THERE might have been a slight drop in a couple of key areas but the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale was still a good edition of the flagship auction. For only the third time in the sale’s history, the turnover reached €17 million and the median of €42,000 was only marginally behind the record breaking €43,000 figure from 2017.
At the top of the market, prices were of a more reserved variety – perhaps a product of Gigginstown House Stud’s withdrawal from the store market – and the number of six-figure transactions dropped back to 24 having been 33 two years ago.
The middle market remained notably robust with the number of horses to make at least €50,000 dropping by just three to 141. The Gigginstown withdrawal and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit wouldn’t have been a help to this sale, but the auction did benefit from a terrific input by the point-to-point fraternity coupled with renewed interest from long-established owners.
The top lot at this year’s sale was a €220,000 son of the recently deceased Martaline who was bought by Clare-based Ronnie O’Leary. This €145,000 pinhook by Mark Dwyer and Willie Browne was among eight purchases made by O’Leary. 
IN 2018, the Goffs Land Rover Sale was outstanding at the top but somewhat more selective elsewhere, but this year it was simply superb on all fronts. The final figures for the two-day auction yielded across-the-board gains with the median of €30,000 representing a new high in Land Rover history.
As proved to be the case at the Derby Sale, the prices at the top of the market didn’t match the heights of last year but a total of 15 six-figure transactions was a record and the strength of trade was best exemplified by the middle market on day one where the number of horses making at least €50,000 jumped from 73 to 103.
In short, things couldn’t have gone any better at a sale that has made great strides over the last decade.
AT times the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale represented a hark back to the pre-recession era and the five days ended with quite a good set of figures. A smaller catalogue produced a drop in turnover and one of the lower aggregate figures of recent years. However, the €12,000 median was a record and the clearance rate progressed from 63 to 69%.
For the very best lots demand was as strong as ever as evidenced by the number of foals to make at least €60,000 dropping by just one to 20. Market selectivity wasn’t as pronounced as last year, which was encouraging, although it was felt by a number of observers that the National Hunt industry needs some sires to step forward and establish themselves because proven sires are in short supply which is leading to a degree of market polarisation.
A Camelot half-brother to Altior became the most expensive foal to be sold at this sale for 12 years when he cost former Irish international soccer player Kevin Doyle €155,000. He is set to be reoffered as a three-year-old.
At the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale the Camelot - Monte Solaro foal from Coole House Farm, standing with Annie O'Rourke, sold to Kevin Doyle for for €155,000 \ Healy Racing.
Willie Mullins supplied the top-priced mare at this sale for the sixth year in a row when Camelia De Cotte, sold in foal to Austraia, fetched €140,000. The €100,000 sale of a son of Doctor Dino to Norman Williamson made him the highest-priced yearling to be offered at this sale for a dozen years.
Camelia De Cotte from Closutton Stables sold for €140,000 at Tattersalls Ireland \ Healy Racing