GORESBRIDGE put together a catalogue of 25 horses for last Wednesday’s sale of point-to-pointers and National Hunt horses in training. Of the 17 sold, the majority were snapped up by British buyers, headed by bloodstock agent Dan Astbury who bought five horses.

His haul included the €90,000 sale-topper Dancing Soldier, a narrow winner at Ballindenisk last Sunday for handler Mick Goff. The four-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding was a €30,000 Derby Sale purchase and was a wildcard entry for this sale. He is a half-brother to the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase second Demachine (by Flemensfirth).

“He is for Mickey (Michael) Bowen in Wales,” Astbury said. “We are trying to build a nice team up for Mickey and he is for a new owner into the jumps game. He was our number one target, and is hopefully going to be good value. He put in a massive performance and won in the quickest time of the day, 12 seconds quicker, and he came up good on all the figures we do. Hopefully he will prove to be well bought at that figure.”

Astbury later paid €54,000 for Kenzo Des Bruyeres, a dual point-to-point winner for Eamonn Doyle. A five-year-old by Kapgarde, he is a half-brother to three winners, from the family of classy chaser Eldorado Allen and top class Envoi Allen.

Astbury said: “He obviously took a bit of time to mature but he bolted in on his two recent starts. He is for a different owner in Mickey Bowen’s yard, and she loved him.”

Cian Collins bought Hi Ho Idaho from Rob James for €46,000. The Idaho gelding was a €20,000 store and has been placed third on both of his point-to-point starts. Collins said: “We will get him home and might give him a bit of a break until the spring.

“He is a nice horse, a great mover, and I’m lucky to get him. I liked his runs – he improved from his first run to his second run. He will go straight to the track now and he is for sale.”

Another pointer who placed third, Asleep In Court (by Court Cave), was sold by Paul Pierce for €36,000 to Mark Beecher.

Reflecting on the day’s trade, Ed Donohoe said: “A great top price, a huge amount of interest generally speaking, all of the Irish guys were here, and I am happy that they will come and lots of them bought. Mick Goff sold the top one and he has been a great supporter of the sales here. He promised me that he would have a good one this year, and he had. I am delighted for him because he supports us every time.

“Generally I would say if you had a nice horse you got well paid. Trade was good and lads went home without getting one.

“I was disappointed with the entry. We had come off a dry period and I would have preferred another 10 or 15 horses. I think Irish vendors will start to trust us now, we can sell horses if we get them. It is difficult to know about the timing. Our next one will be in April as it was this year. Give us the horse and we will get it sold for you.”