Orby finishes on an even note

Goffs wrapped up their Orby Sale

Thursday with a low-profile third

session, after which the figures

remained largely similar to 2009.

While the overall average of €47,800

was down by 4 percent, the

€29,000 median was up by the same

and the Sales Company's Chief

Executive Henry Beeby said, "The

general feeling over the last few days

has been one of real positivity with

Kildare Paddocks welcoming every

targeted buyer to this year's Orby

Sale. Indeed, we have received

countless compliments about our

marketing of the Sale, although a lot

of that is down to the superb

racetrack results of Goffs graduates

over the last 18 months.

"Those

results flow from the excellent

yearlings we have selected with our vendors each year and the pay back is that

those Irish

breeders who have supported us with their best stock have been well rewarded in

the sales

ring. On the facts there is no denying that the market has been selective, but

there have been

plenty of success stories and happy breeders/pinhookers, especially on Days 1

and 2. That

has been endorsed by the general consensus that the good ones have been as hard

to buy as

ever and we are grateful to the vendors who have stepped up to the mark with us.

This year's

Sale has been a consolidation of our Focus is the Horse policy that we

introduced last year

with a smaller catalogue that placed the emphasis well and truly on the

individual. That policy

has certainly met with the approval of the buying bench which has been as strong

as ever at

any sale.

"The statistics may well show a slight fall in turnover and average," Beeby

added, "but there are so

many positives from the 2010 Orby Sale -- a top price that was double last year's,

two lots

realizing over €500,000 compared to none last year, a 3.6 per-cent rise in the

median price,

some significant new buyers who have vowed to return having been very impressed

with all

aspects of the Sale and a really positive atmosphere from start to finish."

Dubawi dominate much of Thursday's

lower-key proceedings and the sire of

Makfi and Poet's Voice

supplied the top-priced colt and filly.

Hip 601, from Ballybin Stud, is a

May-foaled half-brother to the 2002 German One Thousand Guineas (Ger-G2) winner

Portella (Protektor) and her listed-placed brother Predator

who was snapped up by John

Ferguson for €80,000.

Darley's Mick

Buckley, who bid for the colt, said,

"He's a May foal, but we've seen him

a few times and he's progressing and

maturing all the time. He's bred along

similar lines to Poet's Voice, as he's a

son of Dubawi from a Danzig-line

mare."

Stamina Turf Sl purchased the top-priced filly for

€56,000. Offered by John Jones and Kildangan

Stud. Hip 515 is out of an unraced half to the

2002 Prix Maurice de Gheest (Fr-G1)

winner May Ball (Cadeaux

Genereux) and Godolphin's listed-winning Rampallion

(Daylami).

Of the first-crop sires represented Thursday, Dylan Thomas (Ire) proved the

star turn when

his Hip 641 sold to Peter Doyle Bloodstock for €45,000. From Barnane Stud, she is

a

half-sister to a Scandinavian champion in Xstase (Trempolino).

Full results can be

found on www.goffs.com.