Snowflakes Tops Strong Goffs Trade at €525,000

Attention turned to broodmare prospects at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale Nov. 21, where lively trade was headed by Snowflakes at €525,000 (US$581,297), with BBA Ireland's Eamonn Reilly landing the winning bid.

The 4-year-old's appeal centered around her pedigree. She is a winning Galileo sister to Winter, who completed the One Thousand Guineas (G1) double and also won the Coronation Stakes (G1) and Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) during a stellar campaign for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners in 2017.

"She's been bought for an American client who keeps his mares in Ireland," Reilly said from his position to the left of Henry Beeby's rostrum. "She's by Galileo, so she speaks for herself. No decision has been made about her 2020 covering."

Snowflakes, who was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment in foal to Coolmore's U S Navy Flag, is the third foal out of Laddies Poker Two, who famously landed an almighty gamble, winning the 2010 Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot.

Barronstown Goes Back to the Well

Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Hall of Fame inductees David and Diane Nagle have enjoyed some notable successes with past purchases from the Goffs November Sale, with Chelsea Rose a recent example.

The daughter of Desert King who topped the 2012 sale at €450,000 ($579,780) went on to produce dual group 1 winner Kew Gardens, by Galileo.

The couple added to their Barronstown Stud broodmare band, going to €330,000 ($365,387) through Reiley McDonald's Eaton Bloodstock for Qatar Princess, offered in foal to Free Eagle by Linacre House Stud.

The 8-year-old daughter of Marju got her broodmare career off to a fine start with her first foal, the Hot Streak filly Flaming Princess, winning the listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge for Richard Fahey and the Cool Silk Partnership.

Her family has already produced some notable performers for the Nagles, as Qatar Princess is a half sister to the Barronstown-bred Royal Dornoch, a son of Gleneagles who landed the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) this year.

"This was Diane's pick," David Nagle said. "We'll send the mare to one of the Coolmore stallions, though we haven't decided which one yet."

Eaton Bloodstock Reloads

The Kentucky-based McDonald also went to €210,000 ($232,519) for the Galileo mare Height of Elegance, who formed part of a dispersal of mares that belonged to Peter Magnier, who died in January.

The Brittas House Stud man is perhaps best remembered for the success he had with the Irish River mare Brigid, from whom he bred Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) winner Sequoyah, later dam of dual classic hero Henrythenavigator and Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (G1) winner Listen.

Brigid also bred two Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling sale toppers in Liffey Dancer, who fetched 2.5 million guineas ($5,333,213) in 2007, and Nazym, who brought 1.7 million guineas ($2,757,468) in 2011, as well as Height of Elegance, who now looks set to continue her breeder's legacy on the other side of the Atlantic.

"The plan is to try to bring more Galileo mares back to America, which we've been doing in small doses for the last few years," McDonald said. "I think sales like this are a great opportunity to come and buy Galileo mares—there's no better broodmare sire in the world, so why not?

"Actually, I'm surprised at how inexpensive some of these Galileo mares have been."

Height of Elegance, who was offered in foal to Caravaggio, is already off the mark at paddocks thanks to the Zoffany filly Zofelle, who recently landed an Oct. 10 allowance race at Keeneland in her U.S. debut for trainer Brendan Walsh and owner Rebecca Hillen.

"Zofelle ran a nice race last (month), and I talked to Brendan this morning and he said he thinks bigger and better things are ahead of her," McDonald added. "Hopefully, she's on the improve."

McCormack Lands Centauri Sister

Few, if any, mares in the November sale catalog could boast the kind of pedigree power Etoile Filante did, and the unraced half sister to four-time group 1 winner Alpha Centauri was duly knocked down to John McCormack at €300,000 ($332,170).

Moreover, the daughter of So You Think, offered by Kiltinan Castle Stud, was sold in foal to Mastercraftsman, meaning the resulting foal will be a three-parts sibling to Alpha Centauri.

"She's been bought for an existing client and will stay here in Ireland," McCormack said. "I hope to send her to Ballylinch if they'll have her. We don't have a plan in terms of a covering for next year, though Lope de Vega will certainly be an option."

As well as her champion sibling, Etoile Filante is also a half sister to the listed-winning Tenth Star and the exciting juvenile Alpine Star, winner of the Debutante Stakes (G2). In turn, they are out of Alpha Lupi, a daughter of champion East of The Moon, herself a daughter of the mighty Miesque.

"She's a nice mare, and the family is one of the best there is," McCormack added. "Alpine Star looks very exciting, and you'd be hopeful she can add to her laurels next year. We're just buying into someone else's great engineering, and the hope is that she'll carry the bloodline forward. She's still young and has a good cover inside her."

The session of vibrant trade saw some sizable gains across the board, with the aggregate up 30% year-on-year to €7,699,300 ($8,524,900). The average rose by 19% €41,620 ($46,081), and the median was up by 28% to €23,000 ($25,466). The clearance rate closed at 86%, with 185 of 216 offered lots finding a buyer.