FOUR young students from Co Mayo had a fantastic coup pay off last week at the Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sales.

Erris Bloodstock was formed last November when Patrick Lavelle, Patrick Reilly and David Dixon from Our Lady’s Secondary School in Belmullet decided to pinhook two foals for their Transition Year Mini-Company project.

The three boys were joined by Patrick’s younger brother Sean who is currently in second year at St. Brendan’s College, Belmullet. Erris Bloodstock spent €6,300 on two foals last November purchasing a daughter of Fast Company at Goffs and privately acquiring a Dandy Man filly from John McEnery at Rossenarra Stud.

The fillies returned to Mayo for the next nine months before heading to trainer David Marnane in August to be prepared for the yearling sales.

A strong profit of over €10,000 was returned when the two fillies sold for €21,000 at Tattersalls selling to Joe Foley of Ballyhane Stud and also to Nasser Idris who bought the Fast Company filly to race in Saudi Arabia.

The Lavelle brothers’ interest in horseracing comes from their father Damian who has a number of horses in training with David Marnane including Seanie, He’s No Saint and recent Group 3 Renaissance Stakes winner Jamesie.

Patrick Lavelle on behalf of Erris Bloodstock said: “A lot of credit has to go to David Marnane, Peter Kelly of Emerald Bloodstock and John Osborne of the Irish National Stud who have all been a great help in the early success of Erris Bloodstock. We would also like to thank the buyers Joe Foley from Ballyhane Stud and Nasser Idris Bloodstock.” Erris Bloodstock will return to the auction ring soon as they plan to reinvest their pinhooking profit into two more foals at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

Those involved in Erris Bloodstock are looking to continue the business for years to come and hope to become ‘the future of bloodstock’.