A €55,000 colt by the hugely popular Flemensfirth held sway as the four day foal section of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale came to a close with a set of results that bettered those from last year.
From a marginally bigger catalogue the foal sale, buoyed by a much improved final session, posted a turnover of just under €10m which was a 5% increase on last year. The average of €14,550 finished up by 6%, while the €11,000 median held steady. The clearance rate for the last four days dropped from 74 to 71%.
The top lot on the final day was bought by Armagh-based Patrick McCann, who purchased the €110,000 Flemensfirth colt who topped last year’s foal sale. McCann’s latest acquisition is out of a Poliglote own-sister to that colt and they hail from a superb French jumping family. Indeed the Ballincurrig House Stud offering is out of a half-sister to the dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded.
“I very nearly missed him. I was only in the car park when he was selling but my friend, Bill, rang me when he was going through and he bid on him for me,” said McCann. “He’s a beautiful foal and I liked him a lot when I went to see him on the farm in August.”
“We’re building up some nice young stock at home and the plan would be to bring him back to the Derby Sale as a three-year-old. The colt that I bought last year is coming along well and hopefully he will be back here for sale as a three-year-old as well,” added McCann.
The second produce of the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle heroine and World Hurdle runner-up Voler La Vedette emerged as one of the stars of the session when Cork-based purchaser Nelius O’Keeffe saw off Dick Frisby with a bid of €50,000 for the Walshtown Stables-consigned son of Presenting. The colt has been bought to race.
Tommy Wade’s Gatterstown Stud made several notable purchases and these featured a €45,000 son of Presenting out of an own-sister to the dual Aintree Hurdle winner Oscar Whisky. The colt was sold by Grange Hill Stud and will be reoffered, as will a Martaline half-brother to the top-class staying novice hurdler Brindisi Breeze, who went to Gatterstown for €37,000. Brindisi Breeze is a former Gatterstown graduate having been bought for €28,000 at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale 10 years ago.
Agent Kevin Ross has been one of the leading purchasers this week and his last major foal purchase came when he gave €35,000 for a son of Presenting out of a winning half-sister to the high class Get Me Out Of Here. This is also the immediate family of Jessica Harrington’s Grade 1-placed mare Rock On The Moor.
“He’s a good, scopey horse for a first foal and he’s obviously by a top sire from an excellent family. He’s been bought to be reoffered as a three-year-old,” said Ross.
The day’s top priced filly was a €30,000 daughter of Robin Des Champs belonging to Maurice Garde. Rathbarry Stud’s Paul Cashman signed for the close relation to Gallant Oscar and Enterprise Park.
“The pedigree speaks for itself and she’s a lovely filly by a top sire who produces very good looking stock. With the pedigree she has she will always have a value and the plan would be to reoffer her as a three-year-old,” reported Cashman.
Elsewhere, William Bryan spent €28,000 on a Getaway half-brother to the useful three-times winner Joe Farrell, while Rathturtin Stud had to give €27,000 for a Westerner colt related to the Grand Annual Chase winner Oh Crick.
The all-encompassing auction concludes on Friday with a session devoted to breeding stock.
Final Figures - Entire Foal Sale
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2014 996 891 718 10,064,900 14,018 11,500
2015 1077 948 698 9,541,850 13,670 11,000
2016 1104 967 687 9,995,600 14,550 11,000
Day 5
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2016 274 217 144 1,498,350 10,405 8,000
2015 260 212 117 916,700 7,801 5,500
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