The inaugural Tattersalls May NH Sale on Thursday was headed by the sale of Ittack Blue for 310,000gns, with four further point-to-pointers selling for more than 150,000gns.

The clearance rate was 67%, the average price on the day stood at 51,509gns and the median at 37,500gns.

Ittack Blue, a four-year-old gelding by Coastal Path, made a winning debut at Punchestown point-to-point recently for handler Matthew Flynn O'Connor. He was bought today by agent Ryan Mahon following a protracted bidding duel with Eddie O’Leary.

"He is a lovely horse, looks to have an enormous engine and goes to an existing client with Dan Skelton," said Mahon. "The vibes from Matty were good and the horse came highly recommended. He was impressive when he won."

A delighted Flynn O'Connor commented: "That is it, they are all sold now! We have to restock now, that is the next thing. We've had a great season, thank God. We have had eight or nine four-year-old winners, it’s nice to keep the ball rolling and finish strong – we had a bit of a quieter February to March as they got sick on me.

"This is a lovely horse, we always liked him at home. He was always good from breaking and through all his work, he just did everything properly from day one. You never expect when they take on 15 runners that they can win like he did."

Flynn O'Connor bought the gelding for €30,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland May Store Sale. The handler also topped the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale with Deeply Superficial selling for £385,000.

Malone and Nicholls

The four-year-old filly Seeyouinmydreams followed Ittack Blue into the sales ring and fetched the third highest price of the day, selling for 235,000gns to the bid of Tom Malone who saw off the attentions of persistent underbidder Aiden Murphy.

The daughter of Telescope won her mares' maiden point-to-point at Largy for trainer Paul Pierce and is the most expensive lot to be sold by her sire so far. She was consigned by Andrew Pierce of Blackhall Stables and was purchased under the banner Rempods for just £10,500 at the 2021 Tattersalls Ascot December Sale.

Malone was delighted with his purchase and said: "She has come from a very good farm. Andrew said he gave her two bits of work and the gears she showed in them was frightening. But she has the pedigree for that, it is a proper pedigree and she was so impressive in her point. To me she is a 'gelding-type' filly and I have bought her for Paul Nicholls."

He added: "She has got all the bonuses, which for me is a massive addition - if she is above average, there is £60,000 to £100,000 in bonuses - you are getting some sort of money back. She is for sale and hopefully she is a good one."

Malone struck again for Nicholls later in the sale when going to 245,000gns for the four-year-old Divilskin, consigned by Colin Bowe's Milestone Stables. The Doyen gelding was an impressive debut winner of a competitive maiden point-to-point at Largy on April 30th.

"It is the same story and he is another for Ditcheat," smiled Malone. "I have bought a couple of pointers this year by Doyen and this horse was impressive in his run."

Store section

The store section of the sale was topped by a three-year-old son of Youmzain consigned by Peter Nolan Bloodstock and bought by Matthew Flynn O’Connor’s Ballycrystal Stables for 35,000gns.

The gelding is out of the Presenting mare All Star Lady, whose listed winning granddam Auntie Dot was a prolific winner over fences and placed in the Grand National and the Thyestes Chase.

SALE STATISTICS

Catalogued 104

Withdrawn 21

Offered 83

Unsold 27

Sold 56

Aggregate 2,884,500gns

Median 37,500gns

Average 51,509gns

% sold 67%