'She’ll go to Willie Mullins' - positive start for Goffs February point-to-point offering as Lady Aurora brings €125,000

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Two six-figure lots capped a positive introduction for the point-to-point section of the Goffs February Sale. 

A dozen point-to-pointers came under the hammer on Thursday and 11 of those found a buyer for a clearance rate of 92 per cent. Those transactions saw aggregate sales reach €585,000, with an average price of €53,180 and a median of €47,000. 

The highest price of the session was given for Denis Murphy’s Lady Aurora, a winner on her second outing at Ballyvodock. Aubrey McMahon was among those impressed by that performance as the agent bid €125,000 to secure the five-year-old daughter of Muhtathir. 

“I saw her in September last year at Denis’s and I also saw her as a three-year-old at the sales,” said the Temple Bloodstock man. “When I saw her in September I really liked the physical and she won very well. She ran at the back end as a four-year-old but she put in a great performance last time.

Aubrey McMahon signs for Lady AuroraCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

“She jumped really well and she’s a lovely filly. I have a photograph of her from September and, looking at her today, I'd say she's grown half an inch. I had an order from a man looking for a good horse. She has the physical, sire and pedigree, and she jumps really well. She'll stay in Ireland, and I think she’ll go to Willie Mullins.” 

The French-bred, who hails from the family of Good Risk At All and Arzal, was added to Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables team at a cost of €50,000 during the 2024 Arkle Sale. 

The other six-figure lot will head across the Irish Sea after agent Dan Astbury went to €100,000 for Onehellofalaugh. The four-year-old son of Postponed landed a Tallow maiden on his debut for Derek O’Connor, who consigned the youngster through his Fiddaun Farm.

Dan Astbury after signing for Tallow winner OnehellofalaughCredit: Sophie Webber Photography

“He’s been bought for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, and he’s hopefully a bit of value,” said Astbury. 

“I actually saw him doing a bit of work a few weeks before he ran, and I know plenty about him. He put in a stellar performance given how much condition he had on him for a four-year-old. I hope he’ll be a nice novice hurdler next season and a good staying chaser in time.” 

That winning start did wonders for Onehellofalaugh’s valuation, as he was last seen fetching just £3,500 when signed for by Clive Early at the Goffs UK January Sale in 2023.

Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby reflected on the inaugural February point-to-point offering in his wider end-of-sale statement, saying: "The new point-to-point section attracted a large group of buyers despite some pre-sale predictions and would have benefited from further entries if the weather had been kinder – have we ever seen a January as wet as this one? – as we had more buyers than lots for the category, so ensuring a very competitive trade. 

"With a top price of €125,000, it made a good start to ensure it will become a regular feature of the sale in future. It just makes so much sense when we’re here and the handlers can do a day trip. If we get more favourable weather in early 2027, it will only grow."

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