A SELECTION of two-year-olds will be offered as part of the Derby Sale for the first time next week. Thirty-one two-year-olds will be offered at the end of the opening day, Wednesday June 25th, beginning with Lot 195 (Lot 194 has been withdrawn).

Upon publishing the catalogue, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins commented: “The return of the two-year-old section has been a major talking point over the winter months, and the presence of three siblings to Grade 1 winners in that section is sure to attract a huge amount of interest. The Derby Sale is long recognised as the National Hunt sale which attracts the best horses, and our inspection team has worked incredibly hard to ensure that the quality for which the Derby Sale is synonymous, is ever present throughout the catalogue.”

Tattersalls Ireland and Goffs’ decision to both offer two-year-olds as part of their flagship store sales coincides with Horse Racing Ireland’s introduction of the Academy Hurdle series, sponsored by the Irish EBF.

Irish-bred two-year-olds hold further appeal as Irish-bred winners and placed horses in Academy Hurdles will be presented with a sales voucher to the value of €5,000, €3,000 or €2,000 for finishing first, second and third respectively.

The ITBA Weatherbys NH Fillies Bonus, in association with The Irish Field, is also available to registered fillies who win Academy Hurdles.

Based on pedigree, possible highlights of the two-year-old section include:

Lot 195: Blue Bresil half-brother to Grade 3 winner Ballybow, out of a half-sister to Hurricane Fly

Lot 196: Saint Des Saints gelding out of a Nathaniel sister to four blacktype horses

Lot 199: Vadamos gelding out of a Grade 3-placed King’s Theatre mare, from the family of Joncol

Lot 200: Crystal Ocean half-brother to Grade 2 performer Presentandcounting, out of a half-sister to Binocular

Lot 203: Walk In The Park gelding out of a blacktype chaser. Retained as a foal for €75,000

Lot 205: Maxios full-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Gaelic Warrior

Lot 207: Poet’s Word half-brother to Grade 1 winners A Wave Of The Sea and Hello Neighbour

Lot 210: Doctor Dino gelding out of a Grade 3-placed Kapgarde mare

Lot 214: Walk In The Park (Montjeu) brother to Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 performer Glory And Fortune (Fame And Glory, by Montjeu). Full-sister Heron In The Park is two from two

Lot 216: Ectot sister to Galway Hurdle runner-up Hearts Are Trumps and listed winner Go Fast Du Berlais. Their dam is a full-sister to Denman and Silverburn

Lot 222: Crystal Ocean gelding out of a full-sister to Grade 1 performer O O Seven and to the dam of She’s A Fair Maid (Crystal Ocean), who sold for £200,000 after a debut win at Monksgrange