BUSINESS at Goresbridge last week may not have matched the heady levels of 12 months ago, but highlighted by half a dozen five-figure returns, and a generally steadier trade, the edition delivered a set of returns much in line with those of 2017.

With horses selling to a truly cosmopolitan collection of buyers, the strongest demand in terms of clearance and averages emerged from the four-year-old sector, closely followed by Wednesday’s older horse and ponies.

Trade for the three-year-olds, which was very good in some quarters but somewhat more tenuous for the remainder, reduced the overall clearance to 57%. Holding up well, this was just two points in arrears from the 2017 (59%) returns while the total average illustrated a slightly reduced figure of €3,647 (€3,811).

“Strong enough, especially in the four-year-old sector, and I’m happy to see the average hold up so well,” remarked Goresbridge auctioneer Martin Donohoe.

SALE-TOPPERS

This year’s sale-topping honours fell to Cornascriebe Blue (268), a three-year-old in the Select Show Jumping sector. Consigned by Mary Kehoe and catalogued as one of four lots in the division, the daughter of Plot Blue impressed both in and out of the sale ring to head the edition at €17,500.

Having demonstrated her not inconsiderable talents prior to sale, the filly eventually came on market at €15,500, and from there on bids bounced between British event rider Oliver Townend and a telephone bidder. In the end, the hammer fell in favour of the latter, who based in Holland, was named as Chinese customer Ying Li. A contact through social media, Li had seen the sale videos of the filly, and having enquired further, secured both her and another later in the same session.

Kehoe meanwhile had sourced her sale-topper at the Goresbridge Breeders Classic foal sale three years ago, so it was apt that she should progress to head this similarly supported follow on sector. Unfortunately catalogued with the incorrect pedigree, the filly was bred by Carol Armstrong out of her jumping mare Cornascriebe Cavalla (Cavalier Royale) who is a sibling to several notable performers. Also appearing in the dam line is the former Go For Gold sale-topping event horse Cornascriebe Glenpatrick, as well as the blacktype stars Royal Athlete, MHS Going Global etc.

“We think she looks exceptional,” commented Kehoe. “I think she will be a very good mare.”

SELECT THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Opening Wednesday’s first session of three-year-olds, were a quartet of pre-selected lots which were accompanied by promotional videos and X-rays. Three changed hands, and sale-topper aside, another notable was Jason Higgins and Brian Flynn’s Heritage Viking (267), (by Vancouver) who realised €15,500. Well produced by his vendors, and sourced directly from his breeder Helen O’Gorman, the gelding was the subject of another lively exchange. It looked for a while that he would go the way of British event horse owner Denise Crossman, but determined as she was, the final bid was made by sale-topping buyer Ying Li.

“She tracked us down through social media, and then looked at the videos,” explained Co Waterford-based Flynn. “We bought the gelding with this sale in mind, and he’s always impressed us.” The pedigree appeared equally attractive as the individual, with the dam LSV Zebedee (Corrado) having competed in the four-year-old class at the RDS, while the second dam is a full-sister to Quincy 79 (1.40m). Further back in the immediate maternal family are Pikeur Caressini (1.55m), Horse Gyms Kira (1.45m) and Quinara (1.40m).

The most recognisable bloodlines in the catalogue however belonged to Lisa Cawley’s chesnut filly (269) by Old Chap Tame who was knocked down to Brian Mehigan of Hawthorn Villa Stud for €10,000. Bought as a 10th wedding anniversary present for his wife Sheila, Mehigan commented: “I just loved her back breeding together with all the blacktype. The plan is to produce her under saddle next year.”

Mehigan had every reason to appreciate the pedigree as, this daughter of Lissrina by Cruising, is out of a full-sister to the top-class Solerina (1.60m), Rincarina (1.50m), Flexability (1.45m) and Cruising Lad (1.30m). “We still have the dam, who is now in foal to Je T’Aime Flamenco,” remarked Noel Cawley, who also revealed that Rincarina has probably the only Irish-bred foal on the ground by For Pleasure. The sire meanwhile is a French Nations Cup and Doha Global Champions Tour-winning stallion with Edwina Tops-Alexander.

OLDER HORSES and PONIES

Attracting a big crowd on Tuesday, the sale opened with a full day of older horses and a small group of ponies. Delivering a clearance of 63% together with an average of €3,558, the session also produced a number of notable returns. This were hampered slightly by some disappointing cancelled sales, but nevertheless produced two worthy sale-toppers at €8,400 apiece.

First up was Ann Callanan’s Ruthstown Classic (83) a home-bred gelding by Kroongraaf with a wealth of competition form. Having followed the North Kilkenny hounds for one full season, the seven-year-old had also show jumped and evented and was the winner of the middleweight hunter division at the RDS last year. It was a sad sale of a family favourite, and benefitting was the determined buyer Jim Derwin. The Athlone man eventually secured a haul of nine lots, commenting, “It’s been a busy few weeks, but you having to keep buying to keep going. Trade was good enough today, but horses were not as difficult to buy as sometimes.”

As the traders battled for the better lots, it was Co Meath-based Trade Horses Ltd who accounted for Jordan Campbell’s smart five-year-old mare (101) by Orestus. Produced entirely by her Co Armagh-based vendor who was rewarded with a €8,400 return, she could have a future in either sphere.

Jim Derwin was never far from ringside, and also signed for John Hagen’s Seaview MRB (141) at €8,000. Another with plenty of mileage under his belt, and placed in show classes at the RDS, the Camiro de Haar Z-sired gelding had also enjoyed an earlier show jumping career.

Topping the six ponies who changed hands was the O’Connor family’s five-year-old gelding (7) by Templebready Fear Bui (dam by Castleside JJ). Caroline Dreyer was the lucky buyer of this smart sort who realised €4,200.

FOUR-YEAR-OLDS

Filling the first session on Wednesday’s action, the age group produced the week’s best clearance of 64% along with an average of €3,932.

Prices clustered better in this group to deliver a more solid middle market, and standing out was Henry Bellinger’s gelding (251) by Russel out of an unnamed mare by Cruising. Giving a real display under Liam O’Meara, the gelding was snapped up by a determined Douglas Edward for €16,500. “I bought him mainly because of the breeding,” admitted the Perth-based buyer, who already has an advanced horse by the same sire. “My best horse Oxmountain Cruise by Russel came from here as a three-year-old, and he took me to Blenheim last month.”

The rider O’Meara was fulsome in his praise for this horse, who he described as being “probably the best one I have ever ridden here at Goresbridge.”

A few lots earlier, another grey, Poynstown Issy (240) turned heads when selling to Emma Dean for €9,500. Consigned by Paula Widger and well ridden by Jessie Widger, this filly by OBOS Quality (dam by Chillout) is a well-related sibling to two promising event horses. She is now heading down the show jumping route however, as locally based Dean has bought her for her daughter Emily to produce in the age classes next year.

“I just walked up the yard and spotted her,” said Dean. “I also loved her breeding.”

Next in line at €6,400 was Killian Dunne’s filly (247) by Hermes de Reve (dam by Rich Rebel). Another home-bred, and produced by her vendor, she was secured by Northern Irish buyers R. Barkley and Sons.

Trade for the remainder was steady enough, with a further 15 making in excess of €4,000.

REMAINING THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Delivering a clearance of 49% together with an average of €3.702, the younger age group sold in front of a large but selective crowd. Quality was mixed, and perhaps carried away by some of the better returns, some vendors posted unrealistic reserves. That said, good prices were most definitely not reserved for the special selection, and further 16 lots made in excess of €4,000.

Heading a lively closing session was Miley Somers’ gelding (409) by OBOS Quality out of Lucys Harle by Harlequin du Carel. The talking horse of the afternoon, he jumped impressively and in front of a packed house changed hands for €15,500. It was a tight tussle, and although he battled hard, the world number one event rider Oli Townend lost out to the Co Tipperary-based Pallas Stud.

A light framed, athletic gelding, he was bred in Co Wicklow by Michael Byrne, and sourced by his vendor as a foal. “Through no fault of his own, we missed the September sale and the special sales, but it’s all worked out well,” remarked Clonroche-based Somers.

The previous day had delivered another five-figure return, when Ann Murphy’s home-bred Ogue Verdi (318) by Verdi realised €10,800. Not over produced, and out of Ogue Luic by Eurocommerce Pittsburg, the well related gelding hails from the family of one of this year’s most impressive four-year-olds, Ogue Special. Jason Higgins piloted that one all season, so it came as no surprise to see him signing the docket after a spirited exchange.

A little earlier in the day, Murphy also did well when selling Ogue Koko Special (288) a gelding by I’m Special de Muze out of Koko Ogue (Iroko). This time Oli Townend did eventually get ahead of the pack, finally securing him for €7,000.

Also heading down for the event track is Daphne Tierney’s eye-catching gelding (407) by Ars Vivendi out of the thoroughbred mare Be Suir (Be My Native). Home-bred to win in the showring but falling between the two weight levels, he looked particularly well bought by Andrew Williams (GHF Equestrian) for €7,800.

The venue has been a lucky one for the purchaser, having sourced the recently crowned British five-year-old champion Max McInerney two years ago.

“I loved everything about him,” said Williams. “I loved the thoroughbred cross in the breeding, and the looseness of his movement.”