DAYS before being crowned champion National Hunt owner for the 23rd time, and days after winning a 10th consecutive title in Britain, J.P. McManus made a rare appearance at a sale when attending the Goffs Punchestown Sale on Thursday.

He was a man on a mission, to bolster his position as the greatest owner the game has even seen, and he added two four-year-old geldings to his impressive armoury of talent for a combined spend of €820,000. He equalled the Punchestown record when spending €500,000 on Denis Murphy’s Walksonseas, a son of champion sire Walk In The Park out of a Presenting mare, and a winner at Lisronagh last weekend.

Murphy paid €85,000 for the gelding at last year’s Derby Sale, and said: “It is unbelievable. He never put a foot wrong over the last few days. Days like this are rare. I can only wish Mr McManus the very best with him in the future.”

Earlier in the session McManus gave €320,000 for Jonathan Fogarty’s Ballysteen debut winner Night League, a son of Order Of St George who cost the handler €55,000 last July. Clearly amused at being interviewed after buying, a smiling McManus said that he “knew nothing about him until about 15 minutes before the sale”. When asked if he was happy with the advice he was given, replied “Ask me in 12 months if he was value!”

Fogarty sold two of the three lots he consigned, later completing a private transaction with Gordon Elliott at €200,000 for the Dromahane winner Chanson Du Jury, a son of Jukebox Jury.

Grand horse

Gordon Elliott was underbidder for the top horse, but spent €280,000 on the previous lot in the ring, Star Affinity. This son of Affinisea, a winner at Dromahane, cost Elliott €280,000. From the family of Voler La Vedette, the trainer would only say afterwards that he “is a grand horse and I hope he will be lucky”. Elliott purchased three lots.

The most prolific buyer on the night was bloodstock agent Tom Malone, with four lots signed for in his name. He was pleased to get Golden Master, successful on his debut recently at Tullaherin for Eamonn Doyle. This €25,000 store purchase became a €275,000 Punchestown sale, and Malone said: “I loved him and his brother [Mighty Bandit] is rated 154 and hasn’t got blacktype. He was beautiful throughout his race. Eamonn had him at Christmas time and in the last month he’s just blossomed. For me those are the best horses, that keep improving. I hope he puts Kew Gardens on the map.”

Best filly

In addition to selling the top-priced gelding, Denis Murphy completed a double with the best filly in the sale, getting €260,000 for Ilians Way. She too won at Lisronagh, and the daughter of Moises Has now joins the stables of the new champion trainer in Britain, Dan Skelton, who paid €260,000 to secure her. This was a tasty profit for Murphy who bought her for €38,000 at the Goffs Arkle Sale.

Skelton commented: “She’s lovely, I love the sire. She put up a lovely performance and she’s a beautiful model. She’s a horse we are going to give time to and let her be the best she can be. She’s got owners already and they’re very patient people. She’s a nice big lady and I think she’s got a massive future.”

Ten lots sold for €200,000 or more, two of which were from Stuart Crawford’s Newlands Farm. Jerry McGrath was on the telephone with an owner of Ben Pauling’s, and won a prolonged battle to secure the Maxios gelding Smithytown for €240,000. This was after Olly Murphy gave €220,000 for Monjeu De Chaillac. Smithytown won at the second time of asking at Loughanmore, while Monjeu De Chaillac was a debut winner at Castletown-Geoghegan. They respectively cost €15,000 and £41,000 as stores.

Pat Doyle

Suirview Stables’ Pat Doyle has watched a number of his past pupils visit the winners’ enclosure at Punchestown this week, and he sold both his lots. The Poet’s Word gelding The Laundry Jet cost Willy Twiston-Davies €205,000, while Harold Kirk and the champion trainer Willie Mullins spent €170,000 on Aladin Du Rheu, a Rathcannon-winning son of Choeur Du Nord.

Harry Fowler signed as H & H Bloodstock when parting with €200,000 for Nathaniel’s son Prime Contender, consigned by Sean Doyle’s Monbeg Stables.

With the publication of this year’s Goffs Arkle Sale catalogue imminent, and the Goffs UK Spring Sale just a couple of weeks away, Henry Beeby commented post-sale: “As the original festival sale, the Goffs Punchestown Sale always attracts maximum attention. Last year we scaled new heights with a rise of 40%, so to consolidate that this evening with a further 5% rise is most gratifying.

“A record equalling top price of €500,000 contributed to a 10% rise in average, whilst the median was within €2,500 of last year’s record.”