A good opening session of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, which was headed by 13 six-figure transactions, left the auction well placed to at least match last year’s record breaking results.
At the close of the first day, the turnover for the first half of the sale came in at just under €8.9 million, which was a 9% decrease on last year, and the clearance rate fell from 87% to 82%.
However, the €54,792 average represented an improvement of three points and the median grew from €45,000 to €48,000.
Twelve months ago the Derby Sale produced 33 six-figure lots so Thursday’s session will need to perform especially well to match that tally, but the indications from today’s activity was that there was an upswing in the number of horses making at least €50,000.
That number came in at 141 over the two days 12 months ago but 80 managed that feat today and a similar level of demand throughout tomorrow bodes well for the final figures.
SESSION TOPPER
The day’s trade was topped by a €250,000 son of Kayf Tara whose price surpassed the €220,000 mark which topped last year’s Derby Sale.
Aiden Murphy, standing with his son Olly, saw off all challengers for this relation to the Grade 1-winning hurdler Un Atout who was showing a tremendous return on the €46,000 he cost as a foal.
The gelding was sold by Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm, who also consigned last year’s top lot, and other members of his successful family include the Willie Mullins-trained Gold Cup second Sir Des Champs.
“He’s a lovely, strong, quality type of horse,” reflected Olly Murphy. “He looks a racehorse and he’s by a great sire too. He’s been bought for Barbara Hester who has supported me from the start and let’s hope that he’s a good horse. I’ve nice string of young horses for this season.”
Through his Redpender Stud, Jimmy Murphy has enjoyed some memorable days at this sale with one highlight being the €250,000 sale of First Lieutenant at the 2008 Derby Sale. Even by his own standards Murphy enjoyed a truly outstanding day as his two-lot consignment yielded €390,000.
First, Murphy offered a son of Stowaway and the high-class mare Shop Dj who cost €42,000 as a foal. The gelding will now carry the colours of leading owner Trevor Hemmings after he was knocked down to David Minton for €190,000.
“He’s a gorgeous horse and the plan will be for him to go down to Damien Murphy’s first, like the other ones that we’ve bought today, and then we will bring them over to the U.K. A trainer will be decided on later on,” commented Hemmings.
Not long afterwards Redpender offered a prized son of the late Presenting for whom Gordon Elliott had to go to €200,000. The €40,000 foal is the first produce of a four-time winner and comes from a family that goes back to Arthur Moore’s outstanding two-mile chaser Klairon Davis.
“He’s just a very good looking horse coming off a top farm. The sire speaks for himself and you’ve got some high-class horses in the family too. We were pleased to get him,” commented Elliott.
PEDIGREE ENHANCED
Earlier, Elliott, acting for an existing client, spent €170,000 on a son of Vision d’Etat. This three-year-old was offered by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables and since his private purchase in France as a foal his pedigree has been substantially enhanced as he is now a half-brother to the Willie Mullins-trained Grade 1 scorer Cilaos Emery.
Also destined to race for Elliott is a Court Cave three-year-old who comes from a family that the trainer is especially familiar with. The Fortbarrington Stud offering is out of the top-class handicap hurdler Spirit Leader who has already produced the Elliott-trained Grade 1 winner Prince Of Scars and the-teak tough staying chaser Folsom Blue.
As expected, the progeny of the late Saddler Maker were in some demand and one of these was a gelding from Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm who cost Henry de Bromhead €165,000. The trainer’s purchase is out of a half-sister to the Hennessy Gold Cup winner Triolo D’Alene.
“We’ve all seen what the sire can do and hopefully he might be as good as some of the other ones we’ve seen over the last few seasons. He is a very nice prospect for the future,” stated de Bromhead.
The first lot to hit six figures at this year’s sale was a son of Fame And Glory from Manister House Stud for whom Kevin Ross paid €160,000. The €46,000 foal is out of an own-sister to the Coral Cup winner Ninetieth Minute.
“We were very keen on him and he was one of our picks of the sale. He’s a very athletic type of horse and even at this stage the sire speaks for himself. He will be staying in Ireland and he’s been bought on behalf of an existing client,” commented Ross.
The other notable transactions featured Tom Malone spending €155,000 on a son of Martaline and the blacktype-winning Reform Act, while M.V. Magnier went to €125,000 to secure a son of Kayf Tara.
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Day 1
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2018 233 197 161 8,821,500 54,792 48,000
2017 230 210 182 9,684,000 53,209 45,000
2016 213 186 152 7,175,500 47,207 36,000
READ RYAN McELLIGOTT'S FULL REPORTS AND ANALYSIS FROM THE TATTERSALLS IRELAND DERBY SALE IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD