Today’s online January Sale broke new ground for Goffs as COVID-19 restrictions forced the Horses-in-Training and Breeding Stock to be offered in a timed online auction which resulted in 36 horses selling for a turnover of £1,138,100.
Topping the online auction was the Stuart Crawford trained Hollymount (Lot 52). A half-sister to the Gr.2 placed pair Windsor Avenue and Ravenhill, the mare won her debut bumper by an impressive eight-lengths last month and was sold to Bective Stud for £300,000.
Hollymount was sold on behalf of Peter and Alan Buchanan who said after the sale: “it was a nerve wrecking and exhilarating experience watching the auction countdown, we were kept on the edge of our seats as the bids kept coming in. Goffs did a great job, they have proven their online system can sell these elite horses and we are delighted with the result. We wish the Morans and Gordon the best of luck on the racecourse and hope that she helps to further enhance the pedigree before enjoying a long career in the breeding shed with Apple’s Jade.”
The sale saw three horses sell for six-figure sums, the others being Mill House Stud’s dual Grade 1 winning mare La Bague Au Roi (Lot 62) which sold to Kevin Doyle and Peter Nolan for £170,000 and Yorton Farm’s Buck's Bee (Lot 83), a half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winner Big Buck's, which sold to Coolmara Stables for £125,000. A total of 275 online bids were taken across the sale.
Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent commented on Goffs’ first timed online auction:
“This was very much about breaking new ground for Goffs and we were delighted with the first attempt. Having to sell online was obviously not our first choice but given the current circumstances we had no other options and we felt it was worth offering an outlet for their horses. We were thrilled with the support that we received from our vendors and we are delighted with the outcome.
“A top price of £300,000 is fantastic for any sale and three six-figure prices is a great advert for these online sales. We are not going to pretend that trade was strong at all levels of the market but that reflects the current market and there is every chance that we would have seen the same outcome if these horses were sold in a traditional format.
“We will now review the sale and get feedback from vendors and purchasers. There are always improvements that can be made with any sale and whilst lockdowns continue in the UK and Ireland, we will look at other options for the Goffs Online platform in the coming months.”
Offered: 71 Sold: 36 (51%) Aggregate: £1,138,100 Average: £31,614 Median: £10,250
View the results