Records smashed at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale
A record-breaking Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale saw a colt by leading sire Dark Angel and consigned by Dolmen Bloodstock create a new record price for the sale.
The bay colt (Lot 165), who put in an “outstanding breeze”, was bought by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock for £410,000 bettering the sale's previous best of €315,000 given in 2018 by Stephen Hillen for the Frankel filly East.
The top price was the pinnacle of an outstanding day’s trade that produced a record set of statistics led by an aggregate of €6,539,427, an improvement of 69 per cent on 2020’s turnover. The average price of €37,156 was an increase of 22 per cent on last year, while the median price improved by five per cent to €22,989. The 175 horses sold from the 193 offered produced an exceptional clearance rate of 91 per cent.
Of the top lot, Brown, the day’s leading buyer, said: "He is a gorgeous big horse, and when I spoke to my client last night we highlighted him as the one – as obviously my underbidder had, too! He is a smashing horse and you always have to pay more than you value them. I was on the phone to my client through the sale and I would say that was our last bid.
“It is one of the greatest sale ring touches and fair dos to the consignor. It shows that the dreams are there and good on them, they prepared him to a very high standard."
Of future plans for the colt, who is out of the black-type mare Venturous Spirit (Arch), Brown outlined: "I can't say who my client is, but he will be trained by William Haggas."
The colt was bought as a yearling for just €6,000 by friends Katharina Irmer and Jerry Horan, who sent him to Clare Manning to be broken in and then to Justin Timmons and Danny O’Donovan of Dolmen Bloodstock to prep for his breeze.
"He has never been lame, he has never missed a day work. He is just an amazing horse, it is great for the guys they have done such a brilliant job," said Irmer of her first breeze up ownership venture. "We were never tempted to sell earlier as we wanted to give him the time to come here for this sale.”
After the hammer was knocked down the young team received a round of applause from onlookers as well as plenty of hugs and well wishes.
In amongst the celebrations, Timmons said: "He was a big raw horse in October, but everything has gone well and he has matured great through the winter; he has never put a foot wrong. He did a very professional breeze, he has a lovely floating action and skipped along the ground, it was effortless. He is just a beautiful straightforward horse, he has been a dream at home."
Grove Sud, consignor of the sale’s top lot in 2020, was more than happy achieving this year’s second-best price of £240,000 with a filly by Bated Breath (Lot 99). She was bought by Alex Elliott, who was underbidder on the record breaker.
"She did a very good breeze, she has got a pedigree, she is by a sire whom I admire – you've got to get the head down to try and buy them,” said Elliott. “She has been bought for a partnership, I don't know who will train her yet but she will stay in England.”
He added: "Her vetting was good, she is a beautiful physical, her action is superb, you could see her in a parade ring before a good race. It is good throw, let's hope it works out."
In total, eight lots sold for £100,000 or more (up from four last year) and included Star Bloodstock’s Dark Angel colt out of Jet Setting (Lot 243), who was bought by Global Equine for £185,000, the price matched by Michael O’Callaghan when purchasing Brown Island Stables’ Belardo colt (Lot 104). Lackendarra Stables enjoyed its best-ever result in the sale ring when selling its Acclamation filly (Lot 25) to Brown for £115,000. The filly’s sale was another profitable pinhook – she was purchased by Eddie Linehan for 6,500gns at the Tattersalls October Book 3 Sale. Commenting on the record breaking session, Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said:
“It has simply been a remarkable day of trade. We witnessed incredible demand for top class two years olds and we are delighted by the record figures that has been achieved. We had a catalogue of quality horses catering for all sectors of the market and the clearance rate of 91% demonstrates the enduring appeal of the sale.
The obvious highlight was the new record top price of £410,000 for Jerry Horan and Katharina Irmer’s outstanding Dark Angel colt consigned by Dolmen Bloodstock. It was box office viewing outside the sales ring when the hammer came down and it was a fantastic result for the young vendors after purchasing the colt for €6,000 in October.
A huge thank you must be extended to all our vendors for supporting the sale with better quality stock. We strongly believe that this sale will continue to go from strength to strength and we look forward to the sale returning to Fairyhouse Racecourse and Tattersalls Ireland respectively in 2022.”