AN €80,000 son of Davidoff was the star turn as the Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale began its three-day run with a session that wasn’t able to keep pace with the returns from 12 months ago.
The day’s top price equaled that of last year but the final figures dropped off the levels of 2018 with the average falling by 19 points to €10,417 and the median dropping by 17% as it went from €7,500 to €6,200.
An aggregate of just over €1.8 million represented a decrease of 7%, while the clearance rate dropped by just two point points to 67%.
The aforementioned son of Davidoff, whose runners in these parts are headed by the Grade 1-winning Saturnas, was consigned by Peter Vaughan’s Moanmore Stables and he is an own-brother to Gordon Elliott’s high-class bumper horse Abacadabras.
Tom Malone, Elliott and Ross Doyle all contended for this three-year-old but the winning bid was struck by Monbeg Stables’ Donnchadh Doyle.
“He’s a very good looking horse and a very good mover too, and obviously he’s a brother to a very smart horse of Gordon’s who will hopefully be a help to the family during the winter,” said Doyle, whose other spending took in a €35,000 son of Califet.
“The plan would be to go point-to-pointing with him and then hopefully he will be sold on.”
Proven sire
The day’s second highest price came in the shape of a €72,000 son of Westerner from Michael Cullen’s White Horse Stud who was showing a good return on the €14,000 he cost as a foal.
This gelding is a half-brother to the listed-placed Kilbarry Way and hails from the family of the top-class Racing Demon.
“He’s been bought to go to Paul Nicholls and he’s a lovely horse by a good, proven sire and I was very taken with the pedigree too,” declared Malone.
“Unfortunately he missed the Derby Sale due a minor setback and I was very keen to get him today. Hopefully he’s one to look forward to. He’s a fine horse who has great use of himself.”
Agent Hamish Macauley set the early pace for the day when he spent €52,000 on a son of Network hailing from the Bleahen family’s Liss House.
This gelding was making his second visit to the sales ring this summer after being knocked down for €80,000 at the Derby Sale.
“He’s been bought to go to the U.K. for a new client and the plan is for him to go into pre-training with Willie Twiston-Davies and then a trainer for him will be decided in due course,” stated Macauley.
Top filly
The top-priced filly on offer was a daughter of the great Presenting belonging to Aaron Metcalfe and the own-sister to Slate House was snapped up by Gavin Coleman for €40,000.
Coleman’s father Edmond is a breeder of some renown having produced the likes of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere and The Last Samuri.
Another popular filly was a €33,000 daughter of Getaway who was snapped up by point-to-point handler Denis Murphy. Her sale marked quite a pinhooking triumph for Martin Cullinane who picked her up for €2,400 as a foal.
“I’ve had a few by the sire already including Lust For Glory who won a point-to-point for us first time out and is now a very smart mare with Nicky Henderson. This filly is a gorgeous type and she had a lot going for her,” commented Murphy.
Day 1
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2019 304 261 179 1,864,650 10,417 6,200
2018 270 220 157 2,011,600 12,813 7,500