TRADE at this year’s Goresbridge April Select Sale of point-to-pointers and National Hunt three-year-old stores did not reach the heights of last year, though many of the proven horses found new homes.

Trade for stores was largely confined to point-to-point handlers in search of some value.

Leading the way was trainer Cian Collins who secured one of the wildcard entries for €57,000.

This was a son of Capri, Techno Kid, and Collins revealed the saw the gelding win at Castletown-Geoghan on Sunday. Trained by Michael Goff, the gelding was placed at Monksgrange before winning at the second time of asking.

Collins said: “I saw him on Sunday and he caught my eye, and passed the winning post very strongly. He looks to be a real staying chaser in the making. I have a client for him and am very happy to get him.

"He will go out on grass tomorrow and is a horse to look forward to for the winter. We will see what he is like and he could go straight to chasing. When he fills out he will be a lovely horse, and he is by a good sire.”

Techno Kid cost €13,000 as a weanling at Tattersalls Ireland, and is the third progeny of his Flemensfirth dam to win, after Jezarus who was successful over fences, and Rue Galilee who won a pair of point-to-points. Granny Weaterwax’s half-brother Cannington Brook was placed in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

€50,000 filly

One very happy buyer was Athenry’s Gerry McGarry. He travelled to the sale with one lot in mind to purchase, and gave €50,000 to secure Imperator Furiosa, a four-year-old daughter of Blue Bresil. Sold by Ballycrystal Stables’ Matthew Flynn O’Connor, she dead-heated on her only run at Ballyknock on the first day of April.

The second produce of her unraced dam, Imperator Furiosa is a full-sister to another mare who placed three times over hurdles last year. Their dam’s half-brother All The Answers won five times, including a bumper, and was graded-placed over hurdles and fences. Their dam Shatabdi won the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton.

McGarry owns ground on which local trainers gallop and where the Galway Blazers used to stage their point-to-point. He said: “A lot of the trainers who use the gallops have one or two horses, and she will go to one of them. She dead-heated in a nice time, is bomb-proof, and an angel of a horse. She will go to grass now and then we will choose a trainer. I want to support those who support us.”

British-based buyers

Neil Mulholland had to dig deep to purchase the Affinisea four-year-old filly Sadhbhs A Singer, the hammer falling at €46,000. The filly was consigned by Gary Murphy’s Cudgley Stables, and won and finished second in her two outings in point-to-points. She is a full-sister to hurdle winner Fresh Kicks.

Dan Astbury was on the mark for Yeats’ daughter Align The Cosmos, bought for €44,000 from Harley Dunne. A full-sister to Firm But Fair, placed on all his five starts to date, the four-year-old is from the family of the Kim Muir winner The Bushkeeper, and Gavin Cromwell’s recent Topham Trophy Chase winner Will The Wise.

French-bred

Gavin Cromwell made a number of purchases himself, among them the €48,000 purchase of Champ Du Charmil. The four-year-old son of the hugely exciting French sire Goliath Du Berlais was second in a four-runner point-to-point in March for Shark Hanlon and is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 chase winner Pablo Du Charmil. Cromwell, queried is the gelding was value, said: “I will tell you this time next year. He looks a nice type and let’s hope he works out.”

The second part of the sale comprising store horses had few highlights, though point-to-point handlers were getting good value for a number of purchases.

SALE STATISTICS

PTP

Clearance: 83%

Average: €25,756

STORES

Clearance: 62%

Average: €5,875

Total turnover: €927,500