Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins bought the three top-priced lots on the first day of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale on Wednesday.
The day saw 150 of the 196 lots offered sold, a clearance rate of 77%, marginally down on last year's 79%. However, the median price paid on Wednesday jumped by an impressive 11% to €42,000 and the average price rose by 2% to €47,613.
Wednesday's top lot at €180,000 was offered by Timmy Hillman’s Castledillon Stud in Straffan, Co Kildare. A son of Nathaniel, he is the first foal of the dual listed hurdle winning mare Floressa (by Poliglote). Nicky Henderson trained her to win the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury.
Her first foal was sold for €87,000 as a yearling at Arqana and more than doubled that today.
Hillman, who had earlier sold another Nathaniel three-year-old gelding to Monbeg Stables for €100,000, said: "I bought three by Nathaniel that year, and I did go out to target his stock for this year's Derby Sale. He is a serious sire on the flat and I thought his stock would work really well here. This is his first proper crop from National Hunt mares – and he has good results jumping from flat mares, so why wouldn't he do it again, and better, with jumping mares? This lad was bought for plenty of money as a yearling, and was bred by Goldford Stud and David Minton."
Kirk added: "It’s very hard to get a Nathaniel out of a jumping pedigree; he didn’t cover that many National Hunt mares. This horse is out of a Poliglote mare, which I love, and it is a very good jumping family. Don Lino, lower down the pedigree, was a top horse in France. A lot of the Nathaniels that have gone jumping are out of flat mares, so you’re hoping that when they have jumping pedigrees they will be even better, as they will be bred for the job.
"We’ve had two Nathaniels and both won at Cheltenham. Burning Victory won the Triumph Hurdle and was very good on the flat - she was fourth in the Ascot Gold Cup - and Concertista won the mares’ novice hurdle. Up to now Nathaniel has been lucky for us, and both of those fillies are out of flat mares. He is a beautiful horse, ticks a lot of boxes, and just needs luck after this. And an owner!”
Top filly
Kirk and Mullins also bagged the day's most expensive filly, a €150,000 daughter of Masked Marvel consigned by Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm, who had bought her for €47,000 a year ago.
"She is a gorgeous filly and I am a big fan of the sire's fillies," said Kirk. "We had Quel Espirit (Saint Des Saints) and Ashroe Diamond (Walk In The Park) who were both Grade 1 horses, and they are both in this pedigree – Quel Espirit was one of the first very good horses we had.”
He added: "She is a beautiful individual, a beautiful mover, and from a very good consignor in Norman Williamson. She is one of the top fillies in the sale, and is definitely one we could target at the [Tattersalls Sales] bumper in December [2026]."
Doctor Dino is another stallion whose progeny are much coveted by Kirk and Mullins, so it was no surprise to see them pay €120,000 for a gelding by that stallion consigned by Peter Vaughan's Moanmore Stables.
Already named Mystere Du Chenet, the gelding is out of a three-time French jumps winner who has already bred two Auteuil listed race winners. Vaughan bought the gelding last year for €47,000 at Arqana.
"He is a beautiful horse by one of our favourite sires in Doctor Dino – we have had so many Grade 1 horses by him [State Man and Sharjah are the highest-rated by Doctor Dino]," said Kirk. "This is one of the best pedigrees in France, it's a fantastic family. His dam is by Turgeon, and Allaho (No Risk At All) is out of a Turgeon mare. We have had a lot of success with horses out of mares by Turgeon.
"He's a gorgeous steel grey horse, and I love a steel grey. He ticked every box, and he has everything we like."
Juvenile section
The day ended with the new session of two-year-old stores, part of the industry-wide initiative to encourage owners and trainers to get National Hunt horses into the racing system at an earlier age.
An own-brother to Gaelic Warrior promised to be the highlight here but he was not sold when bidding halted at €150,000.
Dan Skelton is already planning a visit to Leopardstown in December 2026 for the two-year-old filly by French sire Ectot he bought for €100,000 from Ballreddin and Busherstown. She is a half-sister to multiple hurdle race winner Hearts Are Trumps and a good chaser in France. The dam Polly’s Present (by Presenting) is an unraced full-sister to Denman.
Skelton said: “Obviously this is a very good family. Will Kinsey bought the Walk In The Park that follows her [€72,000] and loves her, and it looks like the family will only get stronger. She is for a man who wants to breed from her, so she has residual value."
With an eye on the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland MSL Mercedes-Benz Sales Bumper at the 2026 Leopardstown Christmas Festival, Skelton added: "She also has the chance to go and be a nice racehorse. She gets 22lbs in the bumper, 15 for her age and seven for being a filly. Being by Ectot, she could be forward, and if she’s not, she’s not. The bumper is something we definitely have to consider.”
Other notable transactions on Wednesday included:
>Bloodstock agent Gerry Hogan paid €110,000 for a son of Masked Marvel named Modern Marvel. His half-brother Brecharnon (Goliath Du Berlais) won a Chepstow bumper on his only start in March, and afterwards sold to Dan Skelton (underbidder here) for £95,000. This German pedigree is the family of the Willie Mullins-trained Hatton’s Grace Hurdle winner Arctic Fire (Soldier Hollow).
>John Bleahen’s Lakefield Farm sold a gelding by French sire Moises Has to Aiden and Olly Murphy for €120,000. The gelding is named Mirage D’Ainay and is one of around 15 stores bought by the Murphys who will be broken in by Jack and Paddy Kennedy before being pre-trained by their brother Michael.
>Charles Shanahan gave €110,000 for a filly by Mastercraftsman consigned by the Doran family's Parkville Stud. She traces back to Champion Chase winner Buck House, also bred by the Dorans.
>Tom Malone bought a half-brother to the multiple Grade 1 winner Majborough by €110,000. This one is by Walzertakt and he was offered by Niall Bleahen's Liss House.
Part 1 of the Derby Sale continues on Thursday.