THERE was a feeling of apprehension in the lead-up to the 2026 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, one that was felt by the sales company executives rather than expressed by them. How would this edition of the sale pan out, given the phenomenal results posted by the other store sales?
A slimmed-down catalogue read well, the buyers were ready, and now it was a case of the horses turning up and passing muster. All the component parts were in place, but would there be a sales fever like that seen at the Arkle Sale? The answers were all in the affirmative.
When Alastair Pim brought the gavel down on the 327th horse sold over the two days of Part 1, turnover reached just short of €21 million, a most welcome clearance rate of 89% was recorded, a new record for a store horse was set at €400,000, and a new high was achieved for the average. Vendors and sales company officials all slept well on Thursday night.
Beaming smiles abounded on the faces of vendors, purchasers were delighted with their buys, even if they often had to stretch to get ownership of them, and there was no shortage of stories told of pinhooking wins. Vendors and purchasers alike also had a target in mind, the €100,000 MSL Mercedes-Benz Sale Bumper at Leopardstown in December 2027.
”Phenomenal trade”
One of the happiest and most relieved people on site was the Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins. Not surprisingly, he issued an ebullient commentary at the end of the two-day auction. “For the second day in succession, the Derby Sale has produced phenomenal trade. Today illustrates that the appetite and desire to get involved in National Hunt racing is as strong as ever. We assembled a catalogue that attracted buyers from all over the UK and Ireland, and they regularly went head-to-head across the two days. This resulted in trade never witnessed before at the Derby Sale.
“A total of 10 lots sold for €200,000, while 23 lots were sold for €150,000 or more. The opportunity to sell Lakefield Farm’s Walk the Talk at a record price of €400,000 means that the highest-priced store ever sold at public auction is again at the Derby Sale. It is a privilege to see that level of quality remain in a Derby Sale catalogue.
“This trade would not have been possible without the support of our vendors. If we don’t have a catalogue, we don’t attract the buyers to Fairyhouse. The opportunity to sell such a high-quality bunch of stores was an honour, and long may the Derby Sale retain its status. A special mention must also go to the Irish point-to-point fraternity whose presence ensure a buoyant market across all levels. The Irish point-to-point field remains a trusted source of talent for trainers.
“My thanks to our own team who worked hard to attract the horses and the people, and I would like to commend Irish Thoroughbred Marketing who play a big role in maintaining our connection with clients, and their work complements the efforts of our superb in-house marketing team. There is a special atmosphere when the Derby Sale is at its best, and over the last two days that was certainly the case. We are proud of what has been achieved and grateful to everyone who played a part in making it such a memorable sale.”
THE record price for a store horse had been in place since 2018, but on both days of this year’s sale it was bettered.
For 24 hours Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm was in possession of the record when Recognition, the much-touted No Risk At All half-brother to three Grade 1 winners, Mighty Potter, Caldwell Potter and Brighterdaysahead, sold for €370,000.
As might have been expected, Gordon Elliott made a huge play for the three-year-old, the final foal from Matnie, but he eventually cried enough when Ross Doyle and Joe Tizzard offered the winning bid. This was the highlight of an outstanding Sluggara draft, four of which sold for €175,000 or more.
There was lots of chat though about another French-bred gelding, this one in the draft from Lakefield Farm, the Bleahen home place run by John and Elaine and now with their son Luke. This was Walk The Talk, a wonderfully-named son of Karaktar whose only older sibling, Talk the Talk, was a Grade 1 winner at the Dublin Racing Festival for Simon Munir, Isaac Souede and Joseph O’Brien.
When auctioneer Darac O’Neill had taken every cent he could from the ring at €400,000, a new record for a store was set. Mags O’Toole bought him with Robcour’s Rob Acheson.
”Very lucky find”
Bleahen owned the gelding with his brother, Clifton Farm’s Hugh, and the brothers embraced in the aftermath, before rushing off to sell another possible star. Before he did, John explained what the sale meant. “I knew we had everyone in the place interested from the word go; he was a very lucky find. We bought him from Lune Vergette, a family friend and an English lady who lives in the south of France. She is a lovely woman and we have been so lucky buying from the farm before.
“It is a tough game. A lot of the credit goes to my brother Hugh; he was the one who spotted the horse first. We bought him in ten seconds; it was an easy buy as you just don’t come across horses like this. Then for the double green horse [Talk The Talk] to do what it did” He went on to pay tribute to his team. “I have the best guy in the world, Wesley Hayes, working for me. He drives 45 minutes to me every day from Cloughjordan. I can go to France and look for stock knowing everything is right at home. He is my eyes and a great friend.
“My son Luke has come home. He is great guy to work with. I have a great team, and they deserve so much credit. They live and die for these horses: they are the ones coming back at 11pm to give electrolytes and haying them.”
Mags O’Toole spoke about the market and the top lot. “We [herself and Rob Acheson] looked at nearly every horse on the ground and Rob, who’s a very good judge, said from day one, ‘I don’t know what we’re buying here, but I know what we’re not going home without.’ I know it sounds like an awful lot of money, but four years ago Brighterdaysahead sold for €310,000 [from Lakefield Farm], and others have made €350,000 and more. That’s the market. Nothing ever goes down in price!”
Acheson added: “To be honest, we were both mad keen to get into the stallion again. We’ve been waiting for the progeny of his better mares to come through. We’ve had two so far [Kala Conti and Kamikaz Du Plessis] and they’ve both won multiple races, so we’ve been playing the waiting game. It’s been three years since we bought one.
“We saw pretty much everything and he was a standout. We’ve tried to get into the family before with horses under the second dam but it hasn’t come to fruition. When an opportunity comes along to get into a family you’ve been desperate to get into, you have to give it a go.”
Tizzard purchase
On the first day, Joe Tizzard was no less enthusiastic about his purchase. “It is a great family, he is a beautiful physical, and we fell in love with him when we saw him. He made his money. He is from a good family, and is by a proper sire. We are coming off the back of a really good season [56 winners and £1.4 million], had a few people interested and did not want to let him go. It is the most we have spent in the ring on a store horse; it is exciting. Dad [Colin] is here with me, and fell in love with the horse, too.”
Walter Connors was thrilled with the sale. “I am delighted that the market thought what we did. It is bitter-sweet as he is the last foal, and that is the end a chapter. [Matnie] kinda walked in the door at home as Cinderella! He was never was a problem, and a pleasure to have. I hope that he can give the new owners a lot of fun. It’s brilliant to see Joe Tizzard buying.”
FRENCH National Hunt sires were to the fore at the Derby Sale, with horses bred in that country responsible for nine of the top 10 prices.
Though he had fewer representatives than his Irish-based peers, Goliath Du Berlais was the name on everyone’s lips when it came to the quality offerings. Seven of his stock were offered and sold, and they produced a median of €150,000.
His top lot, and one of two among the sale’s top 10, was Ralahine Stud’s grandson of the Blue Bresil mare Yosille, a listed hurdle winner at Auteuil. This was the gelding’s second appearance in the ring at Fairyhouse as Ger Hannon, a member of the sales company’s bloodstock team, gave €40,000 for him there as a foal. This time he cost Ian Ferguson €260,000. Hannon takes up the story.
“I bought him as a foal here when Goliath Du Berlais hadn’t had a runner, and I probably gave a good price for him, but he was always a gorgeous model. I bought him from Cleaboy Stud, Sean Gorman, a great man to buy off.
“Shortly after I bought him he looked cheap. The sire took off and has done so well. He is a stunner and I have been looking forward to bringing him to the Derby Sale.
“My family has had great days here. My father is gone three and a half years, and it is so special to have my mother, my wife and children with me today. It’s also special to be part of the team here. Tom Rudd said I’d probably top the sale, but he has done fantastically. Dan Skelton, the underbidder, looked at him five or six times.”
Logan assisting Nicholls
On the opening day. Peter Vaughan’s Moanmore Stables sold a son of Goliath Du Berlaus, already named Balthazart, to Megan and Paul Nicholls, working alongside Joey Logan.
A half-brother to the four-year-old Grand Souverain who won a point-to-point for owner Margaret Bleahen, trained and ridden by Derek O’Connor, at Stowlin in May, he cost €205,000. Harold Kirk was the underbidder.
Megan Nicholls said: “Really pleased. We thought we’d have to be strong, but we loved him. He is the first horse I have managed to work on with Joey, and it is fair to say he is a pretty good judge, so to match-up is great. This horse goes to Dad and has not got a specific owner right now, but he will be offered out. He is a lovely horse, really athletic. I’d say he will be pretty forward going, which is a key thing.
“We have been trying to find for Dad some sharper horses, and he fits the bill. He looks a nice, forward horse. I have watched a lot [by the sire] and not been able to get involved as they are very popular. He will be the first Goliath Du Berlais at Dad’s yard and I have been keen to get one, so I am delighted.”
GORDON Elliott bought three lots in Part 1 of the Derby Sale, and two of these ranked among the 10 best lots by price.
Topping his purchase list was the best of the Irish-bred lots in the sale, a son of Walk In The Park and the second produce of the blacktype bumper and hurdle winner Posh Trish. A year ago, her first foal topped the Derby Sale. Peter Nolan Bloodstock sold this year’s gelding, and Elliott, standing with Eddie O’Leary, gave €250,000 for him.
“He looks a lovely horse; we have waited for him all day. Trade looks good, a lot of nice horses,” said Elliott. “We gave it a good go too on the top lot [Recognition].” Posh Trish won a listed Cheltenham bumper, and was twice successful at the same level over hurdles. She is a winning graduate of the point-to-point field.
O’Leary and Elliott took up an unusual position to bid for Creighmore Stables’ Ni Trop Tard the following day, and had the final say when they secured him for €225,000. The best in the sale by his promising young sire Moises Has, he is a half-brother to a blacktype winner over jumps in France. Michéal O’Brien’s Creighmore Stables topped the Arkle Sale with a €275,000 son of Goliath Du Berlais who also sold to Elliott. On this occasion the trainer saw off Ross Doyle and Joe Tizzard.
“Moises Has is going well. This is a good athletic horse and is the first for us by the sire,” said Elliott. “Joe got the top one yesterday, so we have got one for ourselves today!”
HE has made it clear on many occasions. Harold Kirk likes to buy from Walter Connors’ Sluggara Farm, and he made two purchases at the Derby Sale from the draft. They cost €475,000.
The more expensive of the duo was Shallaho, a son of Nirvana Du Berlais and out of a full-sister to the outstanding Mullins-trained Allaho. He realised €250,000 and is the first offspring of his sire that Kirk has purchased. The agent saw off two good judges, Tom Malone and Paul Holden.
Kirk said: “He is the most gorgeous horse, a great colour [grey]. He was always going to make a lot of money, and is a most beautiful horse. I have watched [Nirvana Du Berlais] in France and tried to buy some by him; they have made too much. Allaho was a superstar, and this horse is very similar in shape, movement and size. He is gorgeous for a first foal. Willie was here yesterday, saw him and loved him.”
From the same draft, Kirk and Mullins spent €225,000 on Hermes Du Luy, a Doctor Dino half-brother to two listed winners in France, one each over hurdles and fences, and out of a Saint Des Saints mare.
He is by one of my favourite sires in Doctor Dino,” said Kirk. “I think I have bought eight or nine Grade 1 winners by the sire, and he comes from a top-class vendor from whom I have bought several Grade 1 winners.
“He is a most gorgeous, big, strong Doctor Dino; State Man was a big, strong Doctor Dino and this is a powerful horse, very typical. I knew we’d have to take on someone; J.P. beat me earlier, so I have got one back! I just hope he is another Grade 1 winner by Doctor Dino.”
TOM and Alexandra Whitehead’s Altenbach Bloodstock took five stores to the market, and went back home with an empty horsebox. Three of them brought a six-figure sum, and two made their way into the top 10 lots at the sale.
Saint Fissaki, a son of Saint Des Saints purchased privately in France, sold to champion trainer Dan Skelton and Ryan Mahon for €230,000. His half-brother, He’s On Fire, was successful in a Grade 2 novice hurdle for Willie Mullins at this year’s Fairyhouse Easter Festival. He was the most expensive purchase by Skelton at the sale.
Skelton said: “He is by Saint Des Saints, who is sire of Protektorat, and is out of a Kapgarde mare. He has a relaxed attitude, and moved beautifully.
“We have underbid quite a lot of the big lots, so we had to try and stretch for one or two. We did push the boat out for this one. I think there is a massive desire to buy these untried horses, no one knows what they can or can’t do. They cost plenty of money, but they are almost collectors’ items – they are beautifully bred, beautifully presented, and untouched.
“They are the top end for the end user, and the dream is really alive. They don’t all work out, but I think the market is prepared to give it a shot. For a sale you need horses, and if there isn’t the stock then you don’t have a chance.”
Whitehead added: “We are lucky that we got a couple of very good updates in the pedigree. He is a lovely horse and Willie’s horse looks very good.”
Altenbach sold a record 10th lot to make €200,000 or more, when Doctor Dino’s son Bernesq went to the Crystal Point Partnership for €205,000. Joey Logan said: “He is a cracker. Brian and Ger [Lawless] and Abbie [O’Connor] had a fantastic season point-to-pointing and he is going down that route. It is a tasty price for a point-to-pointer, but we just had to go the extra bit.”