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FOLLOWING a record-busting session here on Wednesday, the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale continued to generate serious business on Thursday. The two-day sale produced a final turnover figure of €20.9 million, up from €17.5 million last year - and there were three horses fewer sold in this year's smaller catalogue.
The 89% clearance rate was up from 82% last year and the average price paid this year of almost €64,000 was up 20% on last year's €53,000 average.
Where did the money come from? Well, the Doyles of Monbeg Stables in Wexford spent €1.6 million on 37 horses. Last year they spent €1.4 million on 27 horses in the same sale.
As at Goffs two weeks ago, J.P. McManus was the surprise package - showing up in person and spending over €850,000 on eight horses. His racing manager Frank Berry didn't sign for any horses here last year.
Mags O'Toole (acting for Robcour) spent €715,000, Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins shelled out a similar amount, and Ian Ferguson, Dan Skelton, Jonjo and A.J O'Neill, point-to-point handler Brian Lawless, Highflyer Bloodstock and Gordon Elliott were not far behind.
Record price
Robcour sent a strong message that it intends to compete at the very top table of National Hunt racing by spending a world record €400,000 for a store horse on Thursday.
The Acheson family's operation has already enjoyed top-level success with the likes of Bob Olinger and Teahupoo, and they will be hoping for more big race success with Walk The Talk, a three-year-old half-brother to this year's Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Talk The Talk.
Consigned by the Bleahen family's Lakefield Farm in Ballinasloe, Walk The Talk attracted bids from J.P. McManus, Paul Holden and Tom Malone, but it was agent Mags O'Toole who secured the Karaktar gelding with her €400,000 bid. Karaktar is the sire of classy French chaser Il Est Francais, Cheltenham Festival winner Jagwar and Robcour's good mare Kala Conti.
John Bleahen said: "I knew we had everyone in the place interested from the word 'go'. He was a very lucky find. We bought him from Lune Vergette, a family friend and an English lady who lives in the south of France. She is a lovely woman and we have been so lucky buying from the farm before.
"A lot of the credit goes to my brother Hugh; I own him with Hugh and he was the one who spotted the horse first. He has been lucky with that farm. I went down there on the second trip, and we looked at the horse together and we bought him in 10 seconds. It was an easy buy as you just don't come across horses like this. Then for the 'double green' horse [Talk The Talk, owned by Isaac Souede and Simon Munir] to do what it did.
"The dream is to get €80,000 to €100,000; you can never value these horses, it is a massive to see J.P. [McManus] here himself, the whole racing industry owes him so much, Tom Malone is so plucky, keeps coming back, Mags O'Toole... they are all fabulous people."
Bleahen added: "It is stage by stage, you rear them the best you can, bring them up and vet them and then get them shown properly. I have the best guy in the world, Wesley Hayes, working for me. He drives 45 minutes to me every day from Cloughjordan. I can go to France and look for stock knowing everything is right at home. He is my eyes and is a great friend.
"My son Luke came home. I was giving out to my wife [Elaine] about all the education she gave the children; I told her I will have no one at home! However, Luke is. It is great and he has a better temperament than I have; he is like his mother, thank God! He is a great guy to work with. I have a great team, and they deserve so much credit. They live and die for these horses: they are the ones coming back at 11pm to give electrolytes and haying them.”
Emotional result
Ger Hannon of Ralahine Stud in Newmarket-on-Fergus is part of the Tattersalls Ireland team and his family has a long history with the sales company, so it was understandable that Ger was almost speechless by his sale of a Goliath Du Berlais gelding for €260,000 to Ian Ferguson, who was reportedly acting for owner Dai Walters. Hannon bought the horse as a foal here for €40,000.
The gelding is the first foal of an unraced Masked Marvel mare.
Almost choked with emotion, Hannon said: “I bought him as a foal here when Goliath Du Berlais hadn't had a runner, and I probably gave a good price for him, but he was always a gorgeous model. I bought him from Cleaboy Stud, Sean Gorman, a great man to buy off.
“Shortly after I bought him he looked cheap. The sire took off and has done so well. He is a stunner and I have been looking forward to bringing him to the Derby Sale. My family has had great days here. My father is gone three and a half years, and it is so special to have my mother, my wife and children with me today.
“It's also special to be part of the team here. Tom Rudd said I'd probably top the sale, but he has done fantastically. Dan Skelton, the underbidder, looked at him five or six times.”
Walter Connors does it again
On Wednesday Walter Connors of Sluggara Farm sold three of the top five lots in what was a record-breaking session. The Co Waterford consignor was at it again on Thursday, selling a close relation to multiple Grade 1 winner Allaho for €250,000. The buyers were agent Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins.
Already named Shallaho, the grey gelding by Nirvana Du Berlais was pursued by agent Tom Malone and investor Paul Holden but Kirk saw them all off with his bid of quarter of a million euro.
"He is one of my top lots," Kirk said. "He is the most gorgeous horse, a great colour, and comes from the Allaho pedigree. Nirvana Du Berlais has two Grade 1 winners in his second crop, and this one ticks a lot of boxes. He was always going to make a lot of money, and is a most beautiful horse. It is the first by the sire we have bought, I have watched him in France and have tried to buy some by him; they have made too much money.
"Allaho was a superstar, and this horse is very similar in shape, movement and size. He is gorgeous for a first foal. Even when he was in the parade ring, he went around like a king. He never put a foot out of line. You are always looking for little weaknesses, but that was the first parade ring and the closest thing he will get to a racecourse. His mind seems very good and he comes from a good vendor.
"Willie [Mullins] was here yesterday, he is not here today, but saw him and loved him.
"A very clever man once told me to try and buy the ones you want, if you can get into that position. Luckily we are in that position now; Willie was not always in that position – and if we can't do it now, then we never will. Willie and his team have made that happen."
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