Excellent Trade On Day Five Of The November National Hunt Sale

The strong bidding witnessed all week at the November National Hunt Sale continued into today's last session of the foal section. A top price of €55,000 was given by Patrick McCann for the Flemensfirth colt out of Hotline, a Poliglote half-sister to the dual Queen Mother Champion Chase Grade 1 winner MASTER MINDED (Lot 1127).

It is a family McCann knows well - last year the buyer spent a sale-topping €110,000 on the Flemensfirth colt out of Keep Face, a full-sister to Hotline.

McCann's purchase was a close run thing as he was only just arriving at Fairyhouse as the foal was going through the ring.

 "I was driving up and my friend Bill called to say the foal was going through, did I want him?"  exclaimed McCann after running into the ring to sign the docket.

 "I saw the foal in August at Ballincurrig and really liked him, and was keen to get him, he is a beautiful foal," he explained, adding: "The yearling out of Keep Face is going on well and both will come back to the Derby Sale."

 Nelius O'Keeffe, who had sold a Yeats foal earlier in the day, led up by his daughter, bought the second foal out of the 11-time winning, and Grade 1 racemare, VOLER LA VEDETTE (Lot 1201).

"He's a fine colt and out of a great mare, he'll be kept to race," said O'Keeffe of the Presenting colt sold by Walshtown Stud.

Figures for the last day of the foal sale were up considerably compared to 2015 with significant increases of 45% and 33% seen in the median and average, which took those figures to €8,000 and €10,405, while the aggregate rose by a remarkable 64% from €912,700 to €1,498,350.

Overall, the four-day foal sale produced highly satisfactory trade and improved figures all round recording an increased aggregate of €9,995,600, a rise of 4%, an average of €14,550, an increase of 6%, while the median of €11,000 was level with 2015. Of the 967 foals offered, 71% of the foals offered found new homes.

 The November National Hunt Sale concludes tomorrow at 10am with the sale of broodmares.