TOP PRICED THREE-YEAR-OLDS.

THE year’s sale-topping honours at a heady €60,000 fell once again to the Waterford based team of MBF Sporthorses. Selling at the Goresbridge Go For Gold sale, this return went to MBF Shadow, a KWPN registered gelding by Mees VD Watermolen out of the Selle Francais-bred dam Rhoole Gana Du TIY by Hoolagan De Rosyle. Sourced privately in Belgium the previous year, the well-marketed chestnut was a stand out of the day, and was knocked down to British event horse owner and staunch Irish horse supporter Karla Wheatcroft. A little later on the same evening Trade Horse Ltd’s much admired Ravensdale Mr Blue realised an impressive €50,000 when secured by Ian Barrett. Bought as a foal, the son of Chacoon Blue was bred by Cliodnha Breen and is out of the well-related Bfalke (Ustinov) who is a sibling to Dondoctro (1.55m) and Cingdoctro (1.50m).

Finally, Tommy Considine and Alan Morgan’s Serran de Bun by VDL Douglas changed hands at the Goresbridge October Select sale of show jumpers for €46,000. Imported from the Netherlands the previous year, the impressive colt was out of Dittarike by Tangelo Van de Zuuthoeve. The subject of a tight exchange, he was eventually secured by Michael Kelly on behalf of American customer Ally Sinclair.

In the country

Slow start

The market for the three-year-olds was slow to gain momentum. There were very few notable returns over the first half of the year, but things did improve in the autumn. The presence of the specialist sales (Gorsebridge, Cavan and Monart) in the calendar has completely altered the pattern of trade, and while this can be considered in many ways a positive it has caused a lull in the country. Overseas customers now feel very comfortable buying online, and using a platform which is now boosted by accompanying radiographs, veterinary certificates and fully comprehensive videos, they have dominated the proceedings.

Bucking all trends however, and following a sticky start for the age group, the trade in both September and to a lesser extent October, improved to deliver a much needed boost. To the surprise of all, the three-year-olds bettered even the four-year-olds at times to close with a raft of five-figure returns.

The top price of €16,500 went to TR Sporthorses’ Keonan Twister, a gelding by Corporal VDL out of Lissavoora Russel (Russell). Bred by Keonan Stables, and sourced as a foal, he was snapped up by Elizabeth Eames at Goresbridge in October and is remaining with TR Sporthorses to be produced further.

Private producers and breeders also enjoyed some good returns in Goresbridge in September, and among these was Eileen Furlong whose family produced, homebred filly Thistletown Katie Taylor by Tyson was knocked down to Eddie Moloney for €16,000. Better known in thoroughbred circles as National Hunt breeders and sale consignors, the New Ross based family have always had an interest in the sport horse sector and bred this one out of the 1.35m grand prix mare Bonnie (by Foxglen Cruise Control).

Selling for the same return later in the same day was Frank Casey’s unnamed gelding by Mermus R out of Castlemorris Passions (Passion). Sourced as a foal from his breeder Theresa Walsh, he was secured by top showman Jamie Smyth on behalf of the Northern Ireland based McConnell Farms.