Lot 108 (c) Cokoriko ex Jalnea
Vendor: Goldford Stud
Purchaser: Garrynacurra Stud
Price: €41,000
This colt was one the highest priced yearlings and he was among a number of quality sorts that the Co Clare-based Garrynacurra Stud picked up throughout the week with a view to resale. Of particular interest is the sire Cokoriko, who is a son of Robin Des Champs, and he achieved his biggest success when winning a listed hurdle at Auteuil.
As a son of leading jumping stallion out of a mare by Nikos, Cokoriko looks a jumping sire of some interest and this was a fine representative from his first crop. The colt also made plenty of appeal on pedigree as he is a half-brother to a listed-winning hurdler in France, out of a half-sister to the Grand National second Saint Are. This is also the family of Vroum Vroum Mag.
Lot 717 (c) Kayf Tara ex Southway Star
Vendor: Ballinaroone Stud
Purchaser: Redpender Stud
Price: €42,000
It was at this sale a number of years ago that Jimmy Murphy pinhooked the subsequent Derby Sale top lot and Cheltenham Festival winner First Lieutenant. On this occasion the Redpender Stud man’s spending took one of the most sought after commodities of the week - a son of Kayf Tara.
Throughout the foal sale the progeny of Thistlecrack’s sire sold especially well and 10 of his 11 foals sold for an average of just over €40,000. This colt’s dam is something of a rarity in that she campaigned exclusively under National Hunt rules for seven seasons and notched up a fine tally of 11 wins.
Lot 722 (f) Flemensfirth ex Friendly Craic
Vendor: Bruce MacTaggart
Purchaser: Brown Island Stables
Price: €38,000
Trade for fillies remains somewhat muted but this very well-related daughter of Flemensfirth certainly captured the imagination of buyers before eventually going to Johnny Collins. Over the last few years this filly’s pedigree has improved markedly and she stood out on paper alone as an own-sister to the classy Three Musketeers, who has already won at Grade 2 level over both hurdles and fences. For good measure, their dam (by Mister Lord) has also produced a Grade 1-placed chaser in Royal Regatta.
Lot 852 (c) Califet ex Persian Forest
Vendor: Clarendon Farm
Purchaser: Aiden Murphy
Price: €45,000
Califet was represented by his second crop of Irish foals this week and a number of these made quite an impression over the course of the sale, which came on the back of a good weekend in Auteuil for the stallion. Califet’s prowess in France is already well established and he has previously been well represented in these parts by the likes of Analifet and Clarcam. It will be intriguing to see how he fares when his initial Irish crops reach the track and this colt, who is out of an own-sister to the very smart Our Ben, looks a likely type having caught the eye of Aiden Murphy.
Lot 1139 (f) Robin Des Champs ex Cailin Eireann
Vendor: Brownstone Stud
Purchaser: Rathbarry Bloodstock
Price: €30,000
As expected, the sire of the late Vautour supplied a number of the most coveted foals on the open market and this lot had the distinction of being the joint second highest priced filly to be sold this week when she went to Paul Cashman for €30,000.
A return to the sales ring is the likely course of action for the second produce out of an own-sister to the very smart staying chaser Gallant Oscar and her extended pedigree warrants a mention too.
With each year that passes this family seems to produce a new blacktype horse and during the 2015/16 season that distinction fell to top novice hurdler Yorkhill.