TWO more stud farms owned by the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum were sold at auction this week. Coonan Property sold Pickering Stud, Celbridge for €3,450,000 and Windgates Stud, Celbridge for €2.1 million at public auction on Thursday, 3rd November at the K-Club Hotel, Straffan.

The properties were offered to a packed Tara Room at the K-Club with Pickering Stud going up for sale first. Bidding for the property opened at €2 million with three bidders bringing the total up to €3,350,000 before the stud was knocked down to a local farmer for €3,450,000. This sale price equates to a price per acre value of just over €34,000 per acre.

Following a short interval Windgates Stud, Celbridge which is on the Maynooth to Barberstown Road and familiar to many was offered to the room. The bidding opened at €1,000,000 and was taken in various increments to €2,100,000 by six bidders. Following a short break, the stud farm was placed on the market and sold when the gavel fell to the highest bidder at €2,100,000. The property was purchased in trust by a Dublin based solicitor for a private client. This sale price equates to a price per acre value of just under €40,000 per acre.

Will Coonan of Coonan Property commented: “We were delighted with the auction result for both Windgates Stud and Pickering Stud which are both very attractive due to the excellent quality lands available and their location within north Kildare.

“Stud farms of this calibre are rarely offered to the market in Kildare which is known as the thoroughbred county. We experienced strong interest over the marketing campaign and the exceptional prices achieved reflect the quality of the product offered by Derrinstown Stud.”

Top-class mares on sale at Goffs

CHELTENHAM Festival winner Concertista and Grade 2 scorers Royal Kahala and Grangee are among the mares up for sale at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale.

The catalogue for the sale is now available online and features 815 lots comprising 740 foals and 51 breeding stock along with a small selection of yearlings and store horses.

A surge in demand for foal placings this year has seen the sale extended to four days (December 5th - 8th) with the categories catalogued as follows:

  • Monday 5th – Older horses, yearlings and foals
  • Tuesday 6th – Foals
  • Wednesday 7th – Foals
  • Thursday 8th – Foals and mares
  • Among the many blacktype foal pedigrees on offer are siblings to Tornado Flyer, One For Arthur, Jason The Militant, Mister Fisher, Castlegrace Paddy, Lisnagar Oscar, Labaik, Brandy Love, Battleoverdoyen, Polished Steel, Labaik, Fayonagh, Bellshill, The Model Kingdom, Gaelic Warrior and many more.

    The first foal out of Grade 1 winner Shattered Love by Walk In The Park is a very exciting prospect while other notable dams with foals in the sale include Voler La Vedette; a sister to Hurricane Fly, Burn And Turn, Dinaria Des Obeaux, Glens Melody and Glens Harmony.

    Walters and Thomas involved in helicopter crash in Wales

    PROMINENT owner Dai Walters and up-and-coming trainer Sam Thomas were two of five passengers involved in a horrifying helicopter crash in north Wales on Tuesday evening.

    Walters was reported to have come out the worse from crash but was conscious and undergoing tests in hospital on Wednesday. Former jumps jockey Thomas was reported to have suffered minor injuries and was able to return home. The other passengers were also reported to have emerged with non life-threatening or life-changing injuries.

    The British Horseracing Authority tweeted: “Everyone at the BHA was concerned to learn of the helicopter crash last night in which five people, including owner Dai Walters and trainer Sam Thomas, were injured. Our thoughts are with all of those who were on board and we wish everybody a swift return to full health.”

    No problems at Cork despite earlier waterlogging

    CORK racecourse manager Andrew Hogan anticipates there will be no problems regarding the ground for tomorrow’s meeting. Parts of the course were waterlogged after heavy rain in the last week but have since dried out.

    “We’ve no concerns,” Hogan said. “We’re soft to heavy, heavy in places on the hurdles course and soft, soft to heavy in placed on the chase course. Val O’Connell walked the course today (Friday) and was very happy with it. We’re not anticipating an inspection.”

    The seven-race card features the Grade B Paddy Power Cork Grand National, and a full race-by-race preview is available on page 53.

    Gleeson wins Gentleman’s League

    TEENAGE amateur jockey John Gleeson has won this year’s Gentlemen’s League Fegentri Championship.

    Wins in the opening leg at Cork and then later Pardubice ensured the 18-year-old took the championship, and he could even afford to miss the last leg of the six-race series which took place in Compiegne last Saturday.

    Gleeson is the son of well-known racing television commentator Brian Gleeson. He has had an excellent start to his riding career with eight winners from just 34 rides in Ireland this season.

    The Gentleman’s League was set up by four leading amateur riders including Patrick Mullins in 2016. It is designed to give amatuer riders around Europe the chance to compete against each other in different countries.