EXCELLENT TRADE ON DAY ONE OF DERBY SALE

The catalogue for both days is smaller than in previous years, explaining the fall in turnover to €5,711,500.

Agent Bobby O’Ryan bought the day’s top lot going to €170,000 for the son of Big Bad Bob offered by Busherstown Stud (Lot 144).

“He is a cracking horse, a lovely horse,” said O’Ryan. “He looks a real bumper type, which would be a bonus, and the sire is doing very well. He stays in Ireland."

It was a profitable day for the gelding’s vendors, who bought him as pinhook prospect at the November Foal Sale in 2012 for €20,000.

Two horses shared runner-up honours fetching €160,000 apiece. Offered by leading vendor Ballincurrig House Stud, Lot 85 is a son of the day’s leading sire, the former Whytemount Stud-based Stowaway.

Purchaser Anna Ross, standing with her husband Kevin, said: “He is for an existing client and will stay in Ireland. I thought he was the nicest horse in the sale, a beautiful horse, very athletic and he has a good pedigree."

The three-year-old gelding is out of the Grade 3 chase winner Court Leader (Supreme Leader) from the family of Mighty Mogul and the Grade 1 performer Ballynagour. He cost his vendors €32,000 when purchased here as a foal in November 2012.

Lot 137 is a son of Martaline and is already named Gaelic Prince. He is a half-brother to the dual French Listed hurdle winners Gaelic Ocean and Gaelic Joy. He was sold by Peter Nolan Bloodstock and was another profitable pinhook having been bought for €31,000 as a foal.

Successful purchaser Aiden Murphy, who saw off Mags O’Toole in a head to head bidding battle, said: “He, along with the Robin des Champs [Lot 157], have been bought for a partnership. They will come back to me at Stratford, we’ll break them in and then see where we are with them.”

The Select Horses in Training Section concluded day one of the sale and was topped by Elusive Theatre who was sold to The Crawford Brothers for €47,000. The Horses in Training section produced a median of €43,500 and an average of €40,250.