The record-breaking €1.8m sale of a filly foal by Frankel out of Finsceal Beo stole the limelight last week as it provided a fitting centerpiece to a memorable November Foal Sale at Goffs.

The months of anticipation that had accompanied the appearance of Frankel’s first crop of foals at Goffs were rewarded with this stunning sale, which eclipsed the previous Irish foal price record of €850,000. In addition, this filly has the distinction of being the third highest-priced foal in European sales history.

From Al Eile Stud, she was bought by agent Dermot Farrington for an undisclosed client after the bidding had opened at an incredible €1.5m. Furthermore, the filly was continuing her family’s rich association with this sales ring: her Sea The Stars half-sister made €800,000 as a foal, while last year her half-brother and Epsom Derby favourite Ol’ Man River topped the 2013 Orby Sale at €2.85m

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Away from the sale-topper, this was a truly amazing sale and the final results broke all previous records. From the outset of the week there was unrelenting demand for foals at all levels of the market, which saw the aggregate of €27.5m jump by 52%. The €37,068 average was an increase of 41%, while the €22,000 median grew by 29% and the clearance rate was an excellent 85%. Further evidence of the strength of the market was supplied by the number of foals to make six figures, which jumped from 19 to 42.

Unfortunately the two-day Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale was unable to follow suit as its returns finished some away adrift of those from 2013.

The Paulyn Dispersal, featuring the €6m sale of Chicquita, had a profound effect on last year’s sale and it helped to attract a number of other high-quality lots which were missing from the latest renewal of the auction.

Even with the exclusion of the Paulyn horses, the turnover dropped by 40% to €7.8m. The average of €26,187 finished 35% down while the median fell by far less as it went from €14,000 to €13,500.

The top lot was the Aga Khan-owned mare Hazariya, who was cost agent Oliver St Lawrence €480,000. Already the dam of two stakes winners, Hazariya is completely free of Northern Dancer blood and she was bought for an English stud.