Star-studded Niarchos draft featuring G1-winning mares Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star headlines Goffs November Sale on Nov 24-25 – and don't miss out on Tattersalls Ireland Sapphire Sale on Nov 17.
Ireland: Rarely does a collection of the magnitude of that belonging to the Niarchos family come on to the market. Yet that is exactly what will be available to buyers who attend the breeding stock segment at this month’s Goffs November Sale on November 24 and 25.
Under the direction of Stavros Niarchos and latterly his daughter Maria Niarchos-Gouaze, the Niarchos horses have been a constant presence within the sport’s elite for the best part of six decades.
No fewer than 67 G1 winners have carried their silks, among them champions of the brilliance of Miesque, Divine Proportions and East Of The Moon, breed-shapers of the ilk of Nureyev, Kingmambo and Machiavellian and then such top fillies as Alpha Centauri, Alpine Star and Albigna, themselves among the 41 horses catalogued to Goffs.
The power of such a draft, which is being handled by Baroda, Kiltinan Castle and Norelands Studs, naturally had the bloodstock world’s full attention when the details were released by Goffs in mid-October.
But before anyone tries to consign this powerful operation to the history books, it must be stressed that the draft heading to Goffs is merely reflective of a restructuring. Indeed, around 120-head will remain in the fold at the end of it including the accomplished older horses Piz Badile and Passenger.
The allure of the Niarchos draft lies in the fact that not only is it deep in racecourse talent but each offering is supported by a major Niarchos family.
The Pasadoble line, which struck initial prominence through Miesque, is the backbone to Alpha Centauri (1263; in-foal to Sea The Stars), the champion 3yo filly in Europe of 2018 by virtue of her sweep of the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas, G1 Coronation Stakes, G1 Falmouth Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, as well as her talented younger half-sister Alpine Star (1240; in-foal to Frankel), who emulated her sibling by winning the G1 Coronation Stakes.
Both descend from Pasadoble and Miesque through the latter’s champion daughter East Of The Moon. Further opportunities to buy into the Pasadoble line arise with Raja Ampat (1259; in-foal to Baaeed) and La Fiamma (1181; in-foal to Mehmas), both of whom descend via champion miler Six Perfections.
G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Albigna is offered in-foal to St Mark’s Basilica as Lot 1212. 
The line belonging to the family’s G1 Prix de Diane heroine Northern Trick is also well represented, notably by the proven producer That Which Is Not (1260; in-foal to Frankel), whose first foal Piz Badile won the G3 Ballysax Stakes and was second in the G1 Irish Derby.
Then there is the famous Coup De Genie family, represented in this instance by the stakes-placed Malicieuse (1262; in-foal to Wootton Bassett), a half-sister to Arc hero Bago catalogued alongside a handful of her daughters.
There is also an interesting filly for the future in Foniska (1156), a Galileo daughter of G2 winner Bocca Baciata who was the recent easy winner of the Listed Navigation Stakes at Cork.
With others catalogued such as Phaenomena (1237; in-foal to No Nay Never), who is the dam of Group winners King Of Koji and Harajuku, alongside the Group-winning racemares Martini Glass (1161; in-foal to Starspangledbanner), Dawn Wall (1183; in-foal to Saxon Warrior), Only Mine (1185; in-foal to Siyouni), Liquid Amber (1209; in-foal to No Nay Never) and Mississippi Delta (1210; in-foal to Camelot), it’s little wonder that Goffs are looking forward to welcoming a deep array of leading domestic and international buyers to its Kill complex.
This isn’t the first time within recent years that Goffs have handled a major draft of horses from one breeder. Who can forget the Paulyn Dispersal in 2013 where the Prix de Diane heroine Chicquita for €6m to Peter and Ross Doyle?
Three years later, it was the turn of the Wildenstein horses to come under the hammer. Spread across the Orby and November Sales, it was headed by the sale of Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour for €1.6m to Peter Brant.
“We had an exceptional sale last year, one that was very strong and vibrant,” says Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby. “And even before the Niarchos draft was announced, we were in the process of putting together another very good catalogue.
“There was a very good draft of Niarchos mares in last year’s sale and they sold very well. It’s the old cry from Goffs – give us the horses and we’ll deliver, and we not only delivered last year but the sale exceeded expectations.”
Led by the Galileo mare Aspiring, who sold for €790,000 to the BBA Ireland/Lucky Vega Syndicate, seven mares sold for €500,000 or more at last year’s renewal. The turnover hit €16.5m for an average of €55,398. The buying power of the BBA Ireland and the Lucky Vega Syndicate dominated the top end of the market, accounting for 19 lots worth €5.625m.
“It’s a huge thrill and privilege for us to be able to offer the Niarchos horses,” adds Beeby. “They have been at the top table for so long. It’s an extraordinary achievement, the culmination of a lot of love and judgement. And what is especially appealing about the draft is that it gives the opportunity to buy into these families that have been so carefully curated for so long.”
Champion among Hony Hof dispersal
The Niarchos draft will take centre stage but it is far from being the only enticing aspect to the November Breeding Stock section.
The Castlebridge Consignment is handling a dispersal of Manfred and Edith Hellwig's Gestut Hony Hof, which includes champion German 2yo filly Ocean Fantasy (1141; in-foal to Lope De Vega).
Plenty of the stud’s success derived from the Sacarina family via her champion daughter Salve Regina and understandably there are several options to buy into this powerful line, notably through Listed winner Salve Venezia (1146: in-foal to Calyx) and her dam Salve Aurora (1147; in-foal to Waldgeist). The stud also boasts the distinction of having bred the popular stayer Princess Zoe; her half-sister Palace Girl (1142) is catalogued in-foal to Churchill.
As ever, there is a powerful draft from Godolphin, in this instance highlighted by the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Ambivalent (1275; in-foal to Sea The Stars), one of those elite animals who was not only a G1 winner but has also become a G1 producer (as dam of G1 Prix Vermeille winner Teona).
The 2011 G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Lyric Of Light (1279) and G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Be Fabulous (281; in-foal to Ghaiyyath), herself the dam of three black-type horses, are also among those catalogued.
Don’t forget, Danega, the dam of this season’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi, was sourced out of the Godolphin draft for just €16,000 at last year’s sale.
A 13-strong draft from the Aga Khan Studs contains representatives of many of that operation’s respected families, while away from the bigger drafts, there is the chance to land a G1 producer in Manister House Stud’s Laurelita (1246; in-foal to Starspangledbanner), whose top-class daughter Fev Rover was the easy winner of this year’s G1 E. P. Taylor and Beverly D. Stakes.
Matilda Picotte (1258) comes into the sale in excellent form having won her last two starts, the G3 Sceptre and G2 Challenge Stakes for Kieran Cotter. Also third in the G1 1,000 Guineas, the daughter of Sioux Nation appears to have plenty more racing in her while appealing as a valuable broodmare prospect.
Another with G1 form to her name, Insinuendo (1252), is offered by trainer Willie McCreery as the winner of four races including the G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes. They are two of several young talented racemares on offer alongside dual Listed scorer Cairde Go Deo (1232) and this season’s Pipalong Stakes winner Dha Leath (1283).
Those digging in the catalogue will most likely identify several potentially good pedigree updates on the horizon. Coming into that category is Trustworthy (1123; in-foal to Camelot), a descendant of Urban Sea whose half-brother Ocean Of Dreams ran out the impressive winner of his debut for Aidan O’Brien.
She is offered by the Castlebridge Consignment, as is last year’s Cheshire Oaks heroine Thoughts Of June (1264; in-foal to No Nay Never).
Foal sale gems
The ever-popular foal sale, set for November 20 to 23, has enjoyed another strong year on the track, ranging from the high-class 2yos Haatem and Indian Run (bought by Rea O’Connor for just €6,500) to the Classic-placed Arrest.
Many of Europe’s leading stallions are represented once again this year including Dubawi, the sire of a colt out of G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime (767), Galileo’s first G1 winner.
Nightime has become an outstanding producer for the Weld family, with G1 winners Zhukova and Ghaiyyath, also by Dubawi, the highlight of her seven winners. Ghaiyyath topped the 2015 renewal of this sale when sold for €1.1m to John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin and another brother, Al Nafir, repeated the trick four years later, in his instance when sold for €1.2m. It doesn’t take too much imagination to envisage their younger brother taking a similarly high standing this time around.
He is followed into the ring by a Dark Angel half-brother to this season’s G3 Chester Vase winner and G1 St Leger runner-up Arrest from Swordlestown Little (768).
Progeny of their dam Nisriyna are something of a standing dish at this sale – Arrest was bought for €440,000 by Juddmonte Farms in 2020 while a Wootton Bassett colt sold last year for €340,000, also to Juddmonte – and this Dark Angel colt, who is bred along similar Acclamation lines as another talented one out of Nisriyna in Dinozzo, should also be popular. Swordlestown Little also offer a Night Of Thunder half-brother to G2 winner Terebellum (749).
Another likely to take high order is the Hello Youmzain half-brother to Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi; he was purchased in utero by his breeder Duncan McGregor for just €16,000 at Goffs last year.
Sea The Stars has a draft of seven including a sister to G2 winner Endless Time (744) while Wootton Bassett’s quartet includes a granddaughter of blue hen Magnificient Style (635).
New Bay’s septet includes the half-brothers to G2 winners Breton Rock (636) and Folkswood (742). There is one Kingman catalogued in a filly who is closely related to Sea The Moon (581). That same family also sits behind a Lope De Vega filly (579), one of nine catalogued for her sire.
Exciting first-crop sires
The bloodstock world enjoys little more than discussing the merits of young sires and there will be no shortage of that again given the catalogue contains the first foals by G1 winners St Mark’s Basilica, Palace Pier, Space Blues, Japan, Lucky Vega, Starman and Supremacy.
Coolmore’s champion St Mark’s Basilica has a draft of five including a filly out of the aforementioned German champion Ocean Fantasy (532), sold as part of the Gestut Hony Hof dispersal.
It has been well documented how strongly G1-winning 2yo Lucky Vega has been backed, notably by his owner Yulong Investments.
There is a snapshot into the belief in him in the 33 foals catalogued, which are are highlighted by a half-sister to G3 Grand Prix de Vichy winner One For Bobby (534), a half-sister to G2 winner Real Appeal (572) and a colt out of G2 Queen Mary Stakes winner Gilded (437). A Ghaiyyath half-sister to Lucky Vega himself is catalogued as Lot 559.
Another young sire likely to be popular among pinhookers is the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Space Blues. The son of Dubawi has 22 catalogued including one with a very active pedigree in Lot 601, a half-brother to the recent Listed-winning 2yo Romantic Style, herself a Goffs November Foal graduate.
A Camelot colt out of G1 Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina (599) and the brothers to G1 performers Flotus (686; by Starspangledbanner) and Gear Up (692; by Teofilo) also take the eye on paper as does a Phoenix Of Spain daughter of top South American mare Furia Cruzada (432) and an Earthlight half-sister to G1 Natalma Stakes winner La Pelosa (733).
A pedigree update has also already come the way of Lot 472, an Inns Of Court half-brother to recent Listed Prospect Stakes winner Ballymount Boy, as well as Lot 360, one of eight catalogued from the first crop of Lope Y Fernandez whose stakes-winning half-sister Transient was second in the G3 Dowager Stakes.
Similarly, Amorevole is now a two-time stakes winner having recently bagged another Listed event in Italy; her Bungle Inthejungle half-sister sells as lot 398.
Current black-type juvenile form is also attached to a Ghaiyyath half-brother to recent Listed Legacy Stakes winner Pipsy (424), a Sergei Prokofiev half-brother to G2 July Stakes winner Jasour (611), and a Supremacy half-brother to G3 Park Stakes winner Caught U Looking (620).
Supremacy is also the sire of a half-sister to high-class Californian mare Quattroelle (704) while a mammoth representation belonging to Starman includes the half-brothers to G1 winner River Boyne (658) as well as the multiple Group-placed Soprano (735).
Tatts Ireland Sapphire
This important period for the Irish breeding industry kicks off on Friday, November 17, with the Tattersalls Ireland Sapphire Sale.
The one-day auction, a collection of yearlings, foals and mares, is a relative newcomer to the calendar but it has become an important part of the breeding stock sales season, thanks in part to graduates such as G1 Matron Stakes winner Champers Elysees, a mere €12,500 foal purchase by pinhookers Aughamore Stud, and US G2 winners Bellabel and The Lir Jet, bought for €33,000 and €9,500 respectively.
By coincidence, one of the highlights of this year’s renewal is a Cotai Glory half-brother to Champers Elysees (147) from Railstown Stud. Also boasting eye-catching G1 connections is Lot 156, a Galileo Chrome half-brother to the G1 National Stakes winner Al Riffa from Starfield Stud.
Successful first-crop sire Soldier’s Call is also the sire of a half-brother to top Qatar performer Dubday (109).
Overall, there are foals by proven sires such as Mehmas, Havana Grey, Invincible Spirit, Dandy Man and Sioux Nation to pick from. There is plenty of stock by young sires for pinhookers to get their teeth into as well - for instance, the pair of foals catalogued by Ghaiyyath consist of a half-sister to Listed winner Arabian Legend (89) from a powerful branch of the Alruccaba family and a colt out of the G3-winning, stakes producer Kykuit (146).
A collection of 81 yearlings opens proceedings, the highlights on paper being a Dark Angel colt out of G3 Queen Mary Stakes winner Maqaasid and a New Bay filly out of Listed winner Need You Now (56). Stock by the likes of Earthlight, Kodiac, Make Believe and Waldgeist are also among those catalogued.
• Visit the Goffs website and the Tattersalls Ireland website
• Visit the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing website
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Class and value: why Irish yearling auctions are an attractive option – year after year
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