Mícheál O'Brien of Creighmore Stables was in a daze after topping Tuesday's opening session of the Goffs Arkle Sale with a Goliath Du Berlais gelding out of a Muhtathir half-sister to the Grade 3-winning hurdler Raffles Sainte (Saint Des Saints). Offered as lot 201, he was knocked down to Gordon Elliott for €275,000.“It's a serious result for my farm in east Cork. It's not a big place and to turn that sort of money is a big help,” said the consignor, who had pinhooked the top lot for €40,000. “I'm a big believer in the sire. He was a lovely yearling, in fairness, and he didn't have to change a whole lot to become a lovely three-year-old. It hasn't really sunk in yet. It's a lot of pressure looking after him for a long time. There's a lot of relief.“It's a brilliant sale, it's really fired up, in fairness to Goffs. Horses exist in a bubble of their own. It's a brilliant sport, it's been brilliant to me. What other sport could you do this in?”There was strength in depth to the buying bench on Tuesday, including trainers from Ireland, Britain and France and their representatives, as well as point-to-point traders. That resulted in a robust clearance rate of 91%.In addition, turnover was up by 27% compared to last year at €13,171,500, while the average increased by 19% to €64,885 and the median rose by 18% to €58,000.Another vendor in clover at the end of the session was Tony Costello of Treannahow Stables, who topped the consignor's table after selling seven lots for a total of €733,000.In the space of 10 minutes, Costello sold lot 71, a Doctor Dino gelding from the family of the top-class chaser A Plus Tard (Kapgarde), to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for €265,000, and lot 74, a Beaumec De Houelle gelding from the family of Grade 1-winning hurdler Grivette (Antarctique), to the Holden family's Coolmeen Farms for €130,000.“It's not easy,” said the point-to-point trainer and producer. “I have travelled so many miles, all over France, Ireland and England, sourcing these horses. We've worked our socks off to put ten good stores together for this sale to meet that market.“I've had great help from the staff at home and my own family, and great support from Willie Mullins and all the buyers. Paul Holden, who bought the second horse, underbid the first one. It's tremendous to think that the hard work is paying off. It doesn't always. You don't always get paid for it but, in this case, we've been paid in spades. I'm honoured to be here.”Goffs Arkle Part 1 continues at 10am on Wednesday, featuring a session of two-year-old stores in the evening, and will be followed by Arkle Part 2 on Thursday.The post Goffs Arkle Sale Off To A Flying Start With €275k Goliath Du Berlais Gelding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.