Strong trade on the first day of the August National Hunt Sale
A strong opening day of the three-day Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale produced the highest price given at the sale since 2014 with bloodstock agent Matt Coleman going to €80,000 for a son of Fame And Glory, as well as the highest price given for a filly since 2010.
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"He is for Clive Boultbee-Brooks," said Coleman, who outbid Aiden Murphy for the Castledillon Stud-consigned top lot (Lot 207). "I bought Sebastopol for Clive last year and he won the bumper at the Scottish National meeting for trainer Tom Lacey. We think quite a lot of the horse and he is by Fame And Glory too."
Agent Tom Malone went to €60,000 for Lot 223, a daughter of Saint Des Saints consigned by Johnny Collins's Brown Island Stables. She is the most expensive filly sold at the August Sale since 2010.
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"She is my pick of the sale from the geldings or fillies," said Malone of the filly already named Diama. "She was entered in the Derby Sale but didn't get there and she has a real Derby Sale physique. She is for Paul Nicholls."
Collins explained the filly's absence from the June sale. "She pulled a muscle just two weeks ahead of the Derby Sale, and had to stand in for three weeks," said the pinhooker. "I had Quel Esprit and so have always been a big fan of the stallion, I am delighted."
Trainer Gordon Elliott, standing with agent Mags O'Toole, spent €70,000 on a son of the late Presenting, sold by Abbey Stables ( Lot 231 pictured below), while earlier in the session Elliott, with Mouse O'Ryan, went to €65,000 to buy Falco Lux (Lot 103). Sold by Peter Nolan Bloodstock, he is a Falco half-brother to the talented Grade 1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Labaik.
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Elliott, who trains the older half-sibling, said: "This is a lovely athletic horse, and looks ready to go."
Lot 123, a Lough Na Sollis Stud-consigned gelding by Oscar, boasts some highflying siblings; his 2008 full-brother is the dual Grade 1 winner The Tullow Tank, while his half-brother is the Grand National (Grade 3) hero Many Clouds.
"This horse has been bought for Richard Gilbert, whose horses run under Straightline Construction Ltd," said purchaser Tom Malone, who spent €55,000 on the acquisition. "This horse will go to Brian Harding to be broken, and a trainer will then be decided. He is a lovely horse and you don't often get to buy pedigrees such as this."
The session's average improved from last year by 22 per cent to €12,813, while the median increased by 7 per cent to €7,500. Although the session was reduced in size from last year's catalogue of 366 lots to 270 lots, the aggregate stayed on a par at €2,011,600.
The strong demand throughout the day meant that five horses have already sold for €50,000 or more compared to just one in the entire sale in 2017.
Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale continues tomorrow at 10am and concludes Thursday, 16 August. All lots are eligible for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper 2019 and the RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series. Fillies are also eligible for the €5,000 Weatherbys/ITBA Fillies Bonus Scheme.