Weekend of Black Type success for Tattersalls Ireland Graduates

Seven Tattersalls Ireland graduates enjoyed black type success over the weekend; highlights include the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal and the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at Naas. 

The Henry De Bromhead trained Aspire Tower claimed victory in the competitive Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on Friday under Rachael Blackmore, coming home four and half lengths in front of his rivals. With the Champion Hurdle in his sights, the son of Born To Sea was consigned by Lewinstown Stud at the September Yearling Sale and sold to Joey Logan Bloodstock for €30,000. 

With Thanks, a three year old daughter of Camacho, ran out the impressive winner of the Group 3 Athasi Stakes under Chris Hayes for William Haggas and Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. Sold at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze Up Sale by Meadowview Stables to Blandford Bloodstock for €100,000. 

November National Hunt Sale graduates recorded a Listed treble with the Brian Ellison trained Mrs Hyde claiming the Listed Mares Hurdle at Wetherby under Daryl Jacob. Kid Commando stormed home to take the Listed Handicap Hurdle at Ascot for Anthony Honeyball & Aidan Coleman, while Imperial Aura landed the Listed Colin Parker Memorial at Carlisle for Kim Bailey. Mrs Hyde was sold for €15,000 by The Beeches Stud to Aiden Murphy, Kid Commando was sold for €40,000 by Little Lodge Farm to JC Bloodstock, and Imperial Aura was sold for €5,800 by Ballyconnigar Stud to Susan Traynor. 

The Gordon Elliot trained Duffle Coat made it three from three and remains unbeaten when winning the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby on Friday. The impressive three year old was sold for €16,000 at the February National Hunt Sale from Busherstown to Kevin Ross Bloodstock. 

The Cork Grand National went the way of Dromore Lad who toughed it out to win in extremely testing conditions at Cork Racecourse on Sunday. Trained by John Patrick Ryan, the son of Flemensfirth was bought at the February National Hunt Sale by JTR Dreaper from Rahinstown Farm & Stud.