ANOTHER solid edition of the Tattersalls Ireland February National Hunt Sale, which produced a top price of €60,000, posted a set of results that were quite similar to those of last year as the 2020 sales season in Ireland swung into action.
At the conclusion of the one-day sale, the turnover of over €1.9 million was virtually identical to last year. The median grew by 22% as it went from €7,500 to €9,250, while the average dropped by a solitary percentage point to €11,482. The overall clearance rate for the day was 57% and this represented an improvement of one point.
Twelve months ago this sale produced a top price of €80,000 and the absence of a mare of such quality accounted for the drop in the average and turnover.
Otherwise though, this sale was very similar to that of 2019 and witnessed a similar level of activity beyond €30,000, while the notable exception from this year’s figures was the median which rose sharply.
Top lot
As ever, the vast majority of the sale was given over to yearlings and it was this section that produced all of the day’s highlights with pride of place going to a €60,000 son of No Risk At All.
Ryan Mahon, who was acting on behalf of owner Colm Donlon, signed for the colt who was consigned by Harry and Lorna Fowler’s Rahinstown Stud.
This sale capped a great day for the Rahinstown team with Lorna Fowler having earlier sent out Lady Heath to make an impressive winning debut in a Down Royal bumper.
The sale-topping colt shares his sire with the likes of Epatante and Allaho, while his siblings include the Grade 1-placed Amore Alato.
“He’s lovely. He’s strong, correct, athletic and he’s by a sire going places. He won’t be coming back for resale as I’ve bought him for an end user, Colm Donlon,” stated Mahon.
“It’s too early to talk about plans but he is the sort of horse that could even start his career in France as a three-year-old before coming back to England.”
Exciting
Much earlier in the day, Aiden Murphy saw off a host of challengers for Caroline Berry’s €55,000 Mount Nelson half-brother to Battleoverdoyen.
“He’s a half-brother to a very exciting horse. Even at this stage Battleoverdoyen looks top class and who knows what he might achieve in the future,” reflected Murphy.
“This colt was an obvious horse today and he has a very good pedigree that is improving away. He’s been bought to come back for sale as a three-year-old.”
The only Network yearling in the sale appealed to many of those in attendance and at €42,000 the winning bid was struck by Latest Exhibition’s owner Jim Mernagh and John Donaghy.
“There were only six foals by Network born last year so this fellow will have a rarity value when he comes back for sale. He’s smashing and we’re delighted to have gotten him,” stated Mernagh.
Athlete
Ian Ferguson, who tried hard for the No Risk At All, had earlier enjoyed better luck when his bid of €40,000 enabled him to secure a Flemensfirth colt out of a winning Alflora mare.
“He looks like he is a real athlete. I saw him at just two weeks old and liked him then and followed him. He was never going to be a November Sale foal being so late,” declared Ferguson who has bought so many subsequently high-class jumpers during their formative years.
Another €40,000 transaction came late in the day when Hamish Macauley struck for a Champs Elysees half-brother to The New One whose decorated career was headed by a pair of Grade 1 victories.
Among the others destined to return to the sales ring as a three-year-old is a son of Al Boum Photo’s sire Buck’s Boum who cost leading agent Margaret O’Toole €36,000.
“He has been bought for Chris Jones’ Killeen Glebe and he will be back for sale as a three-year-old. He’s a really good looking, good moving horse and the sire showed what he could do at Cheltenham last year,” reported the agent.
Figures
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2020 321 294 168 1,928,950 11,482 9,250
2019 327 297 167 1,940,600 11,620 7,500
2018 291 258 164 1,882,794 11,480 7,500
2017 350 299 170 1,666,900 9,805 7,200
2016 309 276 159 1,472,350 9,260 5,800