Tocororo leads the
broodmare stock
FOR the second year in succession a young and talented Gigginstown House Stud-owned mare led the way as the former Gordon Elliott inmate Tocororo fetched €100,000 to head the small selection of breeding stock.
The daughter of Teofilo was sold in foal to Walk In The Park while her appeal was further heightened by a race record that included a Grade 3 victory over fences and two placings at that level as a hurdler. The five-year-old was bought by Cork-based Kieran Mariga who also paid a sale topping €130,000 for the Gigginstown-owned Petite Parisienne at this sale last year.
McStay success
Unquestionably the standout foal was a son of Walk In The Park and the dual Grade 1 scorer and Cheltenham Festival heroine Glens Melody who fetched €72,000.
This colt was offered by Ballincurrig House Stud on behalf of his breeder Fiona McStay and he was bought by Goffs auctioneer George Stanners for a client of Yorkshire-based trainer Philip Kirby. Stanners reported that his purchase would be kept to race.
All the way back in 2003 this colt’s grandam, Glens Music was purchased by the McStays for €74,000, and she has repaid their faith many times over by producing five black type performers from as many runners. Glens Melody, who is in foal to Mount Nelson, is the best of that quintet and this colt is her second produce.
Whisky draft
Over the course of the second day Nenagh-based Grange Hill Stud offered some quality foals from the immediate family of their high class graduate and dual Aintree Hurdle winner Oscar Whisky.
Foremost among these was a €50,000 son of Getaway whose success on the track has been reflected in the demand for his stock in the sales ring over the last number of months. Trainer Martin Lynch signed for the colt and reported that his purchase would return for sale as a three-year-old.
Earlier in the day Grange Hill offered a Presenting colt out of an unraced own-sister to Oscar Whisky and he was snapped up by Dromoland Farm for €40,000.
Presenting progeny
Although he passed away in the autumn, the multiple champion National Hunt sire Presenting will be making his presence felt for some time to come and his progeny were in some demand.
The nine foals on offer by the Mtoto horse averaged just over €24,000 and the pick of them was a €50,000 colt who was snapped up by Moanmore Stables owner Peter Vaughan.
This John Hayes-owned colt is the second produce of a useful three-time winner who numbers the unbeaten Grade 1 winner Feathard Lady (dam of Augusta Kate) amongst her siblings. Vaughan reported that he would reoffer his purchase as a three-year-old.
Frisby spending
Leading pinhooker Dick Frisby was especially busy as he accumulated stock for future store sales and he signed for four of the top 10 lots. Frisby, whose winning pointer Good Man Jim fetched £360,000 at auction last month, headed his spending when giving €50,000 for Ballincurrig House Stud’s Walk In The Park half-brother to the smart chaser King’s Odyssey.
The following afternoon Frisby went to €47,000 to secure a son of the in-demand Getaway who was offered by Limekiln Stud. This colt is the third foal out of the Grade 2 and Grade 3-placed hurdler Celtic Cailin.
Other notable purchases by the Glenwood Stud man included a €39,000 Flemensfirth colt closely related to the very smart Knockfierna, and he spent the same amount on a Leading Light half-brother to a pair of blacktype performers. These will all return for sale as three-year-olds.
High-priced fillies
It was encouraging to see that the highest priced foals included several well-bred fillies and the most expensive of these was a €46,000 Milan half-sister to the much loved and much missed Aintree Grand National winner Many Clouds.
Quill Farm offered this filly on behalf of her breeder Aidan Aherne and she is also a half-sister to the dual Grade 1-winning novice hurdler The Tullow Tank. Gerry Hogan, who was acting for the British-based outfit Swanbridge Bloodstock, signed for the filly and she could be retained rather than reoffered.
Just a few minutes later a daughter of Sholokhov cost English buyer Stephen Kemble €41,000. This filly is the first produce of the Grade 2 and Grade 3-winning Jessica Harrington inmate Burn And Turn and their family goes back to one of the Moone trainer’s initial high profile runners in Space Trucker.
Flemensfirth appeal
The progeny of veteran sire Flemensfirth are unquestionably among the most sought after commodities in the sales ring and the Alleged horse was responsible for five foals who made at least €30,000.
This quintet were headed by a €44,000 colt whom Brendan Bashford bought on behalf of Norman Williamson. Bashford’s purchase is out of an own-sister to the very smart multiple Grade 1-placed chaser Petit Robin.
The previous afternoon Ian Ferguson forked out €40,000 for a son of Flemensfirth consigned by Ballincurrig House Stud on behalf of Cathal Ennis. This colt, who is unlikely to be reoffered as a three-year-old, is the second produce of a winning half-sister to the Grand National winner Ballabriggs.
Ross stocks up
Agent Kevin Ross continued where he left off at Tattersalls Ireland last month by securing a number of good foals for resale. His haul featured a €37,000 son of Getaway out of a dual French winner. The Ballincurrig offering will be back for sale as a three-year-old having been purchased on behalf of Chris Jones’ Killeen Glebe.
The following afternoon Ross matched this price for a Shantou colt out of a half-sister to the Grade 2-placed Duke Des Champs.
In the early part of the first session Ross gave €30,000 for a son of the high-class middle-distance runner Conduit. The Dalakhani horse, who won two runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, an English St Leger and a King George, is being represented by his first crop of Irish foals after initially retiring to stud in Japan.