A TOP price of €270,000 smashed the previous record at the ever popular Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale which once again played host to a strong day’s trade yesterday.

Twelve months ago this sale witnessed a landmark total of seven six figure transactions headed by a €170,000 son of Candy Ride who had the brief distinction of being the top priced horse ever to come under the hammer at this sale. This time around though the sale had already produced nine six figure transactions through the first 155 lots.

The unquestionable star turn of the day’s proceedings came in the shape of Shamardal colt from Willie Browne’s Mocklershill Stables.

A fast breeze meant that the relation to Fulbright, Baltic King and Domingues was always going to be in demand but trade at the head of the market was such that the sale’s record price went into orbit.

Eventually it was the BBA Ireland’s Eamon Reilly who secured the colt on behalf of long standing client Maura Gittins. Reilly reported that his purchase, who was showing a terrific return on the 30,000gns he cost as a yearling would be going into training in Britain.

A number of the day’s top lots were providing their connections with a superb dividend on their initial purchase price and none more so than a son of the crack juvenile Requinto offered by Thomond O’Mara’s Knockanglass Stables. He cost a mere €3,000 at Goffs in February but on his return to the sale ring his price shot up to €165,000 when he came to David Redvers. The colt had produced an exceptional effort in his breeze at Gowran on Thursday afternoon.

Redvers, a long standing supporter of this sale, made a series of notable purchases which began with the €100,000 acquisition of a Kodiac colt from Tally-Ho Stud.

In the last two years Redvers has bought Bear Cheek and Terror - both stakes-winning daughters of Kodiac - from Tally-Ho. Later in the day Redvers, who was accompanied by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, forked out €135,000 for a daughter of Dark Angel hailing from Horse Park Stud.

A son of First Defence will carry the classic-winning Al Shaqab colours after he came to Peter and Ross Doyle for €155,000. A $35,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the colt was sold by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables and is likely to join Richard Hannon.

The first six figure transaction of the day came when Adam Driver spent €160,000 on an Invincible Spirit colt hailing from the Hyland family’s Oghill House Stud. A career in Britain beckons for the relation to the smart juvenile Albabilia who was led out unsold at 14,000gns at the yearling sales last year. Driver quickly added to his tally as 11 lots later he spent €155,000 on a son of Kyllachy who was picked up for 32,000gns as a yearling. This sale continued a splendid run for Grove who supplied last week’s €800,000 sale topping Frankel at Arqana.

As is traditionally the case at this sale, the Tally-Ho draft was central to the day’s proceedings and the farm was also responsible for a half-sister to Bear Cheek who cost Matt Coleman €110,000. From the first crop of Sir Prancealot, the filly was bought to join Robert Cowell. In addition, the Mullingar-based farm also supplied a €75,000 son of Dandy Man who came to Michael O’Callaghan. In 2015 O’Callaghan paid the same amount for the Tally-Ho-consigned Blue De Vega.

Bill Gredley’s colours, which were carried with such distinction by the great User Friendly, will be worn by a son of Pivotal who came to agent Alex Elliott for €150,000. The own-brother to the Queen Mary Stakes third Hairy Rocket cost Jim McCartan 30,000gns last October.

Among the varied international purchasers to make their mark was Singapore-based Peter Lau Pak Fai and, intriguingly, he did his bidding over the internet when securing a son of Paddy O’Prado for €85,000. The Goresbridge graduates that have made their way to Singapore in recent years have reportedly made a notable impact there. Another American bred colt to catch the eye was a son of Creative Cause from Con Marnane’s Bansha House Stables who came to Anthony Stroud for €82,000. The colt is a half-brother to the smart French-based juvenile Absolute Music while Stroud was underbidder on the aforementioned Bear Cheek at this sale last year.

Marco Botti, who sent out Knife Edge to claim the German 2000 Guineas earlier this week, will take charge of another son of Zoffany who came to Jamie Lloyd for €72,000. Offered by Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm, the colt comes from the family of the top class middle distance runner Scorpion. Oak Tree also supplied a daughter of Dutch Art and she was snapped up by Bobby O’Ryan for €72,000.

Sale round-up in next week’s issue