Record Breaking Goffs November Foal Sale Concludes

A record renewal of the Goffs November Foal Sale drew to a close today, with a vibrant final session that maintained the strong demand seen throughout the week. The sale returned the highest ever turnover for the November Foals, while the clearance rate rose to 82% across the four days.

Sands Of Mali produced the top two prices on the final day of foal trade, headed by a €100,000 filly offered by Galbertstown Stables (Lot 768). Bred by Tony Cosgrave and out of the Le Havre mare Almarada, she was secured by Finn Kent.

“I thought she was the class act of the day,” said Kent, who knows the family well. “I bought her brother at the Donny Breeze Up a few years ago and he turned out to be a very good horse, and we also had luck with the Phoenix Of Spain we bought out of the same mare two years ago. It was a real upgrade for the mare going to Sands Of Mali - he’s an exceptional stallion and a very good influence. Joe Foley did a brilliant job with him at Ballyhane, and I’m sure he’ll go from strength to strength at Yeomanstown.”

Underbidders on the session topper, Yeomanstown later went on to secure a smashing colt by Sands Of Mali (Lot 984) for €90,000, offered by Ennell Lodge Stud on behalf of Anne Kangley.

The final foal through the ring was a Native Trail colt (Lot 998) who provided a memorable result for the equine students at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), Enniskillen Campus, when selling to Redpender Stud for €80,000.

“We’re absolutely thrilled”, said Gayle Moane, equine lecturer at CAFRE, “We were a little concerned about being the last lot on the last day, but everyone assured us that for the right foal people will come and look at him - and they did!". 

The students purchased his dam, the winning French mare Zarak Star, in foal at last year’s November Breeding Stock Sale from the Godolphin draft.  "We came to see her, loved her, and were lucky enough to get her for €26,000. We could only dream that the foal would go on to sell so well today. It has been amazing - it’s the ultimate reward.”

Foals from the first crop of Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner Good Guess have proven popular at Goffs November, and two featured among today’s top lots. Sebastien Desmontils’ Chauvigny Global Equine went to €70,000 for a filly from Knocktartan House Stud (Lot 802), bringing their tally to three purchased this week on behalf of Hisaaki Saito, the racing owner of Good Guess.

“We’re very happy to be able to support Good Guess here, as the Irish breeders have been supporting him very strongly,” said Desmontils.

Ballintry Stud’s Good Guess colt, the first foal out of the Harzand mare Give Grace (Lot 839), attracted a winning bid of €60,000 from John Foley of GHS Bloodstock. “He is a lovely horse and will be back to resell next year,” Foley said. “The trade here is very, very strong. There have been nice horses all the way through the sale, it’s just so competitive - it’s hard to buy them.”

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At the conclusion of the 2025 November Foal Sale, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:

“There’s no sale on earth like Goffs Foal Sale”.

So said Luke Lillingston, vendor of the top foal this week and it’s a sentiment that we certainly wouldn’t challenge although it is a view that would be shared by many others after four days of sustained demand at all levels. Rarely have I auctioned in a more vibrant atmosphere especially on Wednesday and we can only thank both our vendors for entrusting us with the cream of the Irish foal crop once again together with the array of purchasers for the confidence they continue to show in Goffs November. From single lot buyers on a day out from school to the dynastic families that are the backbone of the industry to elite international buyers, Kildare Paddocks has been a hive of activity from the weekend with the yards rammed each day and vendors reporting record breaking numbers of shows for their youngsters.

Another quote that is often relevant but that we would challenge on this occasion is “you’re only as good as your last sale” as the median price is just short of 12 months ago although the clearance rate is up and the average has held steady. Normally that would cause a degree of angst but not this time as we have effectively matched the unprecedented levels that we reached in 2024 when the sale grew by a gargantuan amount especially at the top when the Wednesday average and median both jumped by over 60%. So, there will be no postmortem and regret but only thanks and celebration after a sale that truly leads the market as we confirmed its status with a trade that was consistent, vibrant and, at times, frenzied to return a level of activity that some thought impossible this time last week.

That said, we are not surprised as Goffs Orby broke records and set the scene for another good renewal and we knew we had been sent the lions share of the best in the country. And as we have said so often, we are nothing without the horses although we have once again proved our mantra that Goffs will deliver, and then some, when we are given the opportunities, and that has all come together so well over the last four days.

Finally, I want to pay tribute to the amazing horsemen and women. The dedication and care that we see day in day out from all those who present foals is inspiring every time a foal is shown. These youngsters are out of their comfort zone for the first time in their short lives but are obviously reassured by the care and understanding that is exhibited each time they are pulled out. As I mentioned, it’s been unbelievably busy but through the downpours of the weekend to the arctic temperatures today every handler has shown their charges with positivity, tenderness and efficiency that has made the job at hand even more enjoyable than ever. We salute and thank them all.

The two-day Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale gets underway at 10am tomorrow.

NOVEMBER FOAL SALE COMPARATIVE FIGURES