THURSDAY evening's Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale recorded its best ever results. The aggregate resulted in £3,410,000 (+7%) the median finished on £150,000 (+2%) and the average concluded on £162,381 (+3%).
The star of the show was Patrick Turley's mare My Whirlwind. The four-year-old made a lasting impression between the flags when taking the mares' maiden at Ballycahane. This followed through in the ring with trainer Nicky Henderson signing the docket for the highest priced point-to-point mare on record of £400,000 (Lot 9).
Donnchadh Doyle trained the aptly named Bravemansgame, a €48,000 Derby Sale graduate, to win a four-year-old maiden at Lingstown by eight lengths. Agent Tom Malone and trainer Paul Nicholls recognised the potential in this son of Brave Mansonnien and they paid £370,000 to secure the gelding (Lot 12).
Another impressive pupil of Donnchadh Doyle, Farouk D'Alene destroyed opposition when winning a four-year-old maiden at Belclare by 18 lengths just last weekend.
A son of Racinger, the debut winner who is from the family of Triolo D'Alene was knocked down to Margaret O'Toole and Gordon Elliott for £260,000 (Lot 22).
THRILL
At the conclusion of the sale, Director of Horses in Training Sales Richard Pugh commented: "Tonight's trade was phenomenal. It was such a thrill to sell the highest-priced point-to-point mare on record, but the rewards tonight just kept coming.
"14 horses made £100,000 or more and produced an exceptional clearance rate of 91% with 21 of the 23 horses going through the ring selling.
"This sale's stage is second to none; the atmosphere, the excitement and adrenalin witnessed in this very winner's enclosure was magically mirrored at tonight's sale and we wish vendors and purchasers alike, the very best of luck."