THERE were fireworks at Cavan’s Elite foal sale on Thursday night when a colt foal by United Touch S changed hands for a whopping €46,000.
Breaking sale records in the process, Declan Fegan’s Berkleys Touch of Sol headed a glittering evening, which saw four foals make in excess of €20,000 and all but three find new homes. This in turn led to a highly-satisfactory clearance of 90% (75% in 2024) together with a marginally-reduced average of €14,033 (€14,619).
The catalogue of 30 lots had appeared extremely strong on paper and it proved so in reality. Always a standout, Declan Fegan’s sale topper was a colt foal (Lot 17) by the highly regarded European champion United Touch S out of Solara (Come On).
A very smartly-bred individual, he is already a sibling to the Eric Lamaze-ridden Chacco Kid (1.60m), as well as to Fiona (1.30m), while adding extra appeal, the dam is a sister to LV Celebracion (1.60m), Charmeur 332 (1.50m) and Carnida Z (1.40m). Pedigree aside, he was also a great model and, as a result, he was never going to come cheaply.
The bidding was strong from the outset, but in the latter stages was reduced to just two contenders, before Brian Cash made the €46,000 winning bid on behalf of American customer and international rider Audrey Schulzer. “He was a lovely colt, with a great length of neck and with a great walk,” said Cash. “It was a big price, but the cream always comes to the top. It’s not an Irish pedigree - he was bought as an embryo and foaled in Ireland and would make that price any time on the continent.”
Cash continued to explain that the colt would remain in Ireland to be produced through the age classes by his son Jack, with the idea of him moving to the States as a seven- or eight-year-old. “Basically, the idea is a long-term investment. We plan to buy a couple of top foals a year to produce for Audrey,” he added.
As the vendor/breeder, Dundalk-based Fegan was obviously thrilled with the outcome, commenting: “We are over the moon. We came with three foals and found lovely homes for all of them. We probably didn’t anticipate getting quite so much, but he was always a lovely foal from the day he was born and of course the sire, United Touch, is the talking horse at the moment. You can’t not like him; he’s a big, quality individual who is throwing really nice stock.”
Fegan, assisted by Oisin Finn, set out to breed sport horses five or six years ago, but it is only comparatively recently that the project has really gained momentum. “We have been buying better bred embryos,” he added. “We do breed from four or five of our own mares, and then tend to buy the same amount of embryos.”
Smashing pedigree
Not making the sale-topping hat-trick, but coming close at €31,000, was Declan and Ciara Phelan’s filly foal (Lot 26) by Emerald out of Biscaya d’Eversem (Sheyenne de Baugy). A sibling to the €36,000 and €28,000 sale toppers in 2022 and 2024, the filly was out of the wonderful broodmare Biscaya d’Eversem (1.60m) who was a top performer under Joan Greene.
Now 24 years old and carrying a beautiful pedigree full of blacktype, she has already bred Full Speed D’Eversem (1.35m) and BGS Biscaya View (1.30m), and is sister to Capacity D’Eversem (1.60m).
The successful purchasers were the mother and daughter team of Denise and Jessica Finnegan from Newry. As enthusiastic breeders, the pair combine National Hunt mares with sport horses, and were on the lookout for a well-bred filly to produce and then breed from. “We’re very excited and can’t quite believe it!” said Denise afterwards.
“We had her marked in the catalogue and then we loved her when we saw her. The Phelans have done a great job and they have the work done in terms of pedigree. The idea is to store her and then take embryos from her as a three-year-old before she goes into work.”
Lot 26 was sold for €31,000 at the Cavan Elite foal sale \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net
Without a doubt, the Westphalian stallion United Touch S is the talking sire and another of his progeny to sell well was JP Finlay’s filly (Lot 22) out of Une Ardente de Vie (Apache d’Adriers). Already a sibling to Cushlas Fryday (1.60m), ridden by Robyn Moran, and Cushlas Hilton (1.40m), she was snapped up at €27,000 by DJ O’Sullivan on behalf of regular foal customers Bulimba Sport Horses.
Standouts
Familiar vendors enjoyed a very successful evening and another regular sale-topping outfit is the Co Wicklow-based Kilmashogue Stud. Finbar and Joanne Mulligan have some top-class mares and did well when their Pembrook Cherry Hill (Lot 9) realised €20,000.
A filly by Big Star out of Pembroke Glencullen (Diamant de Semilly), she was out of a half-sister to the Irish Tokyo Olympic horse Kilkenny (1.60m), and from the instantly recognisable maternal line of fellow Olympian Going Global. The filly was secured by the telephone bid of American buyer Trevor Gaffney.
Lot 22 was sold for €27,000 at the Cavan Elite foal sale \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net
Among the other standouts, Stephen Reilly’s Creevyquinn Triumph (Lot 27), by Casall, sold well to Thomas Kenny at €19,000 while, at the start of the session, Scott Mannio’s Cornet Obolensky-sired colt Rocman SO (Lot 3) was knocked down to Morgan Kent for €16,500.
While it was obviously a hugely successful sale, the average (despite the outlier) was surprisingly a little down on last year. This was due to the rather two-tier trade, which saw 12 of the 27 lots forward make less than €10,000.