THE traditionally pivotal six-week stretch in the National Hunt store market got off to a bright start at last month’s Goffs UK Spring Sale but trade moved on to an altogether higher level at Kildare Paddocks this week.
By any measure this was a vintage edition of the Land Rover Sale.
The number of six-figure transactions improved from six last year to 11 this time around.
From 100 fewer lots, the number of horses making at least €70,000 improved from 24 to 30.
Crucially, the sale’s growth wasn’t just restricted to just the upper end of the market, as evidenced by the Part 2 section on Wednesday. Admittedly this session did produce an unprecedented €175,000 top lot but it is worth recalling that in 2016 just two horses made €40,000 on this day whereas that number grew to 12 this time around.
The leading buyers from both sides of the Irish Sea did battle for the choice lots, while the point-to-point fraternity, buoyed by some very strong sales from that sphere, were again busy accumulating future talent for next year. Indeed the level of trade out of the point-to-point field in recent months gave considerable cause for encouragement before the summer store sales got underway last month.
SLIMMER CATALOGUE
A critical factor in the performance of this year’s Land Rover Sale was undeniably the smaller catalogue which helped to concentrate and focus demand rather than having it spread too thinly.
In the current climate less means more and a slimmed down catalogue certainly played its part this week.
The reduction in numbers took place through Part 1 and with 100 fewer horses on offer the clearance rate for this section jumped from 87% to a remarkable 93%. Interestingly, the clearance rate for Part 2 advanced by just two points and this offered a telling reminder that a significant increase in supply to the market place in the coming years will only serve to spread demand too thinly.
That aside this was a superb edition of the Land Rover Sale and one that surely bodes very well for when the focus of the store market switches to the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in less than two weeks.
TOP LOT
Remarkably it was Part 2 of the sale that supplied this year’s top lot which came in the form of a superb son of Balko, from Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm, who fell to Aiden Murphy for €175,000.
The gelding, already named Etat Des Flos, enjoyed a timely boost to his pedigree when his own-brother Vision Des Flos made a winning debut in the Land Rover Bumper. Vision Des Flos, who then fetched €270,000 at the Goffs Punchestown Sale, is the first produce of the mare and a host of buyers were understandably keen to secure this well-related sort.
A lengthy exchange, which saw the bidding commence at €10,000, concluded with Murphy carrying the day and the agent reported that his purchase would join Philip Hobbs team for a partnership of three existing owners with the trainer.
O’BRIEN SPENDS
Joseph O’Brien held sway during Part 1 when he secured a trio of six-figure lots headed by a €160,000 son of Getaway whose initial runners have made a significant impression on the track. The sale-topper was offered by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables and was showing a terrific return on the €16,000 he cost as a foal in November 2014. Tom Malone had to settle for the role of underbidder on the relation to the Grade 3 winner On The Other Hand.
Earlier, O’Brien and Malone clashed for a €150,000 son of Network who also fell to the first-named. The €67,000 two-year-old purchase was sold by Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm who have the distinction of selling the last two winners of the Goffs Land Rover Bumper.
O’Brien’s spending spree was rounded off by a €100,000 gelding from the first crop of the late Fame And Glory. The relation to the smart Frisco Depot was consigned by Peter Molony’s Rathmore Stud having fetched €28,000 as a foal.
MALONE STRIKES
Although he missed out on the two highest priced lots, Tom Malone would not be deterred in his pursuit of a son of Kapgarde from Busherstown who made €125,000. Malone opened the bidding at €100,000 for the son of the useful French jumper Hillflower and quickly dealt with the challenge of Nicky Henderson. Paul Nicholls will train this gelding for owner Colm Donlon who has previously had the likes of Caid Du Berlais with the trainer.
Mouse Morris, who has made plenty of high profile purchases at this sale in the past, was again to the fore when giving €120,000 for a Getaway three-year-old from Lakefield Farm. This €14,000 foal is out of a winning daughter of Old Vic.
The prolific Gordon Elliott headed his spending with the €115,000 acquisition of a Robin Des Champs gelding. This Walshtown Stables offering is a half-brother to Alan Fleming’s Cheltenham Festival winner Tully East.
Elliott also spent €100,000 on a Getaway half-brother to his promising bumper winner Miracle In Medinah and he forked out €95,000 for a son of Robin Des Champs who is the first produce of the top-class Voler La Vedette.
WALTERS
Prominent owner Dai Walters sourced one of his best runners, Oscar Whisky, from this sale in 2008 and he made a series of notable purchases over the course of the opening session.
His spending was headed by a €110,000 son of Oscar out of an own-sister to the top-class Walters-owned runner Whisper. Nicky Henderson is likely to take charge of the Goldford Stud offering, while Gordon Elliott looks set to train an €85,000 son of Shantou who also went to Walters.
The owner rounded off his spending by giving €90,000 for a Martaline half-brother to the Grade 3-winning chaser Aerial.
TOP SIRES
Bobby O’Ryan was another purchaser to hit the €100,000 mark when he secured a son of Presenting out of a winning Accordion mare. The agent confirmed that his purchase would remain in Ireland for an existing client.
An Oscar gelding, who was picked up for just €15,000 as a foal by John McClenaghan, fetched €95,000 on his return to the sales ring when he was knocked down to Gerry Hogan. Emma Lavelle will train the three-year-old.
Also coming in at €95,000 was a Soldier Of Fortune gelding out of a half-sister to the Triumph Hurdle winner Zaynar and the multiple Grade 1 scorer Zaidpour. Ryan Mahon signed for the grandson of Galileo and confirmed that he would go into training in England.
Part 1 also witnessed a good level of demand for the fillies on offer and these were headed by a €75,000 daughter of Yeats who went to former trainer Colm Murphy.
This filly is a half-sister to the Red Mills Hurdle winner and dual Grade 1-placed Tombstone.
SELECTED LOTS
Lot 27 (g) Soldier Of Fortune ex Lana Jolie
Vendor: Kilminfoyle House Stud
Purchaser: Margaret O’Toole
Price: €80,000
Already named Noureev, this gelding was pinhooked for 7,500gns out of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. As a son of Soldier Of Fortune he shares his sire with jumpers the calibre of Mega Fortune and Slowmotion and he comes from an interesting flat pedigree.
His dam was a useful stakes-placed runner on the continent and further back this is a family that contains the Group 1 winner Lune D’Or and European champion miler Luth Enchantee.
Lot 90 (g) Mahler ex Rachel’s Choice
Vendor: Weir View Stud
Purchaser: Gordon Elliott
Price: €70,000
Over the last couple of seasons, Mahler has established himself as a sire of some promise in the National Hunt sphere and all five of his progeny sold on day one for an average of almost €32,000.
The pick of the quintet was this gelding who was showing an excellent return on the €11,000 he cost as a foal.
It was appropriate that Gordon Elliott should sign for the son of a bumper-winning Ela-Mana-Mou mare as he is responsible for the stallion’s best runner to date in the exciting Sutton Place.
Lot 122 (g) Midnight Legend ex Somethinaboutmolly
Vendor: Lakefield Farm
Purchaser: Aiden Murphy
Price: €62,000
On another good day for the Bleahen family’s Lakefield Farm, this gelding turned quite a profit having been picked up for just £5,000 at Doncaster in January 2015. This three-year-old was the only horse on offer at this year’s sale by the same sire as the Gold Cup hero Sizing John and that alone made him an intriguing offering.
Presumably a career in Britain beckons for this grandson of Night Shift whose sire passed away last year having quietly amassed a formidable record at stud.
Lot 227 (g) Jeremy ex Drumbug
Vendor: Pine Tree Stud
Purchaser: Select Racing Bloodstock/Tim Vaughan
Price: €85,000
The late Jeremy continues to show what a loss he has been to the country’s National Hunt ranks and was reflected in the appetite for the progeny of the Danehill Dancer horse. In all, 14 of his 15 offspring to pass through the ring on Tuesday sold for an average of just over €45,000.
Foremost among that group was this gelding who was turning a good profit on the €20,000 he cost as a foal. The half-brother to the capable winner Grange is out of a placed own-sister to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero Captain Cee Bee.
Lot 231 (f) Kayf Tara ex Easibrook Jane
Vendor: Trickledown Stud
Purchaser: Tom Malone/P Nicholls
Price: €52,000
It was encouraging to note how fillies sold over the course of day one with 14 of the 17 offered changing hands for an average of €35,143. One of the most popular fillies came in the shape of this three-year-old who was one of several purchases made by Tom Malone on behalf of Paul Nicholls.
As the only offspring on offer this week by her highly successful sire, this filly was always going to be in some demand while she is already a half-sister to the useful dual winner and Grade 3-placed runner Draco.