WEDNESDAY

A €165,000 son of Douvan’s sire, Walk In The Park, took centre stage at this year’s sale when falling to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins. The third highest priced lot in Land Rover history was one of two geldings on offer by his sire this week and both were picked up by the Kirk-Mullins axis.

Mullins has enjoyed tremendous success with the sire’s progeny through Douvan and Min and he was prepared to dig deep to see off a determined Aiden Murphy. The Liss House offering is a grandson of the multiple listed-winning French chaser Valdance.

The progeny of Flemensfirth were in some demand and multiple Grand National-winning trainer Mouse Morris forked out €110,000 for a son of the Alleged horse from Ciaran Conroy’s Glenvale Stud. A €40,000 foal purchase, the gelding is out of a half-sister to Albertas Run. Morris already trains his half-brother No Brainer.

Also coming in at €110,000 was a son of Shantou who was snapped up by Ian Ferguson acting on behalf of owner Ronnie Bartlett. Arthur Moore, who sent out the Bartlett-owned Dandridge to be placed at both Cheltenham and Aintree, will train the own-brother to Wounded Warrior and Sword Of Destiny. White Horse Stud sold the gelding for his breeder Stephen Lanigan-O’Keeffe.

Agent Aidan O’Ryan was acting for an Irish-based client when he forked out €95,000 for a son of Robin Des Champs out of a half-sister to Ground Ball and Mr Pointment. Just a few minutes earlier Henry de Bromhead, who was underbidder to Mouse Morris on the Flemensfirth, spent €87,000 on a grey son of Sprinter Sacre’s sire, Network, from Galbertstown Stud.

Tom Malone, who bought the Grade 1 scorer Native River after his point-to-point debut, snapped up a Milan half-brother to that horse for €80,000. Paul Nicholls will take charge of the three-year-old whose other siblings include the smart Orpheus Valley.

This price was closely matched by a busy Joseph O’Brien when he gave €78,000 for Rathbarry Stud’s Shirocco gelding who was showing a good return on the €17,000 he cost as a foal. Kevin Ross was another to go to €78,000 when he picked up a son of Shantou related to Vics Canvas.

Harold Kirk made several other high profile purchases. Firstly, he gave €82,000 for a superb son of Shantou out of the smart mare Candy Girl who was sold by Johnny Fogarty’s Gaynestown Stud on behalf of Tommy Merrigan. Kirk then paid €80,000 for a son of Beat Hollow out of an own-sister to Shadow Eile and Corskeagh Royale.