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As expected the Cheltenham Festival heroine Laurina emerged as the star of the show at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale and set a new record price for this sale when falling to Douglas Taylor for €290,000 to provide a fitting centrepiece to an excellent edition of this three day sale on Monday.
A substantially smaller catalogue for the sale, which was almost a third smaller than 2019, resulted in the turnover falling by 17%. However, a final aggregate figure of €10 million makes for good reading as does an average of €19,008 which was up by 15% and the median improved from €12,000 to €13,000.
A smaller catalogue was always going to drive up demand but nonetheless a 78% clearance rate for the three days is testament to a good sale and it was quite remarkable how strong trade was over the last three days.
GRADE 1 WINNER
Laurina’s recent retirement saw her added to this sale as a wildcard entry and her exploits on the track during her time with Willie Mullins meant that she was always going to be in some demand.
A winner of seven races which included a Grade 1 win at Fairyhouse and a runaway success in the Trull House Mares Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, the seven-year-old daughter of Spanish Moon boasted a distinguished record which made her a prized commodity and resulted in her eclipsing the €270,000 which was paid for Karello Bay at this sale in 2007.
Auctioneer Simon Kerins was rewarded with an opening offer of €100,000 for the daughter of Spanish Moon and the price quickly went skywards before the hammer came down in favour of Taylor.
The latter achieved notable renown as the breeder of Samcro and he also stands Jet Away at Eoin Banville’s Arctic Tack Stud in Wexford. Jet Away is responsible for one of this season’s most exciting young talents in Brandy Love who was a hugely impressive winner of a bumper at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
“She’s been bought to go to Jet Away who had a couple of very good winners at the weekend. I was hoping that we might be able to get her for €250,000 but you always have to give that bit more for ones like her. She was a top class racemare and ones like her are very hard to get your hands on,” remarked Taylor.
BREEDING PROSPECTS
Laurina provided the highlight of the mares but this much condensed section of the sale witnessed some terrific demand for the other breeding prospects on offer. Indeed Robert McCarthy of the Beeches Stud had to go to €160,000 in order to secure the Grade 2 and Grade 3-placed Moskovite who was sold in foal to Crystal Ocean.
Just prior to this Posh Trish, a three-times listed race winner in England, was snapped up by Oliver Loughlin for €118,000. This talented daughter of Stowaway is returning home having been sold by Loughlin at the 2013 edition of this sale when she fetched €1,200 as a foal.
The first mare through the ring this evening was Regal Return, an unraced Getaway half-sister to Ballyadam who cost Seamus Murphy €75,000. The six-year-old was sold in foal to Poet’s Word.
JEZKI FAMILY
The mares sale also played host to the dispersal of Gerry McGrath’s breeding stock and his amazing family, which has been responsible for countless big race winners, found plenty of favour with buyers.
The winning Jelan, an own-sister to the Champion Hurdle winner Jezki and sold in foal to Getaway, fetched €85,000 after being bought online by Jayne McGivern Just two lots later Jelan’s close relation Jezuki, a half-sister to the Grade 3-winning Jetz, cost Michael Whitty €58,000.
APPRECIATE IT'S SIBLING
The concluding day of foals at the sale produced its share of higher priced lots with centre stage going to a €70,000 Jukebox Jury half-brother to the high class Appreciate It. One of the best bumper horses of last season and recently successful on his hurdling debut at Cork, Appreciate It looks poised to challenge for top honours over the coming months. This colt was offered by Charel Park Stud and he was bought by Richard Rohan.
“He’s a gorgeous colt and a very good individual. He’s the second foal by the sire that we’ve bought this week and he’s a sire that I really like. This horse will be back for sale as a three-year-old,” reported Rohan.
Ian Ferguson came to the fore shortly afterwards when he forked out €65,000 for a Getaway colt out of a half-sister to the dual Cheltenham Festival winner Simonsig whom Ferguson guided through the formative stages of his career. This pedigree received a notable recent update when Simonsig’s half-brother, Dusart, made a winning debut at Newbury.
“It’s family that’s been lucky for me so I suppose I was entitled to go back in again,” reported Ferguson. “Simonsig won two point-to-points and a bumper for me before he went to Nicky (Henderson) and I also had Dusart although I didn’t get to run him. He looks a very exciting horse.”
MONDAY'S FOAL SESSION
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVG MED
2020 233 190 140 €2,068,550 €14,775 €10,000
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR THE FOAL SECTION
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVG MED
2020 736 627 497 €8,932,500 €17,973 €13,000
2019 1,002 905 642 €10,804,850 €16,832 €13,750
2018 1,088 979 651 €11,201,200 €17,206 €11,500
2017 1,059 929 705 €11,688,200 €16,579 €12,500
2016 1,104 967 687 €9,995,600 €14,550 €11,000
2015 1,077 948 697 €9,538,350 €13,685 €11,000
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR THE MARES' SECTION
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVG MED
2020 37 25 18 €944,000 €55,222 €32,500
2019 79 65 49 €822,100 €16,778 €8,500
2018 93 76 42 €1,004,750 €23,923 €13,000
2017 101 75 51 €786,900 €15,429 €6,500
2016 144 112 47 €786,250 €16,729 €10,000
2015 155 127 84 €1,226,950 €14,607 €8,000
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR THE ENTIRE SALE
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AVG MED
2020 823 680 529 €10,055,100 €19,008 €13,000
2019 1,202 1,055 733 €12,167,650 €16,600 €12,000
2018 1,415 1,216 771 €13,003,350 €16,866 €11,000
2017 1,413 1,191 867 €13,868,300 €15,996 €11,500
2016 1,469 1,250 844 €12,038,950 €14,264 €10,500
2015 1,530 1,314 924 €12,753,750 €13,803 €10,500
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