Goffs Ready to Run sale: Two tie for top price as sale posts mixed results

Two juveniles purchased by the bloodstock agent-trainer team of Stephen Hillen and Kevin Ryan tied for the top overall price at Wednesday’s Goffs Ready to Run sale at Kempton Park Racecourse in Surrey, England, which saw modest increases in average and median price but a higher buyback rate as well.

Goffs reported 62 hips sold for total receipts of 1,479,000 euros (approximately $1,890,430), down 18 percent compared with 2012, when 77 sold for $2,294,630. The average price of $30,490 ticked upward two percent from $29,800, while the median price of $25,565 rose 11 percent from $23,010 in 2012. The buyback rate also rose, from 17 percent in 2012 to 27 percent this year.

“We welcomed a large crowd of buyers to Kempton today, dominated by British trainers,” Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby said. “The average and median have both advanced, with the latter jumping to 11 percent, which points to a strong sale, although it was certainly more selective than last year.”

Two hips tied for the top price on Wednesday, each selling for approximately $89,450 (70,000 euros). A bay colt from the first crop of Ballylinch Stud’s Group 1 winner Intense Focus was purchased by Hillen and Ryan from the consignment of Grove Stud. He is out of the unraced Dansili mare Runway Dancer and is from the family of Group 1 winner Dead Certain and Group 2 winner Bannister.

The pair also bought the other top-selling 2-year-old, a Holy Roman Emperor colt, from the consignment of Church Farm Stables partnership. The bay is out of the Grand Lodge mare Catherine Palace. His second dam, Grade 3 winner Tereshkova, is a full sister to Group 1 winner and sire Lycius and a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Akabir and to stakes winner Book Collector.

The leading hip from a U.S.-based sire sold for approximately $64,000 (50,000 euros) to trainer Andrew Balding. By Claiborne Farm stallion Arch, the dark bay or brown colt is out of the winning Gone West mare Doryphar, who set a course record for 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park. Doryphar’s stakes-winning half-sister Ruthian produced three stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner Rutherienne and Grade 3 winner Ruthenia. The colt was consigned by Kilminfoyle House Stud.

To view online results, click here.