IN another venture for the newly-established Equine Auctions Ireland, the online sales platform has joined with Orla Roche and Pat Peare, organisers of the Stepping Stones to Success League, to host an auction of young event horses and ponies next Tuesday and Wednesday, September 1st - 2nd.

Some 33 lots will be offered over the two-day online sale, all of who competed in this year’s league which concluded last week. Among those entered in Double Sixteen, winner of the NutriScience thoroughbred league at the venue.

Owned by Mark Walsh and ridden to victory in the league by Leila Barker, the five-year-old gelding by Robin De Pres ran four times last summer when trained by Prunella Dobbs. The starting price for Double Sixteen (Lot 30) is €12,000.

Also offered for sale is the five-year-old league runner-up, Waverley, who was produced successfully throughout by Alyssa O’Neill, competing in all but the first qualifier and never finishing below fourth.

The pair were second in the final and overall in the league. With an opening price of €20,000, the mare is by Waveney out of the Carrick Diamond Lad-sired My Diamond Shannon, and has also competed under Eventing Ireland rules.

The four-year-old league runner-up, Jockeyhall Maximum Cruise, is listed with a starting price of €17,000. The gelding by KEC Maximum Joe (dam by Cruising), who was ridden by Daniel Anderson, finished just one point behind the overall winner (Rossa Sixteen) in the final leg at Wexford Equestrian last week.

Another to catch the eye is Lot 1, Belline Cracking Lady, who featured in these pages consistently in recent weeks having finished fourth overall in the four-year-old league when also partnered by Anderson. Richard Ames’ mare is by OBOS Quality out of Sweet Lady (KEC Maximum Joe) and her opening bid is set at €16,000.

The biggest start price of the sale is €25,000 and that is for Lot 2, Lancreto, a four-year-old gelding by Concreto, who finished runner-up in the second qualifier at the venue under Finland’s Sara Halaka.

Among the ponies for sale is two Connemaras who were ridden by Jennifer Kuehnle for her family’s Tullibards Stud. Annefield’s Bunny (Lot 27) (Burning Daylight x Claskpoft Golden Skin) finished second overall in the Equijump event pony league and comes with a price tag of €17,500, while Illane Commotion (Lot 4) (Ardgaineen Rebel x True Commotion) was third and his starting price is €12,500.

There is also plenty of value with some horses listed at €2,000, €3,000 and a number at €5,000, including the US-Bred Don Pedro, a six-year-old by Congrats who ran four times on the flat and finished third in the final of the thoroughbred section under David Richard.

The website (https://www.eai.auction/collection/5) is user friendly and shows pictures and videos of all 33 lots.

All horses are available for buyers to try at home but it must be pre-arranged by emailing info@eai.auction or calling +353 (0)86020137. X-rays are available by request.