The O'Mahony family of Springwell Stud in Co Limerick recently purchased the prestigious Knocktoran Stud, a farm previously owned by Brendan and Anne-Marie Hayes.

The O'Mahonys plan to move their breeding operation to Knocktoran and they added to their broodmare band at Tattersalls on Thursday when paying 62,000gns for Lady Bullet, a listed-placed daughter of James Garfield.

Trained and sold by Alice Haynes, Lady Bullet was listed placed at both two and three in Deauville’s Prix Montenica and the Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse. She is out of the Group 3 runner up Lil's Joy.

"We will get her home and make plans then, but she has her blacktype now and she will be retired to stud, "said James O'Mahony. "We are usually trying to make fillies with blacktype but sometimes you have to buy them! We will send her to a proven stallion - it’s undecided who yet. She is a nice physical.

"She has been bought for Knocktoran. We have not done much with the farm yet, we are going to foal the mares at home and then move them over - the plan is to run Springwell as the farm, my brother Conor milks the cows, and the new farm as the stud. The two farms are only ten minutes apart and it made a lot of sense - it is the best of land, a lot of good racehorses have been produced around there and it is 250 acres, places like that just don't come up very often, you could be a lifetime waiting for that sort of opportunity.

"For the time being and in the current circumstances we would like to keep to around 15 of our own mares, but who knows what the future will bring."

Shadwell sale

Two lots broke the six-figure mark on Thursday during the first session of the two-day February Sale.

Topping the day's trade was Shadwell's sister to champion filly Taghrooda who made 200,000gns.

Named Taqaareed, the 11-year-old mare by Sea The Stars was offered in foal to exciting young sire Pinatubo and was bought by bloodstock agent Jill Lamb, standing with Childwickbury Stud’s Sally Flatt.

"She stood out really - she is a full-sister to a champion, she is a lovely model and she is in foal to a champion whose yearlings were very well received. We tried very hard to buy a foal by him last year and we could not get one," explained Lamb.

"This foal is closely related to Tafreej who was 90-rated. It is all quite encouraging. It was a bit more than we were planning to spend and that was definitely our last bid!”

When asked of ongoing plans, she added: "The plan is to have a meeting right now! But I guess we would like to try and find a Dubawi stallion for her."

The historic Childwickbury Stud is owned by Paul and Sally Flatt and Taqaareed is the sixth addition to the growing broodmare band on the farm, with Lamb adding: "Sally and Paul want to build the stud back up to where it was when it was owned by Mr Jim Joel."

Stud manager Christian Williams was also in the ring and commented: "We are looking to buy commercial mares, and we will keep some nice fillies to add to the broodmare band and sell the colts. We are delighted to buy this mare and it was a great opportunity."

Taqaareed is the dam of two winners including the aforementioned Tafreej, and her full-sister Taghrooda has produced the Group 2 winner Israr. They are out of the listed-winning Sadler's Wells mare Ezima from the deep Aga Khan family of champion filly Ebadiyla and Ascot Gold Cup winner Estimate.

For Australia

The Juddmonte-consigned three-year-old Retort boasted both an impeccable pedigree and an impressive win subsequent to catalogue publication so it was no surprise that the three-year-old son of Frankel proved one of the most eagerly sought-after lots of the day.

Trainer Tom Clover and bloodstock agents Will Douglass and Jamie Piggott were among those to attempt to secure the colt who was eventually knocked down to SackvilleDonald’s Alastair Donald for 125,000gns on behalf of Highclere Australia.

Connections will be hoping that Retort follows in the footsteps of Naval College who has claimed two listed wins already in Australia this year having been purchased by SackvilleDonald for 185,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.

Donald commented: "We have had a bit of luck for Highclere - we bought the subsequent Group 1 winner Durstan for the team and they have a nice horse at the moment in Australia called Naval College who has won his last three. This is a neat, bonny horse who goes on all ground. He is by Frankel, he is a proper horse, he is rated 90 and on the up."

Donald added: "He was not really on the radar until that last win, which I think jumped him up a bit. He has won from the back, he has won on all grounds and you need a versatile horse for Australia. He is an extremely sound and he vetted well. It’s hard to buy them in that kind of price range for Australia.

"I think he will stay a little bit further, most of the family are milers but, looking at his racing style, he might get 10 furlongs and there is good money at every distance in Australia. He will be going to Annabel Neasham and I think Harry Herbert will have no problem selling the shares quite quickly, particularly after the success they have had of late."

Retort is a full-brother to the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham winner and Group 1-placed Obligate and won last week’s Prix Princeline by two lengths at Chantilly on his most recent start for trainer Henri-Francois Devin. The dual winner is from one of Juddmonte’s most illustrious families.

The sale continues at 10am on Friday.

Day 1 Sale Statistics

Current Year Previous Year Change %

Catalogued 190 238 -20%

Withdrawn 47 58 -19%

Offered 143 180 -21%

Unsold 43 39 +10%

Sold 100 141 -29%

Aggregate (gns) 1,407,000 2,265,500 -38%

Median (gns) 7,000 6,500 +8%

Average (gns) 14,070 16,067 -12%

% sold 70% 78% -10%