Record Sale opens Tattersalls Ireland 2022 Sales season

The Tattersalls Ireland 2022 sale year kicked off with a busy renewal of the February NH Sale. The sale was not held in 2021 due to COVID restrictions, but it bounced back with a vibrancy and the one-day sale posted an aggregate of €2,181,750, its best-ever since 2007 when it was a three-day sale.

The session also logged a record average price of €13,064, the first time the figure has registered in excess of €11,500, as well as its second-best median figure of €9,000.

The top price honours went to Robin de Carlow, the wild card entry in the mares' section. She was bought by Michael Moore of Ballincurrig House Stud for €70,000.

“She has been bought for a client of Ballincurrig's and goes to England," said Moore. "We don't know what the plans are yet, but the progeny will be kept to race." When asked what the buyer particularly liked about the daughter of Robin des Champs, Moore added: "He just thought that she is a quality mare."

The Shannon Spray Novice Hurdle (G3) and Like A Butterfly Novice Chase (G3) winner was consigned by trainer Willie Mullins's Closutton Stables for owner Catchherifucan & Brett Graham Syndicate.

A €40,000 graduate of the 2016 Derby Sale, she won eight races and £117,589 in prize-money earnings. Her second dam Nas Na Riogh (King's Theatre) won the Finale Junior Hurdle (G1) at Chepstow.

The day’s €62,000 top price for a foal was the already-named Perfect Ball (Lot 104), a French-bred colt by leading stallion No Risk At All out of the nine-time winning, Grade 1-placed Kapgarde mare Princesse Kap. She is a half-sister to the Listed Auteuil hurdle winner Prince Pretender, the Listed Auteuil hurdle-placed Princesse Fiona and is the dam of one winner from one runner.

The March-born colt was bought by Kieran Shields from Ballincurrig House Stud and consignor Michael Moore said: "I bought him privately last autumn from the breeder, who is based in Normandy. A friend happened to be in the yard and saw the foal and rang me. No Risk At All is a brilliant stallion and Princesse Kap was a good race mare, but she has to go on and produce now.

"Progeny by No Risk At All is sought after and sold well in the autumn, so we thought we'd come and chance our arm."

Lot 78 by Walk In The Park was bought by Jason Higgins for €60,000 from Ardrums House Stud.

"He is by a very popular sire, he is a lovely, loose-moving colt, I could not fault him. We'll see how it goes, he might be resold as a store horse or we might race or point-to-point him," said Higgins, who is based in Enniscorthy and is a Grand Prix showjumper, event rider, pinhooker and point-to-point producer.

James Doyle is playing the long game having invested in Lot 195 as a point-to-point prospect. The Ballincard Farm-consigned, April-born colt by Milan is the first foal out of Ballincard Saint (Fame And Glory), a half-sister to the three-time Grade 1 winner and Derby Sale graduate Appreciate It, winner of the 2021 Supreme Hurdle and current second-favourite for the Champion Hurdle (G1).

“He is a good sort, he stood out a mile, if he came back as three-year-old he would cost double,” said Doyle. “He is eye-catching, he has it all and is a good solid sort with a bit of presence and strength. He is a good model and should make up into a fine three-year-old.

“It is a great pedigree and we have been lucky with the sire, he will probably go pointing.”

Commenting on the February NH Sale, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said:

“We are delighted to kick off our first sale of 2022 with another record-breaking session, following last year’s record-breaking renewals of the November NH Sale and the Derby Sale that returned the highest average and median on record for any store sale.

The February NH Sale was cancelled in 2021 due to Covid-19 and it was fantastic to stage a sale today under more ‘normal’ conditions and witness the fierce competition for choice foals between buyers from near and far. It is very pleasing to see the figures reach new highs, proving the February NH Sale is worth the wait.

We look forward to sponsoring the €150,000 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) at Dublin Racing Festival this coming weekend and catching up with many of our loyal vendors and purchasers ahead of the Derby Sale inspections commencing. Derby Sale graduates dominated at the 2021 Dublin Racing Festival with four Grade 1 winners and we cannot wait to cheer them on this weekend on what is sure to be a superb weekend of racing.”