A Montjeu colt topped Day 1 of the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Co. Kildare on Tuesday.  The Glenvale Stud-consigned colt brought the sales ring to attention when making 300,000 euros to the bid of Sir Robert Ogden’s racing manager Barry Simpson.

The colt is out of the young mare Mayano Sophia (Rock Of Gibraltar).  She was stakes placed at Saint-Cloud and is a daughter of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Tarascon (Tirol).  “We have been here three days looking at horses,” Simpson said.  “He’s the nicest Montjeu that we saw and he has a good, solid pedigree.”

Last Saturday’s G1 Cheveley Park Stakes success of Lightening Pearl was a fitting tribute to her recently retired sire Marju.  He was back in the spotlight at Goffs with a filly from Mayenne that made 260,000 euros.  Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estates was the buyer.

The filly is a half-sister to the dam of Banimpire (Holy Roman Emperor) who was beaten a short head in the latest edition of the G1 Irish Oaks.  Their second dam is 1980 Arc de Triomphe heroine Detroit (Riverman.

Marju’s half-brother to this year’s G2 Prix du Gros-Chene winner Wizz Kid (Whipper) sold to Shadwell for 140,000 euros earlier in the day.

Third on the Goffs leader-board was a Verglas filly knocked down to trainer Paul Cole for 210,000 euros.  She is a half-sister to champion filly Pipalong (Pips Pride) and was bought on behalf of Prince Faisal Salman.

A Galileo colt consigned by Churchtown House Stud was next best at 205,000 euros.  He was purchased by Stephen Hillen on behalf of Dr. Jim Hay.  The Dubai based businessman bought a significant interest in Coolmore’s Group 1 winner Cape Blanco earlier this year.

The colt’s dam Kentucky Warbler was bought by BBA Ireland for 64,000gns in 2006.

Hay also bought a colt from the first crop of Coolmore sire Duke Of Marmalade for 190,000 euros.  He is the highest-priced yearling sold by the sire to date.  The youngster is from Dust Flicker and was pin-hooked for 88,000 euros as a foal.  He will be trained by David Wachman.

The Goffs Orby Day 1 average panned out at 61,063 euros which was 6% below the 2010 figure.  The clearance rate improved 8 points to 84%.  The Sale runs for three sessions until Thursday.

Full results, catalogue and updates are available at www.goffs.com.