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DEMAND for foals and yearlings was muted on the opening day of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale on Monday.
The first of three days of selling, Monday’s session did not feature the top tier of youngstock and this was reflected in the clearance rate of 59%, down from 65% on this day last year.
The median price fell by 6% to €8,500 but the average rose 7% to €12,768, helped by two €50,000 foals.
One of those was a Jukebox Jury half-brother to Break My Soul (by Doyen), a winner over fences at Gowran Park last Saturday. She is trained by Ian Donoghue who bought her for £70,000 out of Nicky Henderson’s yard and campaigned her shrewdly in top company over hurdles last season.
The colt foal was consigned by Frank Motherway’s and Conor Cashman’s Yellowford & Drumlin, on behalf of breeder Mary Coffey, and was bought by Peter Molony’s Rathmore Stud in partnership with Hugh Bleahen’s Clifton Farm.
Molony said afterwards: "He is a lovely horse, a super mover and I love the sire. I actually bought his half-brother here last year, and he has everything going for him. His half-sister looked very good at the weekend. Please God, everything goes right."
Ian Ferguson was the day’s top buyer, spending €97,000 on four foals. The most expensive of them was a €50,000 colt by Irish Derby winner Santiago from The Hollow Farm in Kildare. He is out of an unraced Oscar mare who bred a point-to-point winner by Walk In The Park this year. Ferguson indicated that this purchase was bought to race for a client.
Barely a day goes by without an impressive winner for trainer Dan Skelton this month and he was represented at the sale by agent Ryan Mahon who bought a Jeu St Eloi filly foal for €48,000 from Ballyreddin Stud.
A supplementary entry, the filly is out of Purple Mountain (by Beat Hollow), winner of a listed bumper at Gowran Park. She has only had one previous foal, now a yearling.
Mahon said: "She is a very nice filly out of a very good blacktype mare. We have a couple of fillies and a gelding by the stallion in England who are showing good things, so we are glad to get her. She will be going into training with Dan [Skelton]; that will be the plan."
On working with Dan Skelton, Mahon said: "He is very driven, meticulous, and has built up an exceptional team of people and horses. Everything is working well together. We had four winners today and it is full guns ahead.”
Other notable transactions on Monday included a €40,000 colt by Poet’s Word sold by Boardsmill Stud to Dick and J.J. Frisby, and a first crop foal by Hurricane Lane (by Frankel) bought by Luke Cummins of Belville Bloodstock for €42,000 from Clonmult Farm, on behalf of breeders Patrick and Michael Fennessy from Ballinaroone Stud.
The top yearling price of the day was €40,000, which was given by Timmy Hillman for a Doctor Dino colt out of the classy Annie Mc, a Grade 2 winner for Jonjo O’Neill and the Coral Racing Club a few years ago.
The sale continues on Tuesday.
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