FOR the second year in succession, the Tattersalls Ireland September Sale showed a decline in its final figures as the two-day auction came to a close after producing a fine clearance rate but where the top of the market was appreciably quieter than was the case 12 months ago.
A catalogue that was some 14% smaller than last year was always likely to see a drop in turnover and the aggregate for the two days came in at just short of €9.5 million, which was a 10% decline on 2018.
The median of €20,000 held steady, while the average of €24,267 represented a drop of five points. However, the clearance rate rose from 78% to 86%.
Last year’s sale was boosted by a record-priced top lot of €275,000, and such a figure was always going to be hard to match, but there were only two six-figure transactions this week as opposed to 10 of them 12 months ago.
Trade was steady and the clearance rate over the two days was heartening, but the September Sale lacked the vibrancy of other renewals of this auction as evidenced by the activity at the top of the market which meant that the turnover for the September Sale dropped below €10 million for the first time since 2015.
Impressive colt
The best was saved until almost last at this year’s sale as a son of No Nay Never, who came under the hammer 13 lots from the end of the auction, sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Michael Kinane for €165,000.
With his sire’s first two crops having made such a terrific impact on the track, this impressive bay - a homebred hailing from the notable nursery Mount Eaton Stud - made notable appeal, and his position at the end of the catalogue did nothing to detract from his this.
“He’s a very nice colt and he will be a lovely horse in time. He’s by an exciting young sire and it’s nice to have gotten a son of No Nay Never for Hong Kong,” commented Kinane. His purchase is out of a half-sister to the Railway Stakes winner Medicine Jack.
A €95,000 son of Exceed And Excel had set the pace for much of the day when selling to the BBA Ireland’s Eamonn Reilly. The agent was once again acting for American interests when securing this relation to the Group 2 Superlative Stakes scorer Red Duke.
“He’s been bought for an American client, Magic Cap Stables, and I bought them their first Irish winner which was a filly of Jessica Harrington’s called Dragon Roll who won a maiden at Gowran last year,” said Reilly.
“It has yet to be decided where he will go but he’s from a family that works well on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Filly's fine profit
Exceed And Excel was also responsible for a €90,000 filly who turned a fine profit for vendor Joanna Morgan after being picked up for 30,000gns as a foal last November. Jim McCartan outlasted Ross Doyle for the second produce of a winning Royal Applause mare.
“I’ve had a few Exceed And Excels in the past and I’m very fond of his fillies,” commented McCartan. “She was one of the best horses here over the two days and I’m delighted to have gotten her.
"She comes off a good farm and we’ll see how the other sales go before deciding which breeze-up sale we might aim her at next year.”
The delighted vendor added: “I loved her as a foal and I didn't think we'd buy for her 30,000gns – that is the most I'd ever spend on a foal. I love her pedigree and Karl Burke has good regard for Wonderwork, her half-brother who is now a two-year-old winner. This filly should be a rocket - she looks it”.
Middleham Park Racing has been busy sourcing future talent over the last few days and its expenditure was headed by a €90,000 son of Footstepsinthesand consigned by Coole House Farm who was snapped up by Ross Doyle.
This colt is the second produce of a mare who was picked up for €38,000 at the 2015 Goffs November Sale.
“He was our pick of the colts this week. He was the first horse we vetted on Monday and we saw him three times – every time we went to see him there was a queue of people to see him,” reflected Middleham Park’s Tim Palin.
“He is a strong, well developed horse and is a half-brother to a three-time winner rated 85 who is still progressing. He will go to Richard Hannon, who is the best trainer of horses by the sire.”
Also destined to carry the Middleham Park colours is an Equiano colt who fetched €62,000 here but cost just 16,000gns as a foal last year. The colt was consigned by Johnny Fogarty’s Gaynestown Stud.
Family resemblance
The solitary yearling on offer by Sea The Stars this week was a filly from Kilcarn Park who was knocked down to Eoghan O’Neill at €70,000. This filly is out of a dual listed-placed daughter of Dylan Thomas.
“I trained her mother and she was very quick for one by Dylan Thomas. I also trained Nans Joy and this filly is very like her mother,” reflected the trainer.
John McConnell weighed in with a €65,000 purchase when signing for a Kodiac own-sister to the Group 3-winnning Koropick.
“I trained this filly’s half-brother Phebes Wish, who won four races, and I was actually underbidder on Koropick. She’s a lovely filly, typical of the sire and she’s got residual value too,” declared McConnell.
Day 2
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2019 240 222 188 4,331,000 23,037 17,500
2018 279 261 205 5,314,000 25,922 18,000
2017 243 232 206 5,826,500 28,284 23,000
Entire Sale
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGG AV Med
2019 480 451 388 9,415,500 24,267 20,000
2018 560 526 411 10,488,000 25,518 20,000
2017 487 448 401 11,451,000 28,556 23,000
2016 533 501 409 10,209,700 24,963 19,000
2015 471 440 410 9,878,000 24,093 18,000