THE return to Ireland of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale ended on a bright note on Thursday with Part II of the sale returning an improved set of final figures which was underpinned by an encouraging clearance rate.

A slightly bigger catalogue for this section of the sale yielded an aggregate of just under €1 million which represented an improvement of 41%. The average of €10,473 finished 9% ahead of last year’s Newmarket-based renewal while the €8,000 median grew by 12%.

The clearance rate of 81% also represented an increase on last year and the level of trade witnessed at this level of the market provides further evidence of the health of the European yearling market. There is no reason why this won’t continue into Goffs next week and on to Newmarket for the following fortnight.

“Part II of the September Yearling Sale has enjoyed a welcome return to Fairyhouse and trade has been buoyant,” remarked Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins. “The demand seen over the last two days continued [into Part II] with an impressive clearance rate along with a record average and matched record median.

“Part II has always been well supported by vendors when it took place in Ireland and achieving today’s figures will only further endorse this section of the sale. We now look forward to compiling a catalogue for the Sapphire Sale with entries closing for foals, yearlings and broodmares on Monday October 17th.”

All yearlings catalogued for both the September Yearling Sale and Sapphire Sale are eligible for the €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes 2023.

Well-bred filly

The top lot of the session was a €52,000 daughter of Dark Angel who was knocked down to Joe Foley and she has the distinction of being the highest-priced horse to come under the hammer in this section of the sale for five years. The Ringfort Stud offering is a half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Hunter’s Light and another sibling is the dam of the Hardwicke Stakes winner Fanny Logan.

“I was surprised to find her here this morning. She’s a racy, athletic filly and I liked her,” declared Foley. “She is out of a good mare, is a half-sister to a treble Group 1 winner and is from the deep family of Darshaan. She has lots of residual value but, more importantly, she is a lovely, racy filly with a great temperament. I had not planned to buy something like her today but, when I saw her this morning, I had a change of plan.”

Last year’s top price of £36,000 was also surpassed by a filly from the in-demand second crop of Sioux Nation whom BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe secured with an online bid of €42,000. From a family that goes back to Hellenic, this filly is out of the capable dual winner Art Nouvelle.

The popularity of the first crop of Inns Of Court was again in evidence when Tally-Ho Stud, where the Invincible Spirit horse resides, forked out €32,000 for a filly from Shinglis Stud.

The relation to the Group 2 winner Stormont looks bound for next year’s round of breeze-up sales.

English trainer Nigel Tinkler will take charge of a €30,000 Kuroshio filly who was bought by Paul Murphy, while Micheál Orlandi was acting for John Butler when he spent €27,000 on a daughter of Dandy Man from the great family of Rafha.

The breeze-up sales beckon for a filly from the first crop of Eqtidaar who cost Adam Potts and Danny O’Donovan €28,000.