A three-day run of sales at Tattersalls Ireland drew to a close on Thursday with the August National Hunt Sale which played host to a muted day’s trade which represented a low-key close to this summer’s round of store sales.
In the pre Covid-19 era the August Sale offered another opportunity to horses who missed intended engagements at higher profile store sales earlier in the summer.
However, that hasn’t been the case either last year or this year with the Tuesday’s May Store Sale the beneficiary of a substantial wildcard catalogue that contained some who had been forced to miss preferred engagements.
As a result this year’s August Sale had different and much more low-key feel to it which was reflected in the final figures. The aggregate for the date came in at just over €1 million which was a slight improvement on last year while the average of €6,251 and the median of €4,500 represented drops of 27% and 25% respectively on the corresponding day from 2020.
The clearance rate was a respectable 67% although the vast majority of those sold didn’t come close to recouping their production costs to this point.
CHAMPS ELYSEES FILLY
The pick of the day’s offerings was a daughter of Champs Elysees who cost English-based rider and agent Jeremiah McGrath €50,000. This filly was consigned by Nina and Ted Walsh’s Broad Meadow Stables and she is the third produce of the decorated amateur rider’s capable mare Jeunopse who has already produced a four-year-old point-to-point winner and the capable bumper mare Game On For Glory.
“Similar to the Mount Nelson filly I bought here yesterday, this is a well-bred filly. I’ve bought her for Lucy Wadham who has Game And Glory. She finished second in a bumper at Cheltenham’s April meeting and she thinks a lot of her. This filly is a fantastic model with great size and scope,” said McGrath.
FRENCH VENDOR
Just prior to this Bobby O’Ryan, acting on behalf of Gordon Elliott, spent €40,000 on a son of Davidoff offered from the French farm Haras des Loges.
This gelding is an own-brother to a 10-times winner and dual listed-placed French jumper Intrinseque while he shares his sire with Elliott’s high class hurdler Abacadabras.
“He was a belter. I loved him when I saw him and he was one of the standout horses here today. He’ll be going to Gordon who has enjoyed a lot of luck with the sire and hopefully he’ll be a horse to look forward to in the coming years. We’re delighted to have gotten him,” said O’Ryan.
Ian Hanamy of Haras des Loges, further explained the decision to make the lengthy trek to the August Sale: “We usually sell as two-year-olds, but from an early stage we knew this horse would need the May grass so we targeted this sale for him.
"He is a super walker and has a great head on him and the thing about this horse is he will be able to run next year. He is only the third horse I have sold to Bobby and the first two have won so hopefully he will keep up that strike-rate."
HEADING TO POINTS
A career in point-to-points is the immediate plan for a €34,000 Yeats half-sister to several winners who was bought by Tommy Redmond.
The last notable transaction of the day came when Nicky Richards forked out €31,000 for a son of Flemensfirth out of a winning own-sister to the Betfair Hurdle winner Violet Dancer.
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR THE AUGUST SALE
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVG MED
2021 339 254 170 €1,062,650 €6,251 €4,500
2020 237 178 123 €1,051,600 €8,550 €6,000
2019 304 261 179 €1,864,650 €10,417 €6,200
2018 270 220 157 €2,011,600 €12,813 €7,500