Goffs Orby sale: Raven’s Pass yearling leads first session

A filly from the third crop of 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass sold for about $706,425 (520,000 Euros) to pace Wednesday’s opening session of the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Co. Kildare, Ireland. The first session of the boutique auction concluded with a higher total gross from more horses sold compared with the opening session in 2012, but also saw small declines in both average and median.

At the conclusion of Wednesday’s session, Goffs reported 177 yearlings sold for a gross of about $21,036,470 (15,484,000 Euros), which represented a 14 percent increase from 2012. Wednesday’s average price of about $118,860 dipped two percent from last year, while the $74,735 median decreased four percent.

Twenty-one yearlings brought 200,000 Euros or more to lead the session on Wednesday, led by the session-topping Raven's Pass filly, who was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum’s Shadwell Estate Co., from the consignment of Knocktoran Stud. The bay filly was one of four yearlings featured in the sale as part of the dispersal of Citadel Stud, which was operated by the late owner and breeder Gerry Oldham. She was bred in Ireland and is out of the Group 3-winning Montjeu mare Albisola, and is from the family of St. James’s Palace Stakes winner Most Improved. Shadwell representatives outbid bloodstock agent David Redvers for the filly.

The session’s second highest price, and the top colt, was an Irish-bred son of Coolmore’s elite international sire Galileo, snatched up by that outfit’s M. V. Magnier for about $577,430 (425,000 Euros). The bay colt is out of 2005 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Saoire, who has produced stakes winner Requisition and two other winners to date. Requisition, an Invincible Spirit colt, is campaigned by Coolmore.

The two-day Goffs Orby sale concludes on Thursday.

For complete results from the first session, click here.