Derby Sale dominates as leading Store sale at the Easter Festival

Following on from the Dublin Racing and Cheltenham Festival, Derby Sale graduates dominated another key fixture in the racing calendar, this time the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. The Derby Sale was the only Store Sale to have success at Fairyhouse this weekend, producing five winners, and scored another Grade 1 victory to further strengthen its position as the leading source of Grade 1 winners.

Flame Bearer stayed on strongly to win the Grade 1 WilllowWarm Gold Cup Chase for Willie Mullins, Sean O'Keeffe and owners Linda Mulcahy and Mary Wolridge.

Sold for €78,000 by Trickledown Stud to Pat Doyle at the Derby Sale in 2018. The eight-year-old by Fame and Glory was also sold at the November National Hunt Sale for €36,000 by Ennel Bloodstock to Aiden Murphy.

Asterion Forlonge lead home a Derby Sale 1-2 in the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle. The Willie Mullins pair fought it out but Asterion Forlonge held firm to deny his stablemate Monkfish victory when returning after absence.

He was sold for €60,000 at the Derby Sale by Rahinston Farm & Stud to Suirview Stables. Also sold at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale for £290,000 to Harold Kirk / WP Mullins.

Brighterdaysahead bolted up in the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper for Gordon Elliott, Harry Swan and Gigginstown House Stud. The 2022 Derby Sale top lot is now two from two after making an impressive winning debut at Gowran Park in February.

The four-year-old by Kapgarde was sold for €310,000 by Lakefield Farm to Gordon Elliott and was the highest-priced National Hunt store sold last year.

The 2021 Derby Sale top lot Firefox followed up his recent bumper win to score the final race of the Easter Festival for Bective Stud, Gordon Elliott and Jamie Codd. Other winning graduates at the three day Festival included Derby Sale graduate Canal End, November National Hunt Sale graduate Western Walk and February National Hunt Sale graduate Macs Charm.

The first Store sale of the year gets underway at Tattersalls Ireland on Tuesday 16 May. The catalogue is in its final stages of being complete and will be available online next week.