Mehmas Colt Tops Day One of Goffs November Foal Sale

The Goffs November Foal Sale got under way a month later than scheduled Dec.18 with the now familiar coronavirus precautions and restrictions strongly enforced.

Tally-Ho Stud has unearthed another diamond in Mehmas, who has swept all before him this year, with the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) scorer Supremacy one of 54 individual winners sired by the son of Acclamation.

The combination of record-breaking freshman sire and the Veitch family's Ringfort Stud, breeders of Mehmas's Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (G2) winner and Middle Park (G1) third Minzaal, proved irresistible to buyers who waited late into the evening for lot 279.

It was the O'Callaghan family of Tally-Ho Stud who went to €75,000 (US$92,026) to purchase the colt they already know an awful lot about.

"We sold the yearling full brother this year for £26,000 and he is with Richard Hannon. This colt is a much better model than him, and he will be for resale next year," said Tony O'Callaghan.

On Mehmas, who has obliterated the record for winners by a freshman sire, O'Callaghan added: "We are so pleased with Mehmas, he has done brilliantly. It's unreal to think that he has 54 winners now and he could get a few more before the end of the year."

O'Callaghan's purchase is out of Vida Amorosa, an unraced Lope De Vega half sister to the dam of Listed Westow Stakes winner Garrus, who hails from the family of the champion 2-year-old, group 1 winner and influential sire Danehill Dancer.

The final lot of the evening was another fine Mehmas colt, thus ensuring that plenty of buyers hung around until the hammer fell for the last time on Friday night.

Vinesgrove Stud consigned the first foal out of an unraced Morpheus mare from the family of the multiple group 2 winner and five-time group 1-placed Stormy Antarctic.

The colt was purchased for €40,000 (US$49,081) by Paula Flannery of Egmont Stud, helping Mehmas achieve an average price of €39,333 and a median of €40,000—which was four times that of the session as a whole.

Avenue Bloodstock cut out the running

Much of the early running for session-topping honors was made by a son of Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St James's Palace Stakes (G1) winner Dawn Approach who sold for €70,000 (US$85,891) to Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock.

Offered by Clare Manning's Boherguy Stud, the colt is a half brother to the Palace House Stakes (G3) winner Far Above, who will stand at Starfield Stud next season.

He is out of the winning Shamardal mare Dorraar from the family of Prix de l'Opera (G1) winner Nahrain, also the dam of Caulfield Cup (G1) winner Benbatl, and is bred on a variation of the cross that produced Prix Morny (G1) and Middle Park Stakes (G1) winner Earthlight—who is by Shamardal and out of a New Approach mare.

"He's a very nice colt who I have bought for an existing client, and he will most likely be kept to race," McStay said. "He's a half brother to a very fast horse who is an exciting young sire for Jack Cantillon and Micheal Orlandi.

"Dawn Approach himself was a fast horse and he's a sire I have had a bit of luck with personally. The mare has already bred a good horse and hopefully this one will be too."

McStay was back in the thick of the action for Arglo House Stud's Dandy Man colt out of Rip Van Music, a daughter of Park Express Stakes (G3) winner Danehill Music.

The Avenue Bloodstock agent was forced to dig deep for the colt with an athletic walk, securing him with a bid of €60,000 (US$73,621).

"He's a lovely horse, the nicest individual here today I think. He's been bought for a pinhooking syndicate to sell next year through Baroda Stud," said McStay.

"The sire has had an excellent year and this colt's half brother is in training with John McConnell, whose horses are doing very well. This foal is a very nice type and we had to stretch a bit to get him but hopefully he will be lucky."

Murphy at the double

Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud bought his first Fast Company foal at Goffs on Friday, going to €40,000 (U$49,081) for the colt out of the Montjeu mare Nisma consigned by Ballyogue Stud.

Nisma was placed in France and is a half sister to the listed Prix Six Perfections third Militante, who in turn is the dam of the Prix de Lieurey (G3) winner and dual group 1-placed Wind Chimes.

"I haven't had one by the sire before but he's a proven stallion and this foal has a very good pedigree and is a gorgeous-looking horse so it all added up," remarked Murphy.

Murphy's Redpender operation has enjoyed a fruitful association with the stallions who have stood at Ballyhane Stud down the years, having bred National Stakes (G1) winner Toormore by former resident Arakan, while the current roster's headline act Dandy Man gave them Dick Poole Stakes (G3) winner and Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) fourth Happy Romance.

Murphy returned to the source of success when going to €29,000 (US$35,584) for a filly by Happy Romance's sire offered by Milestream Stud.

The March foal is the second produce of Nuclear Option, who was placed over a mile at three and is a half sister to listed Woodcote Stakes second Danielsflyer, a son of Dandy Man.

Sea The Moon in demand

The only foal offered for sale at Goffs this year by Lanwades Stud's Sea The Moon—sire of this year's Coronation Stakes (G1) winner Alpine Star, who was also second in the Prix de Diane Longines (G1), Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) and Prix de l'Opera Longines (G1) for Jessica Harrington and the Niarchos family—was the most expensive filly sold on Friday.

Brendan Holland of Grove Stud was the buyer of the January-born foal for €50,000 (US$61,351).

The filly was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment and is the first foal out of the unraced Excelebration mare Exploitation, whose dam is a half sister to Paddy Mullins' Irish Oaks (G1) winner Vintage Tipple. It is the further family of American Derby (G2) winner and sire Overbury and the history-making Melbourne Cup (G1) hero Vintage Crop.

Friday was the first of three foal sessions for the Goffs November Sale and turnover was €2,188,200 (US$2,672,665) from 158 foals sold with the clearance rate at 62.2%. The average price was €13,762 (US$16,916) while the median figure was €10,000 (US$12,270).

The Goffs November Foal Sale continues Dec. 19 at 10 a.m.