Trade continues to soar on day four of the November NH Sale
Strong competition for the choice lots on offer on day four of the November NH Sale produced a record turnover of €3,938,300 (+7%) and a record average of €21,174 (+5%) for a Wednesday session of the NH sale. The day's median of €18,000 (+13%) is a joint record for the sale. Of the 251 foals offered, 186 were sold at a 74% clearance rate.
With one session of the foal sale left, this year's renewal has already produced the highest number of foals sold for over €80,000 (seven) and over €50,000 (35) since 2007.
Colts by 2017-18's leading British and Irish NH stallion Flemensfirth filled the day's top four prices, with the Beeches Stud consigned March born colt (Lot 829) becoming the week's top lot and the most expensive foal sold at the November NH Sale since 2015. He was bought by Henrietta Knight for €92,000, the former trainer leaving the current trainer Ian Ferguson a thwarted underbidder.
"He is a lovely foal. He has size and scope and is by a lovely stallion. I think he is an outstanding foal and the nicest here," said Knight, adding: "He is to race in England."
The Flemensfirth colt out of Liss Na Tintri (Lot 925) was the second offered today to hit the €90,000 mark.
"We'll see what he grows into," said buyer Ivor McGrath, "but my intention is to bring him back for the Derby Sale or else he'll go racing."
The colt was the sole lot offered this week by Niall Flynn's successful breeding operation Five Naughts Stud. He is from the farm's flagship "Liss" family being out of the Presenting mare Liss Na Tintri. She was placed in the Aintree Listed mares' bumper and is the dam of one winner from one runner; the six-year-old Just Janice (King's Theatre), who is already successful in a Grade 3 Novice Hurdle.
"I bred her dam, her grand-dam and her great-dam," said Flynn. "We keep the fillies and sell the colts and we always sell as foals. We have the full-sister Elizabeth J in training with John Kiely, who has trained many of this family, she is going well. The mare is in-foal to Imperial Monarch."
Knight had to settle for second-best on Lot 898 after being outpointed by agent Aiden Murphy at €80,000 for Ennel Bloodstock's colt by Flemensfirth out of Royale Video.
"We are delighted," said consignor Cyril O'Hara. "He has always been a quality foal, and, like his mare, he has a great walk. We bought her in France when Campeador was a foal and her walk was the stand-out for her; if a mare can walk, then I always think the foal will walk too."
"We have Video Royale's two-year-old by Court Cave and he'll come to the Derby Sale next year and she is back in-foal to Flemensfirth," added O'Hara. "He is very good sire, but there are not too many on the open market now and so they are collector's items."
Ferguson successfully bought Lot 809, the Flemensfirth colt from the Beeches Stud out of Old Moon at €80,000, while Timmy O'Byrne paid the same amount for the Presenting colt out of the Oscar mare Poppy Baloo (Lot 926 below) from Grange Hill Stud.
Pinhooker Richard Frisby also matched that figure with his purchase of the Kayf Tara colt (Lot 911) out of the black-type mare Lecon Benefique. Ballincurrig House Stud sold the colt on behalf of Julie Thomas's British-based Broadwell Stud.
"I bought Lecon Benefique as a foal here," said Thomas. "She went on to win over £60,000 in prize-money and her three foals have all sold well here; the 2016 Sholokhov made €42,000 and last year's Telescope fetched €28,000. She is a very special mare and is back in-foal to Kayf Tara," added Thomas.
The November NH Sale continues tomorrow, Thursday 15 November at 10am.