THE standout offering at this year’s sale was a €185,000 son of Network whose connections, new and old, know more than a thing or two about what it takes to win the Goffs Land Rover Bumper. The sale-topper shares his sire with such jumping luminaries as Sprinter Sacre and Delta Work and comes from an excellent French jumping family. He was consigned by Norman and Janet Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm who sold the subsequent Land Rover winner at the 2015 and 2016 editions of this sale.

For good measure the three-year-old was knocked down to Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott, who has trained three of the last five winners of that race. O’Ryan reported that his purchase was on behalf of a new client of the yard.

Ferny Hollow’s half-brother goes to Elliott

AIDAN O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott struck for two other six-figure lots and the first of these was a €135,000 son of Kalanisi who is a half-brother to this year’s Cheltenham Bumper winner Ferny Hollow.

From the great Ken Parkhill family that has also produced the likes of Morley Street and Granville Again, this Castletown Quarry Stud offering was also bought for a new owner of the yard.

Sean Doyle was underbidder on the gelding whose sire has been responsible for such high-profile Elliott inmates as Fayonagh and Malone Road.

Also destined to join the trainer for an English client is a €130,000 son of No Risk At All, the sire of this year’s Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante. This gelding was another member of the impressive Oak Tree Farm draft.

Another Authorized heads to Moore

THERE was a period late in the day where centre stage was briefly occupied by a €155,000 son of Authorized who was knocked down to Russell McNabb. This gelding is out of a French stakes winner in Tangaspeed and he was sold by Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables. McNabb reported that his purchase was bought on behalf of Gary Moore and owner Pat Gallagher. Authorized is already the source of Moore’s top-notch inmate Goshen who was by some distance the best juvenile hurdler of last season.

After settling for the runner-up role on the sale-topper and the Authorized, Margaret O’Toole then enjoyed better luck in her pursuit of a Buck’s Boum gelding from Clifton Farm who cost €120,000. The agent reported that she was acting for her English-based colleague Tom Malone and she was also purchasing on Malone’s behalf when going to €90,000 for a Flemensfirth own-brother to the highly promising mare Minella Melody. The Flemensfirth was consigned by Michael and Ciara Carty’s Kilmoney Cottage Stud who sold Altior at this sale several years ago.

Magnier buys son of Walk In The Park

M.V. Magnier made his presence felt at the head of the store market when signing for a couple of prized lots and the first of these was a €90,000 son of Walk In The Park.

This half-brother to the Grade 2-winning El Bandit and the €150,000 Land Rover graduate Confirmation Bias was sold by Knocktartan Stud.

Much later in the day, Magnier struck for a €100,000 son of Early Doors’ sire Soldier Of Fortune.

This half-brother to the listed-winning chaser Gold Present was showing a good return on the €40,000 that he cost Kieran Shields as a foal.

Kilminfoyle House sells son of Maxios

OVER the course of day one, quite a few lots reached the €80,000 mark and the first of these to do so was a son of Maxios from Kilminfoyle House Stud who was acquired by Bobby O’Ryan. The agent was acting for a syndicate who will put their purchase into training with Gordon Elliott. This gelding had previously cost 20,000gns as a yearling.

J.D. Moore then forked out €80,000 for a son of Soldier Of Fortune out of a Grade 3-placed mare and this price was matched by a son of Doctor Dino whose was snapped up by Gerry Hogan. The latter’s purchase is by one of the most exciting sires in France and he comes from the family of the classy Willie Mullins inmate Renneti.

Doctor Dino had just three horses catalogued for this year’s sale and the only other gelding on offer by the son of Muhtathir also fetched €80,000 when he was bought by Aiden Murphy and his son Olly.

Ronnie O’Leary, who secured a number of the best stores on offer throughout last summer, made his presence felt when giving €80,000 for a Saint Des Saints gelding from Brown Island Stables.

Selected Lots

Lot 59 (g) Blue Bresil - Daprika

Vendor: Lakefield Farm

Purchaser: Ian Ferguson

Price: €75,000

This £20,000 yearling showed a good return on that outlay when selling to Ian Ferguson who has brought any number of subsequently high-class jumpers through the formative stages of their careers. A half-brother to a couple of useful winners, he is also related to the crack hurdler Geos and he shares his sire with horses the calibre of Mick Jazz and the outstanding French mare L’Autonomie.

Lot 189 (g) Kapgarde - Polly Peachum

Vendor: Brown Island Stables

Purchaser: Highflyer/Middleham Park

Price: €65,000

This gelding was another who was picked up as a yearling at Goffs UK in January 2018 and, on that occasion, he fetched £40,000. He remains a horse of some interest for the coming seasons as his sire is already very well established with his recent high-profile performers including Fakir D’Oudairies and A Plus Tard and he is the first produce of Polly Peachum who was a multiple listed winner and took second in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. In addition, this is the family of the great Denman.

Lot 201 (f) Presenting - Queens Regatta

Vendor: Ashwood Stud

Purchaser: Monbeg Stables

Price: €55,000

There was just one filly by the hugely successful Presenting in this year’s sale and she should be worth watching out for in point-to-points after being snapped up by the Monbeg team. This second produce of a King’s Theatre mare is related to a couple of decent chasers in the Grade 2-winning pair Royal Regatta and Three Musketeers.

Interestingly, 17 of the 21 fillies on offer through day one of the sale found buyers and they returned an average of €45,882.

What they said

“I think trade has held up really well all things considered. It’s been very respectable all day and it’s been better than what I thought it would be which is great to see.” Johnny Collins Brown Island Stables.

“Trade was solid and competitive, we were underbidders on quite a few horses throughout the day. Goffs did a great job putting this sale on, taking every precaution and putting together a lovely bunch of horses.” Kevin Ross.

“I would see that trade was slightly selective at times. We were lucky and had a good bunch of horses but overall it was good and it was great to see the level of trade there given what is happening in the world.

“Also I would have to say a big well done to the Goffs team for all their hard work and getting the sale to take place.” Norman Williamson Oak Tree Farm.