A SMART son of Conthargos with a stout pedigree was the stand out lot at last week’s youngstock sale at Cavan. Bred by Ann McArdle and consigned by her multi-tasking The Irish Field advertising manager son Brendan, the colt was the highlight of the special Winter Collection, and produced the top return of €9,600.

Another from the same sector garnered a further good price of €6,800 but as expected the trade fluctuated to close with a 50% (58% in 2021) clearance and an average of €3,034 (€3,208). Looking at the positives, eight foals realised in excess of €5,000, while rather less satisfactorily over half of those sold realised below €3,000.

As a general rule, those with the smart pedigrees and that were correct, reaped the rewards and none more so than the McArdle family’s Brackley’s Calibre (Lot 221), a colt by Conthargos out of Brackleys Dior by the Cornet Obolensky-sired jumping horse Chekov PZK. The pedigree features the Clem McMahon-ridden Grand Prix-winning mare Brackley Rose Down as the second dam, while other youngsters in the immediate bloodlines are already making their mark. Buying on behalf of his Swiss-based owner Regula Wassner, show jumper Kenneth Graham was at ringside to secure this exciting prospect which he will eventually produce under saddle.

“I’m delighted,” commented an upbeat McArdle. “He’s a cracking foal. He’s out of an old line of ours, and even though the dam hasn’t had many foals, the page got a recent boost through progeny of the dam’s half-sister. I have retained a sibling to this foal by Tangelo, while the mare is now in foal to Cascalco. I’m delighted that he’s going to a good jumping yard, and also for my mother Ann, who has kept the whole line going.”

As the buyer Graham was also pleased to secure this individual. “He’s a super pedigree and a really nice type,” he said afterwards. “Regula is my main owner and this a recent project to buy some foals for the future.”

Nice filly

Tuam breeder Patrick Connolly rarely leaves a sale without at least one good price, and this time he closed his season with an €6,800 return for CSF Robyn (Lot 222), a filly foal by KMS Rooney out of CSF Fair Exchange, by Flipper d’Elle. A half-sister to CSF Blue Lagoon who is currently campaigning in 1.45m classes with Adam Carey, she looked well bought by Co Limerick producer DJ O’Sullivan acting on behalf of Donal Buckley.

“Donal was looking for a nice filly and picked her out in the catalogue,” explained O’Sullivan. “He was wanting one that we can do a bit with as a four and five-year-old, and then keep to bred from. She is a lovely individual with probably the best mother line in the catalogue.”

At €6,000, Michael McGuinness’ MMG Candy Lord (204) was another smart individual, and one of several by the popular Sligo Candy Boy out of Sligo Lord Cathargo (Lord Z). The fourth foal out of the mare, and the third by Candy Boy, he is from the family of the useful Sligo Cruise With Me and Where Ever When Ever. Vincent Howley was at ringisde to secure this one, who he bought for Carol Black.

Also making his mark at €5,800 was Leslie Goudie’s Carrickadawson Nix (Lot 195) by the current RDS Mo Chroi four-year-old champion HHS Flonix (Mikey Pender) out of Carrickadawson Charlton Lady, by HHS Brother Charlton. With Master Imp featuring as the sire of the second dam, this lot was knocked down to Carl Webb.

There was very little call for the few broodmares forward, with the top price of €3,100 falling to Silverstream Star (Lot 299), an 11-year-old by Indus (dam by the thoroughbred City Honours).

Top returns

  • Ann McArdle’s Brackleys Calibre, colt foal by Conthargos (dam by Chekhov PKZ) €9,600.
  • Patrick Connolly’s CSF Robyn, filly foal by KMS Rooney (dam by Flipper d’Elle) €6,800.
  • Michael McGuinness’s MMG Candy Lord, colt foal by Sligo Candy Boy (dam by Lord Z) €6,000.
  • Leslie Goudie’s Carrickadawson Nix, colt foal by HHS Flonix (dam by HHS Brother Charlton) €5,800.