This wasn’t just Goff’s usual November Sale consisting of Foals and
Yearlings. No this year it was a bit different for Ireland's premier bloodstock sales company as they were selected to conduct the dispersal of thoroughbred empire Paulyn Ltd on behalf of Paul
Makin. He was selling his entire crop of racehorses from Foals,
Yearlings, Fillies and Colts.
Unsurprisingly the main reason why Goff’s was chosen to conduct the sale was that the November Sale sold the three highest priced foals in Europe in the last ten years.
The event would climax with the sale of this year’s Irish Oaks winning filly, Chicquita. Many were unsure what price this filly would go for but one thing was for sure, she wasn’t going to sell cheap.
I myself made the trip up to Goff’s as the dispersal would prove to be one of the most significant events in international bloodstock this year. I just couldn’t miss it.
In an interview before the sale, Goff’s Chief Executive Henry Beeby said: “Rarely is such a superior collection of horses offered for sale at public auction. It’s a privilege and an honour to be appointed as the Auction House of choice for The Paulyn Dispersal and we are delighted that Paul Makin has put his faith in us”.

From the doors opening at Goff’s, the sales ring started to fill up at an abrupt rate. Everyone of course trying to get a good seat for the selling of Chicquita at the end of the sale.
They were buyers from all over the world looking at the best crop of equine beauty that Goff’s had to offer from local Irish buyers, to
American buyers, Far Eastern buyers and Middle Eastern buyers.
I have been at Goff’s several times for the big sales but I have never seen the ring as full. There was a sense of excitement and anticipation for the start of the dispersal.
The whole sale was really just the curtain raiser for the selling of
Chicquita.
There wasn’t a spare seat to be found so I was left standing.
Many of the onlookers in the auditorium just like myself were only here for the spectacle, not at all interested in buying the beautiful filly unless one of us had a few million euro’s to spare in our pockets.
The sale started off with Auctioneer and Chief Executive Henry
Beeby talking about her pedigree and her “enormous potential” and also the fact she is a “Classic winner and the most gorgeous looking
Filly”.
The bidding started at a reasonable €2 million and immediately a bid for €3 million for the daughter of Irish Derby winner Montjeu was cast by Peter Doyle.
Doyle who many predicted would bid for the filly on behalf of big spending Arab owner Sheikh Joaan Al Thani.
Doyle was standing in the box next to the auctioneer’s rostrum and was wearing a distinctive blue North Face jacket as I had seen him earlier. He was on the phone to presumably Al Thani while constantly looking at the bids on the big screen in the ring.

The only other bidder was James McHale who was relatively unknown in the bloodstock industry who was standing at the complete opposite side of the auditorium, he had glasses and was wearing a navy jumper and white polo t shirt. He had earphones on presumably on the phone taking instructions from another big name owner.
This got the bidding up to €5 million and it was clear it was going to be a war between the two men.
Then McHale made a discrete gesture with his hand displaying his five fingers which brought the price up to €5.5 million.
All eyes in the ring then shot over to Doyle who was pondering cautiously on the phone while Beeby pointed to him saying “Do I have €6 million? €6 million please”.
Doyle then nodded his head and the price went to €6 million. You really would have heard a pin drop in the whole auditorium. It was quite a surreal moment because of how special an occasion this was.
It was very clear that no one else was willing to go above the huge figure as McHale shook his head disappointingly not willing to bid higher.
Beeby then banged the gavel as Doyle was confirmed as the buyer of the beautiful Chicquita becoming the most expensive horse ever sold at auction in Ireland.
There was then a huge round of applause when the star filly left the ring.
Chicquita will now go back into training for the 2014 season nearly certainly guaranteeing big success and then a glittering stud career.