Goffs to hold charity auction as week-long foal sales hit €22m

Goffs are set to raise thousands of euro for charity with a special auction tomorrow.

This week's five-day November Foal Sale saw an incredible top price of €1.1m reached for a foal today.

Total sales reached almost €22m as more than 750 horses were sold.

Tommorow's auction, in aid of the Ann Hanley Parkinson’s Research Fund, has already been supported by Ballylinch Stud, the Irish National Stud and Yeomanstown Stud.

All funds raised at the auction will go directly to the Ann Hanley Parkinson’s Research Fund.

Kentucky-based Irishwoman Ann Hanley, wife of former Curragh trainer and current manager of Winstar Farm David Hanley, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 49.

Over the past number of years Ann has dedicated her time and energy to being a member of a research team led by Professor Greg Gerhardt and Dr Craig Van Horne in Kentucky.

Their ground breaking work on a surgery known as Deep Brain Stimulation Plus Nerve Graft is showing great promise from initial research patient results and could potentially change the course of Parkinson’s Disease.

Ann Hanley explained: “Parkinson’s Disease truly is a complex syndrome, a combination of many symptoms wrapped into one disease, a disease with no cure and a very difficult medicine routine.

"We need to fund more patients in this research."

Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby added: “Parkinson’s Disease is a disease that touches virtually all of us in one way or another and we are pleased to be able to help in a very small way by holding the nominations auction at Goffs at a time when so many breeders will be here.”