FULFILLING expectations, Thursday evening’s Elite Foal sale at Cavan was another unqualified success. On paper the catalogue had looked outstanding and returning a top price of €31,000, and a further four lots in excess of €20,000, it delivered in spades.
Certainly, almost every pedigree was a stout one, and none more so than Declan and Ciara Phelan’s sale topping colt (Lot 15) by Diamant de Semilly out of the jumping mare Biscaya d’Eversem (Sheyenne De Baugy). One of the standouts both on paper and in the flesh, the flashy colt with a white tail upheld the family’s success at the venue being half-brother to the 2022 sale topper (€36,000) as well as a full-brother to a colt who realised €28,000 12 months ago.
“We’re blessed to have the mare and we have always given her the best of sires,” commented Co Kilkenny-based Phelan.
“We’re delighted with the price for this foal, who is a super blood model and one we feel has real stallion potential. The mare has another foal with an entry in the Select Foal sale at Lanaken this coming week, while next year she is due to have an Emerald and an Indoctro.”
The couple have retained two fillies out of the mare who, sourced from show jumping owner Tim O’Shea, was a top 1.60m performer under Joan Greene. Now 23 years old, she has already bred Full Speed D’Eversem (1.35m), while the second dam competed to 1.60m with Keean White (CAN), and has bred Capacity D’Eversem (1.60m).
Realising the night’s best price of €31,000, the colt was secured by an Irish ‘cash’ buyer.
The sale needed stamina - kicking off later than scheduled, it took nearly four hours to sell just 28 foals, and while the figures had slipped a little from 12 months ago, it didn’t take away the shine of the night.
Examining the closing returns, 21 foals changed hands leading to a clearance of 75% (81% in 2023) together with an average of €14,619 (€15,368).
Talking horse
As one of two foals to realise €27,000, the Roundabout Stud’s filly (Lot 28) by Ermitage Kalone out of Caol Ila Birdavenue (Eros Platiere) was secured by D.J. O’Sullivan from the Co Limerick-based Bulimba Sport Horses.
Carrying a stout maternal line, the dam competed to 1.50m with Brent Gaublomme and has produced Eagle Eyed Birdadventure (1.40m). “The sire was a real draw as he is the talking horse of the moment, while the dam had a page to back it up,” said O’Sullivan. “As an individual, she was well done, correct and well grown.”
Realising the same return just two lots later, and closing the night on a high, Samantha Fegan’s colt Berkleys Telesto (Lot 30) by Cornet Obolensky out of Tinkabell 12 (Casco) was secured by Co Wexford show jumper Shane Kenny.
The result of a frozen embryo bought on the continent this colt is out of the Rodrigo Pessoa-ridden CSIO5* Nations Cup mare Tinkabell 12 (1.60m) who is a sister to John McGuinness’ Talent (1.50m).
“He is a very blood foal, with a top pedigree,” commented Kenny. “He is one of four foals we have bought this year, so the plan is to store them, to produce under saddle and sell on eventually.”
Now in their fourth year of this venture, Kenny was pleased to report that one of his early purchases Leestone Emeresky, was placed third in the four-year-old championship at the RDS last month.
Berkleys Telesto (Lot 30) sold for €27,00 at the Cavan Elite Foal Sale \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.com
Double handed
Dundalk-based breeder Brian Kearney enjoyed the best of nights, when double handed he landed a €26,000 return with JFJ Phoenix (Lot 12), a colt foal by Dominator Z, as well as receiving €21,500 for another colt JFJ Perfection (Lot 27) by Chacco Blue.
From a beautiful maternal line, both foals are out of the jumping mare A L’Amour de Longpre (Heartbreaker) who competed to 1.50m under Swiss rider Guillaume Gillioz. Well-related, she in turn is a sibling to the 1.60m horses Quat de Longpre and Quarnak de Longpre, and also to Vie Ta Vie de Longpre (1.50m).
Well supported by his father John, Kearney is always on the lookout for well-related mares, and bought this one in England from John Sillett.
“The plan was always to sell the colts here,” he revealed. “Unfortunately, we lost the mare a couple of months ago, but with two embryos available, we will be praying for a filly.”
As one of the leading buyers from 2023, Co Limerick-based Carl Dore accounted for the former, saying afterwards.
“I gave a bit more for him than I intended to but I loved him, so went one more. He’s a smasher – a serious mover, and a real blood foal, while the dam was a very good mare.”
Like the majority of buyers on the night, Dore plans to produce his youngsters as show jumpers.
Louise Hollywood, on behalf of the American Tamarack Ridge Farms, signed for the latter.
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