Goffs planning repeat of online sale following overseas interest
Taramansour heading to Australia as records tumble
So much interest was received in Thursday’s success story that was the virtual Goffs Autumn Horses In Training Sale that organisers will adopt the same approach for the Autumn Yearling Sale on November 17-18.
More than 250 people registered for online bidding and two lots surpassed the top price from last year’s physical event. Goffs group chief executive Henry Beeby reported that 944 bids were placed online from 12 different countries, with 56 horses selling through the online platform and another six by telephone bidding.
Paso Doble (Dawn Approach) led the way at €125,000 (approx. AUD$204,175), with Tom Malone selecting him for a future jumping career with Paul Nicholls, while the more traditional buying method was chosen by Billy Jackson Stops for the €105,000 (approx. AUD$171,500) acquisition of Taramansour (Dansili), a maiden winner from the Aga Khan’s draft who is bound for very different shores.
“He was for Matt Cumani in Australia,” the agent explained. “I was terrified of an internet malfunction when it was for that sort of money, so I actually did it over the phone with [Goffs marketing director] Joey Cullen.
“Matt’s having a great run, including a second in the Victoria Derby the other day, and we had a bit of luck with a horse called Future Score, who won the Cranbourne Cup.
“This horse is perfect for Australia, a Dansili three-year-old with form on decent ground. He had a similar profile to Crystal Pegasus, who was bought for Australia for 190,000gns last month, so at €105,000 I think he slipped a bit under the radar.”
The average rose 24 per cent year-on year to €16,448 (approx. AUD$26,870), with turnover rising three per cent to €1,019,800 (approx. AUD$1.66 million), despite 13 fewer lots being sold, with such results in unprecedented times prompting the change of thinking regarding the upcoming yearling sale.
Beeby said on Friday: “While none of this ideal, it’s a solution to the current Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland, and we’re grateful for the positive reaction of vendors and buyers, who embraced the concept with huge enthusiasm.
“The ‘Goffs Online’ platform has proven to be an important asset since the pandemic outbreak and has been widely used in a supporting role at all our sales in the UK and Ireland. Yesterday’s sale was the first fully online sale and we were very encouraged by the level of bidding activity via the user-friendly platform, which ran smoothly throughout.
“In advance of the sale, the key buyer information was available on the Goffs website, including videos, photos, vet certs, passports, heights and weights, and this type of content will become the norm for all Goffs sales going forward to maximise international participation.”