TRENDS at the upcoming Land Rover and Derby Sales could be a little different this year. These will be the first summer store sales since Michael O’Leary announced his Gigginstown House Stud operation will be downscaling and with many projecting the point-to-point influence could be decreased this season due to the effects of Covid-19 on that part of the industry, perhaps there is an opportunity there.

Oran Crean, who runs the successful Winning Ways syndicate, will be attending the upcoming Land Rover and Derby Sales, on the lookout for the latest horse he will syndicate out to around 10-15 people, who will be full share owners.

“We generally buy one horse a year at either the Derby or Land Rover Sales. The way it works is that I will fill 50% of the syndicate before I go to buy the horse, and underwrite the rest until we can find more people to take a share. We have a lot of repeat clients and people who do one year on one year off.

“I wasn’t sure if we would go back again this year, what the appetite was with the current syndicate members. But I told them about the situation, that the point-to-point men are probably going to have their influence reduced and certain owners may well be ready to step up having not been willing to before, so there could value there.”

Crean had highly notable success early in the history of Winning Ways with Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca but in recent years buying geldings has become too expensive and fillies have been the go-to. Even with the potential for value there now, he doesn’t see that policy changing.

“We decided that we would buy a few fillies when the programme started to improve; you get much better bang for your buck because €40,000 for a filly will get you one at the top end. I was concerned about the robustness of fillies but we’ve been very lucky. I just think you need to give them time and that is what we instruct our trainer Peter Fahey to do – to take as long as he wants with them.

“The programme there for them is very strong and so if you have a nice filly, there is lots of upside there. The residual value piece is only a marginal element for us.

“We bought four fillies in recent seasons. The first one finished second in a bumper and we sold her on. The second one, China Princess, won her bumper, she was only a €20,000 buy. Royal Alcana, a €45,000 buy, she is by Flemensfirth and she was second in her bumper in Naas in March. We bought a Montmatre last year for €27,000 and we’re very happy with her, she should be out in the autumn.”

Ronan Groome