SOLID START TO AUGUST NATIONAL HUNT SALE

Of the 14 horses sold in the section, eight are going into training in Britain and four horses made €30,000 or more.

Agent Bobby O’Ryan went to €35,000 for wild card entry Cork Citizen, a winner of five point-to-points. “I really loved the horse and he has been bought for a long-standing client,” he said of the Overbury gelding sold by Millwood Stables.

The turnover for the session was €260,000, with an average price of €18,571 and a median of €16,500.

There was solid trade throughout the day for store horses, with a gelding by Presenting out of an own sister to Tullymurry Toff and sold by the day’s leading consignor Ballincurrig House Stud, topping proceedings at €58,000. Agent John O’Byrne was the successful purchaser.

Bloodstock agent Harold Kirk went to €57,000 for Baby Twig, a Network half-sister to the Willie Mullins-trained Grade 3 runner-up Twigline.

“I thought this filly was an absolute star,” said Kirk. “She has size and scope to jump a fence, which is sometimes difficult to find in a filly, and is a long-term project. Network is the sire of Adriana Des Mottes, who won the Grade 1 mares’ hurdle at Fairyhouse for us this spring.”

In total, 156 store horses sold at an average price of €10,592, a median of €7,500 and for a gross of €1,652,300. The clearance rate was 78 per cent.

The turnover for both sessions was €1,912,300, while the 170 horses sold fetched an average price of €11,249 and a median price of €8,000. The day’s clearance rate was a strong 76 per cent.