Phenomenal trade continued at the September Yearling Sale Part II

For the first time in the Part II sale's four-year history, the aggregate broke the €2 million barrier achieving a gross of €2,093,800, a 12 per cent increase on 2016 despite last year's sale being staged over two days.

The average of €10,115 and median of €8,000 were 45 per cent and 60 per cent improvements on 2016 and easily the best-ever registered at the sale.

The 242 horses offered sold at clearance rate of 86 per cent.

The top price of €60,000 matched the best price achieved at the sale in 2015, given today by EP Horse for a Rock Of Gibraltar colt (Lot 630).

"He was our pick today, he was a stand out. He's a fine scopey colt," said successful buyer Pat Moyles. "We have paid a little more than anticipated, but let's hope he's lucky. He is for an existing client to race in Ireland."

The March colt is a half-brother to two winners, out of a three-year-old winner in France and from the Aga Khan's "S" family.

Lot 527, by first-crop sire Xtension, the first yearling colt by the sire to sell at Tattersalls Ireland, fetched €58,000.

Bidding became a head to head between Willie Browne, standing on the bridge, and Merrick Francis, acting on behalf of trainer Clive Cox and standing in the gangway. Eventually, the breeze up man prevailed.

"He is lovely horse, really athletic, a real two-year-old type," said Browne. "We'll see what happens, but he looks the business and looks a fast horse."

The colt was sold by Rathbarry Stud, who stand Xtension. "We are obviously delighted with that," said Paul Cashman, "but he is a lovely stamp of horse by the sire. The mare has been a good producer too, great to have such top judges bidding on him."

The highest-priced filly was a daughter of Dandy Man, bought by The Curragh-based trainer Takashi Kodama.

He had to go €50,000 to secure the Baroda and Colbinstown Studs consigned filly.

After the conclusion of the record breaking Part II of the September Sale, Managing Director Roger Casey commented:

"Following on from our record breaking September Yearling Sale, Part II has continued in the same vein with an outstanding set of returns headlined with a top lot of €60,000. There has been an abundance of international and domestic buyers present here all week and this has again contributed to the records achieved today in all the key indicators; a record median of €8,000 (+60%), record average of €10,115 (+45%) and a record clearance rate of 86 per cent. Despite condensing the catalogue to a one day sale this year, the turnover today of €2,093,800 (+12%) has been the best yet recorded for this section comfortably surpassing the 2016 returns. We set our stall out earlier in the year to improve the quality of the September Sale and Part II catalogue and with the unstinting support of our loyal vendors this has been emphatically achieved over the course of the last three days.

Focus now turns to the Flat Foal and Breeding Stock Sale on Friday 10 November which this week saw pin-hookers who purchased at the sale in 2016 being richly rewarded for their support. Entries for this sale close on Wednesday."