A €50,000 Network gelding was the star turn as the two-day Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale got underway with a session that was comfortably able to outperform the corresponding day from 2016.
An improved level of trade for the day produced a clearance rate of 71% which was an eight point progression on 2016. Furthermore, there looked to be more activity in the upper reaches of the market than was the case in 2016, as evidenced by an average (€10,562) and median (€7,000) which grew by 36 and 35 points respectively.
The French-bred top lot, who is already named Son Of The Hunter, looks set to head down the point-to-point route in 2018 after going to Rathbarry Stud’s Paul Cashman for €50,000.
“We’ll probably look at going down the point-to-point route next spring,” declared Cashman. “He’s a good looking, athletic horse with plenty of size to him and the sire produces high-class runners year in year out.”
FIRST CROP
The first of several €40,000 transactions came when Tom Malone secured a three-year-old half-brother to three winners from the first crop of the Irish St Leger winner Sans Frontieres.
“He’s the first one that I’ve bought by the sire but I like what I see as he seems to be getting some very nice stock,” reflected Malone. “This horse has been bought for Richard Gilbert, who has several different trainers in the U.K., so I’m not sure where he will be going into training. I would image that he will be aimed at a bumper next year with a view to being resold.”
The €40,000 mark was also reached by a Shantou gelding out of a half-sister to the Thyestes Chase winner My Murphy and he fell to Kevin Ross, who has enjoyed some notable success with the sire. Earlier, Ross paid €30,000 for a son of the popular Doyen out of an own-sister to the high class Sackville.
Meanwhile, Alan King will take charge of a €40,000 son of Malinas after he was knocked down to David Minton. Glenwood Stud’s £15,000 yearling purchase is a half-brother to the King-trained Grade 2 scorer Valdez.
Earlier in the day, trainer Eric McNamara picked up a couple of popular lots which came in the shape of a €38,000 Oscar half-brother to the useful Bentelimar and a €33,000 son of Vinnie Roe.
TOP FILLY
Nicky Richards is to train the day’s top-priced filly after agent Gerry Griffin went to €33,000 for a daughter of the late Fame And Glory.
“She’s a smashing filly and has been bought, to join Nicky, on behalf of an existing owner. I loved her when I first saw her and we knew that it wouldn’t be easy to buy her so we’re pleased to have gotten her,” reported Griffin.
Another in-demand filly was a €32,000 Flemensfirth who had been picked up for €13,000 when offered as a two-year-old at this sale last year.
The daughter of a listed-winning French jumper was knocked down to Bobby O’Ryan who declared that this purchase was bound for Gordon Elliott.
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Day 1
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2017 336 268 191 2,017,250 10,562 7,000
2016 331 277 174 1,351,100 7,765 5,200