Rag Top, Aga Khan mares lead the way at Goffs

Following on the heels of the five-day foal sale, Goffs November continued

apace with broodmares and fillies taking center stage for the first of three

days in Co. Kildare Friday. Topping the sheets during a solid opening session

was Killooley Castle Farm's C L Weld S. (Ire-G3) victress RAG TOP (Barathea

[Ire]), who was knocked down to Yeguada de Milagro for 280,000. Offered as Hip

No. 1417, the seven-year-old chestnut was sold carrying a Noverre foal.

"She was a very good racemare and is a very good looking mare too," Jose

Hormaeche said. "It's a family I know well and we were glad to get her. We are

currently discussing what stallion she will visit next year."

His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs draft is a standing dish at this venue, and

Friday's selection yielded an aggregate 1,222,000 for 15 lots sold. Chief among

them was the winning filly SAGA CELEBRE (Peintre Celebre), who is out of a

sister to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) hero Sagamix. Cataloged as Hip 1534,

the three-year-old went the way of Herbage Stud for 170,000, the day's second

highest price.

The draft also produced the joint-fourth highest price of the day with two

additional offerings. Richard Frisby went to 150,000 to secure Hip 1419,

KALIMANTA (Lake Coniston [Ire], who sold in foal to Sinndar. She is a

half-sister to Breeders Cup Turf (G1) and Champion S. (Eng-G1) winner Kalanisi

(Ire). That price was later matched by Barry Walters for AYLA (Daylami [Ire]).

Offered in foal to Xaar as Hip 1497, she is out of a sister to Irish Oaks

(Ire-G1) runner up Aliysa (Ire), who was disqualified after winning the Epsom

Oaks (Eng-G1).

Highlight of the Swettenham Stud draft was SOVIET ARTIC (Bering [GB], who is

the dam of listed Marble Hill S. winner and multiple Group 1-placed Russian Blue

(Danehill). Selling in foal to Dansili (GB) as Hip 1445, she was purchased by

Marlhill House Stud for 160,000.

Continuing a similar theme to the five-day foal sale, gross returns dropped

just in excess of 23 percent to 7,415,500 while the average fell just less than

8 percent to 47,232.

Selling continues Saturday. Complete results can be viewed at www.goffs.com.