in Ballsbridge,” said Jill Finegan, whose son Jack led the colt through the ring. 

“He should have been here today but had a hospital appointment and couldn’t make it. He’s fine, though. He’s out in the yard every single morning with me and still telling everyone what they should do!

The Ghaiyyath colt in the ring on Tuesday, when he topped proceedings at €200,000Credit: Sophie Webber Photography/Goffs

“The farm is now run by three generations, with Jack helping out while doing his final year of college. We also have Jean O’Leary here with us assisting at the sales every year, so it’s a real team effort.”

She added: “Eamonn Reilly bought the dam for us [for €42,000] and we sent her to Kodiac for a few years and we thought we’d change tack with Ghaiyyath. We’re always striving to upgrade the stock and get better results. I’m delighted that Tally-Ho Stud bought the colt as we’ve had a lot of dealings with them over the years and they’ve always supported us in that time.”

The Tally-Ho team have already enjoyed some big results with the progeny of Ghaiyyath having sold one of his daughters to Godolphin for 500,000gns during Book 1, while Peter and Ross Doyle went to €360,000 for the filly out of Shenoya at the Orby Sale. The latter had been pinhooked from Ringfort Stud at a cost of 130,000gns. 

“The stallion has been lucky for us before and this colt has a great pedigree and comes from a good farm,” said Tally-Ho’s Roger O’Callaghan. “We’ve been doing business with the Finegans since before my time. My dad and Jill’s father Noel go back a long way.” 

The first crop of Ghaiyyath proved commercial catnip during this year’s yearling sales, with 55 sold lots generating an average price of £129,615 from a fee of €30,000. The group was headed by the colt out of Tickled Pink who sold to Godolphin for 1,050,000gns on day one of Book 1. 

Tally-Ho headed the buyers’ table for the two days with nine lots bought for a combined €611,000. When asked for his assessment of the November Foal Sale market, O’Callaghan said: “Proper order. We've bought six so far today and trade has been seriously good. I’m delighted to see it, everyone getting a few quid. That's the name of the game."

Roger (left) and Tony O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud, who netted the top lotCredit: Sophie Webber Photography/Goffs

Day two followed a similar thread to Monday’s trade with the average down but the median up. The second session saw 250 foals come under the hammer and 206 changed hands at a clip of 82 per cent. Turnover reached €7,608,500, which was down nine per cent against the corresponding session in 2022, while the average slipped by four per cent to €36,935. The median went in the opposite direction by three points to settle at €31,000. 

Bittersweet selling for Hony Hof

There was a strong end to the session when The Castlebridge Consignment presented nine foals from the Gestut Hony Hof dispersal. The group fetched a combined €486,000, six per cent of the session’s turnover. 

The priciest among the group was the Sioux Nation colt out of the Listed-placed Areion mare Wikinger, whose two-year-old colt Wikinger boosted the pedigree by winning the BBAG sales race since the catalogue was released. Goodwill Bloodstock, whose pinhooks are reoffered through either Kilminfoyle House Stud or Mountain View Stud, signed for the colt at €125,000. 

The colt by Sioux Nation who made €125,000 on Tuesday

JC Bloodstock, which also sells through Kilminfoyle or Mountain View, signed at €120,000 for the dispersal’s second biggest offering, the Galiway colt out of the Listed-placed All For Rome.  

The farm’s long-serving Simon Minch reflected on the dispersal by saying: “When you’re selling horses you normally cherry pick what you want to sell, of course, but in a dispersal everything has to go, so there’ll always be a mix of prices; some make more than you think, others less. 

"A lot of the foals were from German lines, which aren’t always what pinookers want, so overall I was very pleased with the prices. My thanks go to Goffs for all their help.”

The Hony Hof dispersal continues during the November Mares Sale on Friday.

Grey gifts

Havana Grey is the gift that keeps on giving. On Tuesday, two more sets of connections felt the benefit of being involved with Whitsbury Manor Stud's rising star when their offerings changed hands for a pair of chunky prices. 

Front and centre was the colt out of Colouring who went the way of Abbeylands Farm at €130,000. The youngster, whose page goes back to the champion Blue Duster, was bred by Whitsbury Manor and consigned by Olive O'Connor Bloodstock, who topped day four of last year’s November Foal Sale with this colt’s sister. 

Tuesday’s transaction was the second six-figure sale for the siblings in recent weeks as the sister, who fetched €68,000 from Ballyphilip Stud 12 months ago, was resold to Joe Foley for 280,000gns at Book 2. 

“He’s been excellent up here and that’s a really good result,” said O’Connor. “He’s very easy-going and so happy to show himself, he’s really relaxed and has such a good walk, everything you want in a foal. He’s been walked off his feet with all the viewings so I had high hopes for him.

“We had the full-sister, who topped the lot on Thursday last year, then went on to make 280,000gns as yearling. Whitsbury Manor bred the two of them so I have to thank them for trusting me to prep them and then bring them to the sale.” 

The Havana Grey colt out of Colouring in the Kildare Paddocks ringCredit: Sophie Webber Photography/Goffs

O’Connor’s connection with the Harper family of Whitsbury Manor means she has had plenty of hands-on experience with Havana Grey’s progeny, and she gave the breakthrough sire a firm vote of confidence. 

“I’ve had a few Havana Greys over the last couple of years and they’ve all been very nice,” she said. “They’re all very alike; confident in their job and happy to be put to work. They all had a bit of go about them and they seem healthy and sound. They’re very determined horses.” 

Reflecting on the state of trade at Goffs, O’Connor added: “We were a little bit concerned about the market based on recent sales but it’s good trade and stronger than we were expecting. We still have to get through Wednesday and Thursday but it’s been good so far.” 

Another breeder to enjoy a big result courtesy of Havana Grey was Jerry Horan of Ballynure Park Stud, who sold a Havana Grey colt to the Morrin family from Pier House Stud for €90,000. The colt is out of Style And Grace, a daughter of So You Think and the Grade 1 Matron Stakes winner Sense Of Style who was bought for just 12,000gns at Tattersalls last December. 

“I’m a big fan of Havana Grey so last year I bought three mares in foal to him, and I’ve bought a couple of yearlings by him this year,” said Horan. “I’m a big believer in the stallion and I thought the mares were good value so well worth taking a chance on. 

“This lad has always been tip-top, he’s a proper colt. I knew coming here that he’d sell and then this morning I was very confident that he’d sell well, but that was still above expectations. Havana Grey is just a super sire.” 

Horan has since traded Style And Grace, but not before she was covered by Capital Stud's Alkumait. Horan has an interest in the Mill Reef Stakes winner, whose profile has been enhanced by the exploits of his Dewhurst Stakes and 2,000 Guineas-winning half-brother Chaldean. 

Jerry Horan: rated the Havana Grey colt out of Style And GraceCredit: Debbie Burt

“Alkumait has a very good pedigree and his foals have been going to good homes, so people are interested in getting involved with him,” said Horan. “There’s a couple of foals by him with lovely pedigrees coming up on Thursday, hopefully they’ll stand out. He covered 105 mares in his first year and then 122 in his second. Chaldean was a big help and their dam, Suelita, is on the verge of being a genuine blue hen.”

Havana Grey has emerged as one of the hottest young sires in Europe with his 28 black-type performers including unbeaten dual Group 1 winner Vandeek, July Stakes scorer Jasour and the Group 3 winners Eddie’s Boy, Elite Status, Lady Hollywood, Mammas Girl and Rumstar. The Whitsbury Manor Stud resident is set to stand 2024 at an increased fee of £55,000. 

Donworth delight at personal best

The first lot to make six figures at this year’s November Foal Sale provided breeder John Donworth with his best ever result. The colt, who was presented by Galbertstown Stables, hails from the second crop of Kildangan Stud’s Earthlight and was knocked down to renowned judge Timmy Hyde from Camas Park Stud at €115,000. 

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Donworth. “He was always a lovely foal but there was some nervous energy watching him sell. We knew he was going to make a few bob but we didn’t expect him to go as far as he did. He was a lovely individual though and a lot of people liked him.” 

The colt is out of Stone Roses, a winning daughter of Zebedee who in turn is out of a half-sister to Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Indian Haven. Stone Roses has bred three winners at paddocks since she was bought as part of Donworth’s “retirement plan” for €22,000 in 2016. 

“I retired on the 16th of November in 2016 and on the 18th November I gave the government some of their money back as I bought two mares here, one of which was Stone Roses,” said Donworth, a dairy farmer by trade who worked for Teagasc, an agricultural agency of the Irish state.  

“We still have the two mares but we might have to expand now. We’ll see, we’re taking it year by year. This is the best result we’ve had and by a country mile. There were a lot of good judges on him and they all showed up in the ring.” 

Donworth said his daughter, Goffs’ senior digital marketing executive Orla, was responsible for the mating between Stone Roses and Earthlight. 

“He was a good commercial option and Kildangan are good for standing the kind of sires that really help smaller Irish breeders like us,” she said. “The mare is back in foal to Earthlight because we were so thrilled with the way this colt was when he was born. 

The Earthlight colt out of Stone Roses who went for €115,000Credit: Sophie Webber Photography/Goffs

“Special thanks has to go to Pa Doyle for consigning him and Peter Molony and Nuala Lynch at Rathmore Stud for prepping him. We raised him ourselves at home in Raheen, Ballyneety and he went to Rathmore for the last month.” 

Earthlight’s progeny have found favour across the sales rings of Europe with his debut yearlings averaging £90,920 for 62 sold. The Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes-winning son of Shamardal stood his first season at a fee of €20,000, which had been clipped into €18,000 by the time the Donworths sent Stone Roses in 2022.

Greenville House in Glory

Up-and-coming consignor Adam Morgan enjoyed a fine result when his Greenville House Stud draft produced the Cotai Glory filly who was sold to Yeomanstown Stud at €100,000.

The filly, who was consigned on behalf of breeder Max Ervine, is the second foal out of the unraced Clearwing. There is so much two-year-old black type beneath the granddam that the second generation of the family took up almost the entirety of the catalogue page. 

“She’s a beautiful filly and all the credit has to go to Max Ervine,” said Morgan. “He sent me a lovely filly and all I had to do was polish her up. As the old saying goes, it’s easy to polish a diamond! She’s been very busy here all week, behaved beautifully and she deserved to make that money.” 

This wasn’t the Kilkenny-based Greenville House’s first big result of the year as the operation sold a No Nay Never brother to Wichita to Alex Elliott, agent for MV Magnier, for 320,000gns during Book 1. Outlining his experience in the industry, Morgan said: “I started off with Maurice Burns in Rathasker Stud and spent nearly eight years with him. 

“Then I moved to Monksland Stables and did a year of yearling prep with Tom Hassett before I decided to branch out on my own. Last year was my first year prepping yearlings out of my own place. We had 18 last year and this year we had 28 and a banner of foals. 

The Cotai Glory filly who made €100,000 at Goffs on TuesdayCredit: Sophie Webber Photography/Goffs

"We’re slowly building numbers up at home and we board a few mares for Ballylinch Stud during the breeding season too. I’ve been very lucky that good people have supported me along the way because you need a leg up in this industry.” 

He added: “My dad, Isaac, bred Fast Company and we would have had the dam of Shattered Love and Irish Cavalier at home as they were bred by my aunt. Horses were always around at home and we have about 25 broodmares now, so we’ll look to slowly build on that.” 

The €100,000 Cotai Glory filly is out of a sibling to six winners, most notably Mill Reef Stakes scorer Galeota and the River Eden Stakes winner Loulwa, who in turn bred the Scarbrough Stakes-winning Justineo. Group 3-winning siblings Brown Sugar and Burnt Sugar, also appear beneath the second dam, as does Grangemore Stud’s Futoon, dam of Charyn and Wings Of War, and Jadanna, who in turn bred Logo Hunter and Darkanna. 

While Morgan was quick to heap praise on the breeder, Ervine insisted that the consignor deserved the plaudits having done a “first-class” job of producing the youngster.

Explaining how he became involved with the prolific family, Ervine said: “Going way back, a gentleman by the name of Paddy Burns from Lodge Park Stud bought me a mare in Newmarket. I’ve had the family ever since. It all goes back to Cafe Au Lait and this filly is the fifth generation. Some of them have done better than others as far as making money is concerned, but it’s nice to see we’re back on track.”

The €100,000 filly formed part of a six-strong haul for Yeomanstown Stud, which also included a €90,000 Starspangledbanner colt from Grenane House Stud. The sextet cost a combined €417,000.

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