HEADLINE moments were rare on the final day of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. Part 2 spluttered to a close with most of the lots sold failing to cover their costs of production. Most consignors were just relieved to sell.

Six yearlings sold for €25,000 or more compared with six last year who brought €30,000 or more. A clearance rate of 71%, and a 33% fall in the median to €4,000, show the weakness in this segment of the market. The presence of so many active purchasers from Italy helped to boost the number of lots sold to 186, two less than last year.

Castledillon Stud’s Timmy Hillman sold the top lot in Part 1 of the sale, and acted as bidder for the top lot in Part 2. He was taking instructions on the telephone from Thomond O’Mara, buying for his Kilronan breeze-up operation, signing for a son of New Bay at €36,000.

The colt, bred by Emir Alkas, was sold by Rockview Stables, and Dermot Dunne said: “He always been a lovely colt and is by a very popular sire.” New Bay is sire of the unbeaten Group 2 Champagne Stakes winner Bay City Roller, and the session’s best is out of the French juvenile winner Double Lady, a daughter of Stormy River.

Dalham Hall Stud’s Pinatubo has three stakes performer among his 14 first crop two-year-old winners this year, and his only colt for sale this week sold to Andy Oliver for €32,000. He was Rathbride Farm’s son of the Elusive Quality mare Sidra, now the dam of two winners.

The pedigree had a boost when the colt’s three-year-old half-sister Sidiza won a 10-furlong maiden at Navan at the weekend for her owner/breeder, the Aga Khan, and trainer Dermot Weld. The family traces to Sinndar, Group 1 winner of the Derby, Irish Derby, National Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Oliver said: “He’s a nice, good strong colt. I am a great pedigree man, that always is a good start, and he has the pedigree, and there’s a lot of Shamardal in him, too.” The trainer bought five yearlings in Part 1 for €119,000, and on Thursday he spent €56,000 on three purchases.

An early contender for top price was a son of Cotai Glory, bought for €30,000 by owner Vincent Gaul. It was one of two purchases he made on the day. The colt was sold through Gerrardstown House Stud and will go into training with Ger Lyons.

“I liked him as an individual; he looks like a two-year-old type,” said Gaul. “I have a few with Ger, and I like to keep them until the end of their three-year-old year.”

The colt’s dam Lady Hanson, a daughter of Galileo, is out of a Danehill full-sister to Mozart, the three-year-old champion sprinter and winner of both the Group 1 July Stakes and Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.