IRISH foal records were smashed for the second time in the space of a month when Greg Broderick’s well related filly by Luidam realised a breathtaking €35,000 at Goresbridge last weekend. Spearheading an otherwise tricky market, the show jumping-bred filly delivered one of two five-figure returns and is now the highest priced foal in Irish sport horse auction history. Her sale was a personal success not just for Broderick, who also consigned another filly at €17,000, but for the whole team responsible for the breeding programme at the Ballypatrick Stud.
“It was an unbelievable price for a sport horse foal, and fantastic to see it,” reflected Martin Donohoe of Goresbridge. “It just shows what can be achieved when you have the right stock. Greg and the team at Ballypatrick did a good job of marketing these foals, and produced two trans-Atlantic buyers.”
Many questioned the need to sell these smartly bred foals at auction, but as Broderick explained, “We have had a lot of interest in the fillies, so rather than turn anyone down, we thought it better to put them both on the open market, and Goresbridge was the place to bring them.”
These two returns contributed to Saturday’s improved market and boosted a variable three days of trading. Inconsistent from the outset, but with prices rising steadily as the week progressed, the final figures illustrated an overall clearance of 46% (42% in 2016) together with an average of €2,295 (€1,978).
Buyers were extremely selective throughout, and there is no doubt that in general it was a tough few days for breeders. While 15 foals made in excess of €5,000, over half went home unsold, and others realised well below their costs. Some of the disappointing prices and unsold lots reflected a shortfall in condition and presentation, while a common complaint from customers was the general lack of correctness.
Looking back over the three days, Martin Donohoe commented, “There were plenty of positives as well as the negatives. It is easy to blame the stock, but there were definitely lots of customers at the sale for the correct ones. There were also plenty of foals that went home unsold however, and for those I have no solution. Some breeders blame the auction houses for a shortfall in marketing, but we had this sale advertised on some of the leading show jumping websites in Europe. Vendors will have to look at the situation themselves.”
SALE-TOPPER
Hailing from one of the most prolific dam’s lines, and combining the very best of continental and traditional pedigrees, the sale-topping BP India (295) is out of the 1.50m show jumper Ballypatrick Flight (Laughtons Flight). Counting Ireland’s Olympic representative MHS Going Global as a half-brother, Ballypatrick Flight is also a sibling of the CCI3* event horse MHS King Joules, and MHS Pembroke Lady – who featured as the dam of the €17,000 top priced foal at the Goresbridge Supreme sale of show jumping foals last month.
Boosting the pedigree further, the filly’s half-sister BP First Edition won a five-year-old class at the RDS earlier this year, while another sibling of the same age realised £35,000 at the Bolesworth auction in August. “The dam is still fertile and relatively young, so as we’re a selling yard, we don’t mind selling a few foals,” remarked Cheryl Broderick.
Coming forward in front of a packed house, the business end of the bidding developed into a prolonged duel between two telephone bidders. The filly quickly came on the market at €24,000 before she was finally knocked down to American buyer Pearl Biedron. “I visited Ireland and saw her earlier this summer,” Biedron explained to The Irish Field. “I am looking to breed from her, and she will remain in Ireland at Ballypatrick.”
OTHER NOTABLES
A little later in the day, another filly (435) from the Broderick consignment realised €17,000. This time the filly was entirely continentally bred, by Halifax Van Het Kluizebos out of Meriebel Van D’Abdijhoeve by Casper.
The dam, who is closely related to the Bertram Allen-ridden show jumping stallion Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve was competed by Broderick, and sourced in Europe by Darragh McCarthy. Again the influential bids came from the telephone, and this smart prospect was knocked down to Canadian buyer Elisha Edgar.
Lot 435, Austin Broderick's filly foal by Halifax fetched €17,000 at Goresbridge Foal Sale and was bought by Canadian Elishsa Edgar (Photo:Sally Parkyn)
Also selling well was Nigel Hill’s well related filly (276) by the above mentioned Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve out of Isn’t It Ironic (Lux Z). The dam had been sourced by Hill as a yearling, and had won a RDS loose jumping qualifier as a three-year-old. International rider Marion Hughes signed the docket for this one at €7,600, before commenting, “She’s interesting. The dam looks a nice type, she has blood and I don’t have the breed.”
As show jumping breeding dominated, John Meade’s beautiful filly (304) by Luidam looked well bought by Bandon-based Con O’Sullivan for €6,800. From the immediate maternal family of Air Display (1.40m) and the Mark Kyle-ridden three-star event horse Loughton Pearl, she was bought for O’Sullivan’s daughter Lisa, who is currently based in America with Andrew Bourns.
Prices improved as the sale progressed, and although it was tough going for some, there were a glut of good returns.
Fifteen foals broke the €5,000 barrier, and standing out among the remainder at €6,600 was the Carroll Brothers’ well related CBI Invictus (301), a colt by the first season sire Tyson (dam by Diament de Semilly).
One of 20 entries in the special sector for show jumping foals, he caught the eye of Tipperary-based buyer Sharon Roberts, who has already seen the videos on line.
SHOW-STOPPER
Michael Callery’s attractive filly (408) by Air Jordan (dam by Darco) was another show-stopper, and having liked both the dam and sire of this one, Sussex breeder and owner Caroline Teltsch was the successful buyer at €6,000. “She was spectacular,” said Teltsch. “She’s a multi-talented, beautiful moving filly, who took my breath away.”
Patrick Connolly’s CSF well produced consignment had a mixed day on Saturday, but eventually did well when the filly CSF Tegan (330) and the colt CSF Theo (366) both by Tyson, changed hands privately for €5,700 and €5,800 respectively. The first was knocked down to a cash buyer, while the latter was secured by Laura Fogarty. Connolly also sold CSF Elvis (191) a colt by Elvis Ter Putte, and at €5,200, this smart sort will remain locally with Kilkenny producer Ger O;Brien.
Among the other leading lights on Saturday was Stephen Reilly’s impressive Creeveyquin Kit Kat (394) by Dallas. This well presented filly sold to pinhooker and producer Jason Higgins for €5,600, while Rowena Reulbach’s colt (237) by Cormint (Lux Z) stood out on Friday when selling to Jim Roberts at €5,400. Joanne Quirke did a good job in prepping this smart colt, whose sire Cormint is owned by The Stallion Company, and stands at the Drumhowan Stud.
New Ross breeder Simon McCarthy had the biggest smiler on his face, when his two colt foals (140 and 392) by Cavalier Royale made €5,000 apiece. Both were knocked down to Ken Parkhill, on behalf of producers Jim and James McEvoy.
The first of the duo was out of a Diamond Rock mare, and led McEvoy to comment: “I liked the pedigree, and I liked the foal. There are not many by Cavalier left, so we will store him until he is three and we know what we have.”
BROODMARES
Trade for Thursday’s mixed offerings of yearlings, foals and broodmares was particularly slow, but encouragingly there was a slight upturn in the demand for a well-bred mare. Selling as the last lot of the first day, Aiden Lee’s traditionally bred seven-year-old mare (123) by Loughehoe Guy (dam by Clover Hill) in foal to Cornet Obolensky headed the group at €5,000, while Eamon McArdle’s mare (54) by Cornets Stern and in foal to his resident stallion Expuis Powerfree, changed hands for €4,300. Both were well produced, and reaped the rewards, but the turnout and condition of many mares and foals was well below an acceptable standard.
While traditional bloodlines received only moderate support, a colt (193) by Kings Master realised a good return at €3,400, and from the thoroughbred ranks a colt (180) by stable mate Golden Master made €3,600. The sport horses Imperial Heights and Puissance also made an impact, as did the Co Wexford-based thoroughbred Island Commander.
Summing up, 146 foals changed hands. Forty of these made €1000 or less, while at the other end of the scale, 36 realised in excess of €3,000.
TOP LOTS
Greg Broderick’s BP India, f foal by Luidam out of Ballypatrick Flight (Laughtons Flight) €35,000.
Austin Broderick’s f foal by Halifax out of Meriebel Van D’Abdijhoeve (Casper) €17,000.
Nigel Hill’s c foal by Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve out of Isn’t It Ironic (Lux Z) €7,600.
James Meade’s f foal by Luidam out of Sea Belle (Cruising) €6,800.
Carroll Brothers CBI Invictus c foal by Tyson out of Cenith M (Diamant de Semilly) €6,600.