PAUL Nicholls and Tom Malone made a significant contribution to the sale and their spending was headed by a €205,000 Walk In The Park gelding offered by Peter Nolan.

The bay was bred by former Kilkenny hurler Charlie Carter and is a half-brother to two smart performers in Maria’s Benefit and Howyabud, from the family of Aintree National winner Papillon.

“He is a beautiful horse, we waited for him,” Malone said. “He has a lot of presence, he has a lot of pedigree, a beautiful animal and we’re delighted to get him. He’s just a quality Walk In The Park and hopefully he’s as good as the rest of the pedigree.”

Malone and Nicholls had earlier combined to buy the first horse in the sale to make six figures when paying €100,000 for a son of Getaway from Castledillon Stud. This fellow is a half-brother to the Grade 3 winning chaser Kildisart and a full-brother to two other blacktype performers in The Big Breakaway and Say Goodbye.

Hamish Macauley made a brave effort to secure the son of Princess Mairead from the family of Rathvinden but, after Macauley bid €97,000 for the brown gelding, Malone - standing alongside Nicholls - entered the fray and swiftly closed the gap.

“He is a lovely loose-moving type, just the sort of horse Paul likes,” Malone said. “We were under-bidder on The Big Breakaway when he sold from the pointing field and we obviously know him and his form well.”

Authorized for Hales

Malone resumed his spending spree in conjunction with Paul Nicholls on Thursday when going to €165,000 for a son of Authorized consigned by Ballincurrig House Stud.

Named Authorizedetou, he has the distinction of being out of a full-sister to dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo and is the second produce out of his dam Diteou.

“He has been bought for John Hales,” Malone said. “Paul saw him when he was here yesterday and this is his type of horse, a lovely big staying chaser in the making with a lovely page. Paul was very sweet on him. I think we’ve bought him well and we are very happy to have got him.

“We haven’t had too many by Authorized, but he speaks for himself. He is good stallion and he can get you a very, very good horse.”

Malone was back in the hot seat soon after when purchasing a Flemensfirth gelding from Park Farm for €140,000. The bay is out of the listed hurdler En Vedette who has bred four winners, including the Grade 2 placed Sabrina and is also bound for Nicholls’ Ditcheat stable.