FEW dispersals have generated as much interest and emotion as that of Ballymacoll Stud, and their large draft at the Tattersalls December Sale produced some headline prices and even more tears. It would have taken a person with a heart of stone not to have been moved by the sight of Peter Reynolds taking the brilliant Islington for a lap of the ring prior to her sale.

Few farms in history, breeding on the scale that they did, have produced as many Group 1 winners as Ballymacoll. The farm is now in the ownership of Frank Dune, while the prized families, nurtured with care at the farm where Arkle was foaled, will now grace some of the best broodmare bands in the world.

Five of the mares and fillies from Ballymacoll brought prices of 600,000gns or more and the group was headed by the Galileo mare Justlookdontouch, a three-parts sister to the dual champion Islington. Not in foal this year, Justlookdontouch is dam of the stakes winner Abingdon with her first foal, while her Kingman yearling filly sold to Moyglare Stud for 1,700,000gns in October. Justlookdontouch sold to Peter Brant of White Birch Farm for 1,200,000gns.

The aforementioned Abingdon, a daughter of Street Cry and Justlookdontouch, is also heading to the USA after Marette Farrell, acting for Greg Goodman’s Mt Brilliant Farm, paid 1,050,000gns for this triple stakes winner and Group 2-placed four-year-old. A third member of the immediate family was the third millionaire in the draft. Aim Of Artemis is a winning two-year-old Leroidesanimaux half-sister to Abingdon and she is now owned by Godolphin after her sale for 1,000,000gns.

The Sea The Stars five-year-old Yarrow, a stakes-placed winner and half-sister to Group 1 and classic winner Golan, was sold with an attractive first cover by Kodiac and she cost Charlie Vigors of Hillwood Bloodstock 625,000gns. Moments earlier Chris Richardson of Cheveley Park Stud bought the winning Oasis Dream five-year-old Angel Vision, in foal to her first covering by Invincible Spirit, for 600,000gns. Angel Vision is one of the five winners to date from the four-time Group 1 winner Islington.

The entire Ballymacoll offering at Tattersalls, selling since the July Sale, realised more than 11.5 million guineas.