Record Day One Price for Mehmas Colt at Goffs November

There will undoubtedly be bigger bidding battles to come as the week progresses, but the consensus around Kildare Paddocks Nov. 15 was that the Goffs November Foal Sale had got off on a decidedly solid footing.

The session saw €3,384,500 (US$3,872,620) worth of foals change hands, which helped push the average price up to €19,451 ($22,256), a 41% increase on last year's corresponding session, while the median rose by 60% to €16,000 ($18,307). The clearance rate was 77% as 174 lots found a buyer.

The auditorium was never more packed than when the very last lot entered the ring, and Vinesgrove Stud's Mehmas  colt (Lot 245) duly topped the session by clear water when selling to Tony O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud at €140,000 ($160,191)—a record price for day one.

The colt is the second foal out of Dutch Monarch, a winning daughter of Dutch Art  who cost Vinesgrove's Paul McEnery just 6,000 guineas ($8,014) in 2018. The mare has quickly recouped that investment as her first foal, a colt by Galileo Gold , sold to Peter Nolan Bloodstock for €95,000 ($109,986) during last month's Sportsman's Sale.

"We loved the yearling and we tried to buy this colt after we saw him in the field in July, but they wouldn't sell him," said O'Callaghan shortly after he had outbid Willie Browne. "He'll come back for resale."

Dutch Monarch is a sibling to two winners, including this year's listed-placed 2-year-old Gwan So . Shadwell Stud Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) winner Regal Rose features as the Mehmas colt's third dam.

On the stallion, O'Callaghan said: "He's an absolute star and had a very good Breeders' Cup with a winner (Going Global , in the Goldikova Stakes Presented by PNC, G2T) on the Saturday undercard) and a second (Malavath , in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, G1T). It couldn't be going any better for him."

Starspangledbanner's Hot Spell Continues

Leading the list of prices for much of the day was the Starspangledbanner  filly out of Sandtail (Lot 125) offered by Airlie Stud, who was knocked down to Glenvale Stud's Ciaran "Flash" Conroy at €62,000 ($70,941). The dam, a daughter of Verglas, has produced one winner from two runners, namely Goodwood maiden scorer Gold Award.

Sandtail is a sibling to eight winners, most notably Criterium International (G1) scorer Zafisio  and the group-placed Lansky. The filly, who was conceived at a fee of €22,500, becomes comfortably the most expensive foal the dam has produced.

"She did absolutely everything right at the sales and we're over the moon," said Airlie Stud's Anthony Rogers. "She had a little bit more size than others in the family. The mare isn't that big so I'd have to credit the sire for that. We might have to have a look at going back to Starspangledbanner next year, although we haven't really decided (on mating plans) yet."

Conroy's purchase continues a fruitful association with Coolmore resident Starspangledbanner, who has been represented by the likes of State of Rest , Brooklyn Hustle, Castle Star , and Flotus  in 2021. Such results have seen the son of Choisir  upped to a fee of €35,000 for the 2022 breeding season.

"Hopefully she'll be the top lot next year too!" Conroy said when informed his purchase was heading the market. "Starspangledbanner is a top stallion and I've been lucky with him before. I sold Flotus, who I bought here, so we've a big affiliation with the stallion."