Excellent trade on the opening day of the August NH Sale
The two-day August NH Sale 2017 got underway with an excellent and busy first day's trade. All figures showed substantial increases compared with last year with the average rising by 36% to €10,562 and the median increasing by 35% to €7,000. The €2,017,250 aggregate for the day's trade was a healthy improvement of 49%.
Horses sold at a clearance rate of 71% (268 lots offered), and 12 lots fetched €30,000 or more, double the number on Day 1 in 2016.
The day's top price of €50,000 was given for the already-named Song Of The Hunter (Lot 32), a three-year-old son of Network. Rathbarry Stud's Paul Cashman purchased him as a point-to-point prospect.
"He has plenty of size and is athletic," said Cashman. "We'll get him home and look to run in a point-to-point in the spring. He is by a top sire who produces year in and year out."
Sons of three different stallions tied for second-best honours at €40,000:
Sans Frontieres (Lot 62), whose first crop are three-year-olds of this year, the established Burgage Studsire Shantou (Lot 277), and Malinas (Lot 282), who stands at Glenview Stud. He was previously based at Yorton Farm in the UK and Haras de la Hetraie in Fance.
Sans Frontieres (Lot 62), whose first crop are three-year-olds of this year, the established Burgage Studsire Shantou (Lot 277), and Malinas (Lot 282), who stands at Glenview Stud. He was previously based at Yorton Farm in the UK and Haras de la Hetraie in Fance.
"This is the first by San Frontieres that I've bought," said Tom Malone of the Graigue Farm offered three-year-old. "I like the stock I've seen by the sire. This horse has been bought for owner Richard Gilbert and he will go to the UK, I am not sure to which trainer. He'll be aimed at a bumper with a view for resale."
Kevin Ross Bloodstock's purchase of the Shantou gelding from Simmonstown Stud is as a long-term racing prospect. The gelding is out of a half-sister to the Grade 1 Thyestes Chase winner My Murphy and from the family of the dual Cheltenham Grade 1 winner Simonsig.
"He is by a good sire, whom we have been lucky with," said Ross. "He is for an established client and is a racing prospect."
David Minton, purchaser of the Malinas gelding, was buying on behalf of trainer Alan King and it was a return to a pedigree well-known to the Barbury Castle-based trainer.
"Alan trained the half-brother Valdez and loved him - he was a flashy chestnut and this chap is chestnut too; Alan likes chestnuts," smiled Minton.
It is not surprising that King had a soft spot for Valdez - the horse won seven races, including the Lightning Novices Chase (G2).
The gelding's further pedigree is also one with which King is well acquainted - under the third dam is Walkon, a three-time Grade 1 winner, a runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle and third in the Topham Handicap Chase (G3) for King.
The Tattersalls Ireland August NH Sale continues tomorrow, Thursday 17 August and starts at 10am. All horses purchased are eligible for both the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper and the new Tattersalls Ireland/EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle Series for horses costing €30,000 or less.