SOME extraordinary demand for the best stores on the open market drove the Goffs Land Rover Sale to a new high as the opening day of the company’s flagship National Hunt sale made strong gains in several key areas.

A session that saw the number of six figure lots grow from 10 to 14 and produced 34 transactions of €70,000 or more – as opposed to 30 last year – gave rise to a turnover of just under €10.5 million which was a 21% increase on 2017.

The €48,389 average grew by 12 points, while the €38,000 median matched last year. A larger number of horses offered on the opening day impacted on the clearance rate though which dropped from 93% to 84%.

RECORD PRICE

Previously the record price for the Land Rover stood at €215,000 but that mark was bettered on three occasions with the day’s star turn a superb €325,000 son of Flemensfirth who was bought by Paul Nicholls.

The sale-topper, who was also the top-priced foal at the 2015 Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale when fetching €110,000, was sold by Ballincurrig House Stud and his dam is a half-sister to the brilliant two-mile chaser Master Minded.

As a son of one of the great National Hunt sires and from a hugely successful French dynasty, this gelding then became the subject of the most memorable five minutes in Land Rover history.

Gerry Hogan, Kevin Ross, and Aiden Murphy were all doing battle for him after the price moved past €200,000 but Paul Nicholls quickly countered every challenge to secure this most prized of three-year-olds.

“Paul knows the family so well and was very keen to have him. He’s been bought for Paul Berber and Paul Vogt who has previously had horses like Zubayr at Ditcheat,” said Tom Malone, who was standing with Nicholls.

Previously the pace was set by a son of the late Saddler Marker, from Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm, who cost Henry de Bromhead €235,000. Aiden Murphy and Tom Malone both bid over €180,000 on this relation to the Racing Post Chase hero Innox but neither could match De Bromhead for the three-year-old who shares his sire with the likes of Apple’s Jade.

“I’m thrilled. I bought him privately in France when he was very young and it was at a time before Saddler Maker went on to hit the heights and we’ve now seen what a loss he is. He’s been a gorgeous horse all the way along and he’s gone to a good home and hopefully he’ll be very lucky,” reflected Williamson.

HURRICANE FLY

For a brief period a €230,000 son of Camelot, who has Hurricane Fly among his siblings, held the distinction of being the highest-priced lot in Land Rover Sale history when he was snapped up by Anthony Bromley.

The gelding was offered by Frank Motherway’s Yellowford Farm, where he was bred, and was the subject of a lengthy battle between Bromley and Gerry Aherne. The former would not be deterred in his quest for this prized gelding whose other relations include last season’s top-class bumper horse Tornado Flyer.

Back in 2009, Yellowford picked up the gelding’s dam for €63,000, which preceded Hurricane Fly’s extraordinary run of success that saw him stand alone as the world record holder for Grade 1 triumphs.

“He’s a simply stunning horse and both Nicky (Henderson) and I loved him. He could easily be a horse for the bumper next year,” reflected Bromley.

“He’s got size and strength but he’s got the bloodlines to come to hand too and with Tornado Flyer in there it’s still a very current family. We had hoped to get him for less but felt that he was a likely sale topper all the same.”

Leading agent Aiden Murphy may have missed out on the Saddler Maker but he struck for a €210,000 son of Kayf Tara. This grandson of Sadler’s Wells was sold by Dick Frisby’s Glenwood Stud and his sale represented a monster pinhooking triumph as he was picked up for £29,000 as a yearling. Murphy’s purchase will be trained by his son, Olly.

Another high profile purchase by Murphy was a €140,000 Flemensfirth half-brother to the Cheltenham winner Black Hercules. He was sold by Ciaran Conroy’s Glenvale Stud having been picked up for €37,000 as a foal.

GOLD CUP HERO

The Highflyer Bloodstock team were especially busy throughout the day and a flurry of major purchases by David Minton was headed by a €190,000 son of Jeremy. Minton was acting on behalf of leading owner Trevor Hemmings for the relation to the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King who cost Dan Melody €33,000 as a foal.

Meanwhile, Manister House Stud, which has been a nursery of some renown since it was founded by the late Frank Barry and his wife Liz in 1978, supplied a Beat Hollow own-brother to the exciting Hollowgraphic for whom Gordon Elliott and Aidan O’Ryan had to go to €170,000. The €24,000 foal also has the Grade 3-winning mare Dawn Shadow among his siblings.

Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls, who were acting for owner Colm Donlon, struck for a €150,000 Presenting own-brother to the Grade 2 scorer El Bandit, while Emma Lavelle will take charge of a €120,000 son of Shantou. The Shantou was sold by Kitty Cowhey’s Loughmore Stables on behalf of former trainer Christy Roche and he was bought on behalf of owner Nick Mustoe.

“He’s a really smashing horse. He’s very athletic and Nick absolutely loved him when he saw him first. He’s a very athletic horse,” explained Hogan.

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YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med

2018 269 257 216 10,452,000 48,389 38,000

2017 259 214 198 8,592,000 43,394 38,000

2016 351 316 275 9,410,500 34,220 28,000

READ RYAN McELLIGOTT'S FULL SALE REPORT & MARKET COMMENT IN THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND