Belfast Banter selling online next Tuesday

BELFAST Banter will go under ThoroughBid’s online hammer on Tuesday next, four days prior to his intended run in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

The bidding will begin for Peter Fahey’s star hurdler, who won both the Country Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last season, at 5pm on Tuesday evening and end at 7pm.

He will be the only lot in the sale.

Peter Fahey, trainer of Belfast Banter, said of his stable star: “He still looks to have his best days ahead of him. Being only a six-year-old, he still has plenty of scope and it’ll be exciting for whoever secures him at the sale, particularly with an entry in the Fighting Fifth. Horses of his calibre don’t come around too often, so I’ll be hoping to continue training him for his new owners.”

Web: ThoroughBid.com

Breeder of the Month winner is Kevin Purfield

KEVIN Purfield has won the Connolly’s Red Mills The Irish Field Breeder of the Month vote for October. The Summerhill, Co Meath, breeder is responsible for producing The Mean Queen, now a winner of three Grade 1 races over jumps in the US.

Leighton Aspell joins team at RACE

RIDERS in action at the Golden Vale point-to-point on Sunday will have the opportunity to warm up on a mobile racehorse simulator, either before or during racing. The simulator is being provided by RACE and former professional jockey Leighton Aspell, who has now joined the team at the Racing Academy, will represent RACE at the point-to-point.

Fee increase for Kodi Bear at Rathbarry Stud

KODI Bear’s covering fee for 2022 is €15,000, up from €6,000 this year. Sire of Group 2 winner Go Bears Go and Group 1 placed Measure Of Magic, the Rathbarry Stud stallion had three foals in this week’s sale at Goffs and they all sold for multiples of the sire’s 2020 fee.