Trade at Sportsman's Sale mirrors the Million

THE ONE-DAY Sportsman's Sale brought to an end the week's action at Goffs yesterday and, in keeping with the Million and other recent yearling sales, it witnessed a downturn in trade.

Reduced from two days to one the sale produced an average of €12,007 as against the €14,479 taken in last year while the median dropped from €10,000 to €7,500. From 232 less horses offered the turnover went from just under €5.2m to nearly €2.4m.

"Trade today followed a similar trend to that witnessed in the Million although the scale of the slow down was happily less severe and the clearance rate came in a 73 percent," commented Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby.

"Clearly the world economic crisis has had a negative impact throughout this week but even more specific tothe Sportsman's are the current problems with the Italian racing industry. Italian buyers are traditionally among the leading purchasers here and while we were delighted to welcome several buyers from Italy this week the numbers were significantly down on previous years.

"Overall it has been a tough week which coincided with the world financial crisis. The current recession in the Irish property market undoubtedly had a negative influence with many Irish property developers who have been such active purchasers in recent years notably missing from the list of buyers this week.

"This is a problem unique to Ireland for while we have enjoyed their patronage in recent years we have certainly felt their absencevery keenly this week," he concluded.
Dermot Weld and Bobby O'Ryan held sway yesterday and the pair combined for a €90,000 son of Dubai Destination from Castlemartin Stud. The colt is a son of the Phoenix Stakes runner-up Yarawho has already produced a pair of Stakes winners.

"He's been bought for an ownerwith Dermot Weld and he's a good sort out of a very good racemare," commented O'Ryan, whose other purchases included a €60,000 ElusiveCity colt from Ballyhane Sales and a €44,000 Captain Rio colt who will be going into training with Mark Loughnane for owner Raymond Yeung.

The last Indian Ridge yearling to pass through the sales ring at Goffs was snapped up by Weld for €75,000. From the Irish National Stud she is a half-sister to the promising juvenile Anice Stellato who made a winning debut at Newmarket in August.

"She's by Indian Ridge who has been very lucky for me and she's also closely related to Definite Article who is by Indian Ridge and won an Irish National Stakes for me before being touched off in an Irish Derby. She looks like she will mature into a very nice filly," stated Weld.

As the sale neared its conclusion Joe Osborne, who was acting on behalf of John Ferguson, bested Bobby O'Ryan for an €80,000 Anabaa filly out of a Listed-winning mare.