THE Tattersalls Ireland February Sale takes place next week and a recent high-class runner to emerge from the sale is last weekend’s Ascot Grade 3 Matchbook Holloway’s Hurdle winner Ballymoy. Bought for €15,500 by Ian Ferguson from breeder Emlyn Patterson, Ballymoy ran twice for the handler and finished third and fourth in point-to-points. He was then sent to the Goffs UK Spring Sale and snapped up by Nigel Twiston-Davies for £75,000.

Third on his racecourse debut in a bumper, Ballymoy then had his attention turned to hurdling. He has won six of his eight starts in that code, being beaten only on his debut when fifth to Kalashnikov and when fourth, five lengths behind Global Citizen, is a listed race at Newbury. He has more than rewarded connections for their investment, banking more than £125,000 to date.