THERE was no shortage of expectation accompanying this year’s Derby Sale and the leading auction of its kind delivered in style with a set of results that broke new ground on all fronts.
Sales at Doncaster and Goffs in recent weeks boded well for what are a pivotal two days in the National Hunt store market and the heartening trends that have been evidence lately followed through in striking fashion.
As ever, the jumping fraternity’s leading players turned out in force to secure future talent but a notable aspect of this year’s Derby Sale was where the growth took place.
There was a feeling that this could centre around those lots occupying the six-figure bracket but there was just a marginal increase in this area as the number of horses to make at least €100,000 increased from 32 to 33. Furthermore, the top three prices from last year’s sale were out of reach this time around and, of the top 10 lots, nine came from the opening session.
However, this should in no way detract from the Derby Sale as close inspection of other areas of the market highlight where the sale gained ground. For example, the number of lots to make at least €50,000 increased from 110 to 141 and the number of horses fetching between €50,000-€70,000 grew from 56 to 73.
This would suggest that the middle market was the driving force behind this year’s Derby Sale. On the one hand this is ample evidence of the spread of quality that was on offer to buyers this week and it is also the product of what has been a superb few months of trade for young form horses and point-to-pointers.
In short, the Derby Sale provided a fitting finale to what has been a bright summer for the store market.
Trade this week and at the earlier sales must bode well for the all-important foal trade at the November National Hunt Sale later in the year.
TOP LOTS
A €220,000 son of the French sire Kapgarde, who will carry the colours of Alan and Ann Potts, emerged as the star turn of this year’s sale after agent Tom Malone outlasted Aiden Murphy. The first produce of a listed-winning French jumper, Line Salsa, was sold by Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm who consigned another prized lot in the shape of a €150,000 son of Al Namix.
This gelding enjoyed a timely boost to his pedigree when his own-sister was recently placed at Grade 3 level in France and he shares his sire with Henry de Bromhead’s top-class hurdler Petit Mouchoir. De Bromhead bought him on behalf of an existing owner.
QUARRY STUD GOLD
As usual, Ken Parkhill’s Castletown Quarry Stud supplied a number of sought-after three-year-olds and foremost among these was a €205,000 son of Stowaway. The relation to Granville Again and Morley Street is a half-brother to Gordon Elliott’s undefeated triple bumper winner Monbeg Worldwide and he went to Aidan O’Ryan, with Henry de Bromhead the underbidder.
The following afternoon, Castletown Quarry supplied another member of this family in the shape of €125,000 gelding hailing from the popular first crop of Fame And Glory. He was snapped up by M.V. Magnier, who also spent €100,000 on a Dylan Thomas half-brother to the useful Gunnery Sergeant.
Lakefield Farm consigned the Dylan Thomas, who was showing a good return on the €23,000 he cost as a foal.
TOP FILLY
The highest priced filly at the sale was a €155,000 daughter of Shirocco whom David Minton secured for Long Run’s owner Robert Waley-Cohen. Owned by Eclipse Bloodstock Ltd, this filly is a daughter of a French Grade 1 winner whose five runners to date include two stakes winners on the flat and a listed-winning jumper. Waley-Cohen reported that the relation to Nickname could head to France initially before then joining Nicky Henderson.
ELLIOTT’S PURCHASES
Gordon Elliott had the distinction of becoming the first buyer to reach the six-figure mark at this year’s sale when he forked out €150,000 for a son of Doyen consigned by the Cavan-based Glen Erne Stud. The half-brother to the useful Sir Scorpion shares his sire with the promising Elliott inmate Rapid Escape.
Elliott’s other spending took in a Fame And Glory gelding who showed a good return on the €33,000 he cost as a foal when fetching €125,000 on his return to the sales ring. This Mount Eaton Stud offering is a half-brother to Cool Getaway, who commanded a price of £305,000 following his impressive debut victory in a point-to-point last November.
MILAN TO MURPHY
The second day of the sale was headed by a €145,000 son of Milan who went to Bryan Murphy’s Bottle Hill Stud. He was sold by Loughmore Stables and his sale price enabled his connections to enjoy a substantial return on the €85,000 they spent to secure his dam, the Grade 1-placed Belle Brook, at the 2013 November National Hunt Sale.
MOTHERWAY’S BIDS
A bid of €140,000 from Irish Grand National-winning trainer James Motherway enabled him to secure a very well-bred sort in Morning Star Stud’s Beneficial half-brother to the Grade 1 scorer Death Duty.
Motherway was again to the fore on the opening day when giving €125,000 for a Presenting half-brother to the useful Creepy.
WALK IN THE PARK
Agent Aiden Murphy headed his spending when giving €140,000 for two sons of Douvan’s sire, Walk In The Park. The first of these is a half-brother to the very smart French jumper Argentique and the second is a relation to Garde Champetre, who was sold by Peter Vaughan’s Moanmore Stables.
LEADING SIRES
Presenting’s offerings this week were headed by a €135,000 gelding out of the very useful Serpentaria and he went to Joseph O’Brien. On his previous visit to the sales ring, this gelding was picked up by Ballincurrig House Stud client Len Walker for €30,000 as a foal.
A Flemensfirth own-brother to Noble Endeavor is set for a career across the Irish Sea after falling to the especially busy Highflyer Bloodstock team for €115,000.
SELECTED LOTS
Lot 28 (g) Special Kaldoun ex Kermesse d’Estruval
Vendor: Brown Island Stables
Purchaser: Highflyer Bloodstock/Middleham Park
Price: €85,000
Nicky Henderson is to take charge of this French-bred who was the only gelding on offer by his sire. The soft ground-loving Special Kaldoun has only had a handful of representatives in these parts but they have made a notable impact.
Bleu Berry progressed into a very decent novice hurdler in the spring and his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Dandy Mag was recently placed at the top level in France. This gelding’s dam has produced an impressive six winners from her first seven runners.
Lot 176 (g) Buck’s Boum ex Rock Treasure
Vendor: Galbertstown Stud
Purchaser: Tom Malone
Price: €100,000
Easily one of the most intriguing sires with stock on offer at this year’s sale was the promising young French stallion Buck’s Boum. The Cadoudal horse won over hurdles in France and was placed at the highest level and he is an own-brother to the brilliant staying hurdler Big Buck’s.
His eldest crop are only five but have already made quite a notable impression with his best representatives including the Mullins-trained Grade 2 scorer Al Boum Photo.
Lot 190 (f) Network ex Ryme Bere
Vendor: Brown Island Stables
Purchaser: Jessica Harrington Racing
Price: €85,000
For quite some time, Network’s progeny have made a major impact at this sale and this year it was the turn of the Monsun horse to supply one of the most sought after fillies.
Jessica Harrington signed for the half-sister to this year’s winning point-to-pointer Master Of Tara and her price provided Johnny Collins with a fine return on the £16,000 he paid to secure her at Goffs UK in January 2015. This filly is just the third produce out of a half-sister to the Group 3 Prix Eclipse scorer Top Shape and the Grade 1-placed French jumper Matinee Lover.
Lot 262 (g) Presenting ex Victoria Theatre
Vendor: Hillcrest Stables
Purchaser: Stroud Coleman Bloodstock
Price: €78,000
A career with either Venetia Williams or Henry de Bromhead beckons for this gelding who was snapped up by Matt Coleman on behalf of an English-based owner. On both sides of his pedigree this Aaron Metcalfe-owned gelding, who failed to sell as a foal, made notable appeal.
He was one of many popular representatives on offer by his hugely successful sire and he is also a half-brother to the supremely talented Weapon’s Amnesty. The latter’s career was cut short by injury but not before he showed stellar potential in winning twice at the Cheltenham Festival.
Lot 265 (f) Stowaway ex Western Whisper
Vendor: Whytemount Stud
Purchaser: Bobby O’Ryan
Price: €70,000
As an own-sister to four blacktype winners, this daughter of Stowaway looked one of the most attractive fillies on offer and she could represent some value for her new connections. Her dam has produced a total of six winners by Stowaway and this pedigree has taken on a new level of significance over the last year.
In December, the filly’s own-brother Outlander won the Lexus Chase and just a few weeks later another brother, Ice Cold Soul, claimed the Coral Hurdle at Leopardstown. The omens are very positive for this filly who has been bought to join Gordon Elliott.