The glory was all due to a Tally-Ho stallion named Cotai Glory on an opening day at Goffs Nov. 18 that witnessed reinvestment on a huge level as the ripple effect from the high-end yearling market was felt. It wasn't just foals that buyers were splurging on; the popular coffee cart had run out of sandwiches by mid-afternoon.
While Blue Point sired the day's most expensive foal—a colt sold by Ronan Tierney's Mayfield Farm to Guy O'Callaghan of Grangemore Stud—and a son of Whitsbury Manor's stalwart Showcasing, bred on the same cross as Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) winner Lake Victoria, there was one sire all the buyers wanted.
Fortunately for those looking to buy foals, there were more to be purchased than the delectable ciabattas, and buyers found the progeny of Cotai Glory to be exactly to their taste. Four of the 10 foals to sell for more than €60,000 (US$64,200, €1=US$1.07) were by Tally-Ho's sire of second-crop Prix de l'Abbaye (G1) winner The Platinum Queen.
Most expensive of the quartet was Ardreigh Stud's colt who is the first foal of the unraced Oasis Dream mare Cantata. He was bought by Jim McCartan, bidding online as KM Bloodstock, for €85,000.
The foal was bred by Rory Maher of the Forge Stables in Templemore, County Tipperary, and consigned for him by Philip O'Dwyer. Maher has only recently diversified into breeding, with pinhooking being his main stock in trade, but the steep costs of stallion fees in particular have ensured that both sides of the business have to be financially viable.
"We thought he was a fabulous foal from the day he was born, we were stone mad about him," Maher said. "He has great movement, he's all quality, and has a super attitude."
Maher added: "Our usual thing is pinhooking foals, but we've got a handful of broodmares. We've only just got into it in the last couple of years. The reason we sold the foal is the broodmare part of business needs to make financial sense with nomination fees being quite high. The mares have to pay for themselves."
This particular broodmare has done that and then some.
Cantata was bought for just 2,500gns (US$3,425, 1 guinea=US$1.37) from Norris Bloodstock last February and sent to Cotai Glory, whose covering fee was €12,500 last year. She is a half sister to the listed Prix Luthier third Early Morning, and their dam, the group 3-placed Summer's Eve, is a Singspiel full sister to the Ascot Gold Cup (G1) winner Papineau and a half sister to the St Leger Stakes (G1) and Coronation Cup (G1) winner Silver Patriarch.
Wootton Bassett, sire of four individual juvenile group 1 winners this season, appears on the page under this colt's fourth dam, but Cantata returned to Mullingar this year to visit the Prix Jean Prat (G1) winner Good Guess.
The O'Callaghans of Tally-Ho are known for supporting their breeders and they were also among the buyers for the best progeny on offer by Cotai Glory, going to €64,000 for the colt from Rossenarra Stud.
The chestnut is the first foal out of Heavenly Mark, an unraced Markaz half sister to Quattroelle, the Buena Vista Stakes (G2) winner and Gamely Stakes (G1) runner up by Tally-Ho's leading light Mehmas. Second dam Heavenly River is a Stormy River half sister to the dam of Queen Mary Stakes winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) second Dramatised.
Statistical summary
The demand for foals saw all bar one of the key indicators post improved figures from last year, with the 72% clearance rate the only one lower than in 2023, when it was 75%.
Monday's opening session garnered €3,843,500 (US$4,112,545) in sales, which was a jump of 21% year-on-year. The average of €22,825 grew by 14.5% in that time, while the median leaped 12.5%.
The sale continues Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. local time.
