Entries for the Goffs London Sale in association with QIPCO have opened with the boutique sale looking to catalogue up to 50 world-class lots featuring horses in training with Royal Ascot entries and a selection of elite breeding stock. The sale will once again take place at The Orangery, Kensington Palace, London, on the eve of Royal Ascot, Monday, 19 June.
The Goffs London Sale has gone from strength to strength since its inaugural year in 2014, when it offered the first Frankel foal at public auction anywhere in the world. The colt, along with his dam Crystal Gaze, who was back in foal to Frankel, sold for £1.15 million.
The first London Sale also featured a top price of £1.3 million for Cappella Sansevero, who went on to finish a close second in the G2 Coventry Stakes the next day.
The 2016 renewal saw Irish 1000 Guineas winner Jet Setting go under the hammer, selling to the China Horse Club for £1.3 million. The catalogue also featured the listed-winning Archipenko mare Lady Penko, who was the first mare to be offered for sale in foal to Investec Derby hero Golden Horn and was knocked down for £360,000.
The Goffs London Sale has sold the highest-priced horses in training (HIT) and recorded the highest HIT average in the UK in each of the past three years. Graduates include Australian G1 winner Pornichet, classic winner Harbour Law and Saudi Arabian G1 winner Smoking Sun, as well as stakes winners such as Realtra, Madam Dancealot and Mirage.
Henry Beeby, Group Chief Executive of Goffs said: “We have been thrilled with how the sale has developed since 2014 but are always looking to improve and refine it. As a shop window on the eve of the most global race meeting in the world, our vision for it is to continue to attract new buyers and investment in our sport.
“To be able to purchase a Thoroughbred on the eve of Royal Ascot and see it run the same week in your name and in your own colours is something we believe is very attractive, and are very grateful to the BHA [British Horseracing Authority], who have enabled this to happen.
“Once again, we would like to thank our title sponsor QIPCO for their ongoing commitment, along with partners Chateau Leoube, Selfridges and Select Mobile. We are also delighted to welcome JetSmarter and Claridges as new supporting partners this year.”
The format for this year’s sale will differ in that there will be no breeze-up section as in previous years.
Nominations for horses in training and breeding stock entries are now open and can be made by contacting Goffs on +353 45 886600 or online at www.goffs.com