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A pair of €70,000 fillies held sway as the first day of foals got underway at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale at Fairyhouse on Monday.
There was a lively day’s trade which witnessed decent growth towards the head of the market.
As expected things picked up markedly from Sunday’s yearling session and throughout the day the National Hunt pinhooking fraternity turned out in force to secure stock for future sales while also pushing the figures for the day ahead of those from the corresponding session in 2020.
The average of €14,415 represented an increase of 12%, the median improved from €9,000 to €10,000 and the turnover went from just over €2 million to in excess of €2.7 million.
The clearance rate for the day did drop back from 78% to 74% but all the trends in evidence today would point to two strong days of foal trade on Wednesday and Thursday.
The first of the day’s top lots was a €70,000 daughter of No Risk At All who was sold by John Dwan’s Ballyreddin Stud. This filly is out of a mare who won at listed level on the flat before achieving several blacktype placings over jumps in France and she was bought by Rathbarry Stud’s Paul Cashman.
“I thought she was a queen and she’s probably as nice a filly as you are going to see here this week. Obviously she’s the only filly in the sale by a top sire and she is just a lovely, quality sort with size and scope and a lovely outlook too. She could be back here for a Derby Sale,” commented Cashman whose other spending took in a €40,000 son of Blue Bresil.
Labaik brother
Another popular member of the Ballyreddin Stud draft was an Order Of St George half-brother to the Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Labaik and he was snapped up by Alan Harte for €58,000.
Later in the session several foals from the first crop of Ken Condon’s multiple pattern race winner Success Days came to the fore and none more so than a €70,000 filly who was bought by Matt Coleman.
The agent’s purchase is out of a Stowaway own-sister to five blacktype performers headed by the Lexus Chase victor Outlander. This Briar Lane Stud-owned filly was consigned by Kilbarry Lodge – home of the stallion - who also offered a €40,000 Success Days colt who was bought by JJD Bloodstock.
Of his purchase Coleman stated: “I have bought her for a client to race and will probably go into training in Ireland. I just thought she was a lovely filly, from a fantastic family and Jeremy is no longer with us, so this is the obvious potential successor.
"Jeremy was a fantastic sire ,so hopefully Success Days can pick up where he left off. I like the idea of the sire, he was a very tough racehorse and if he is half as good as his sire, he will be okay."
Poet's Word
Earlier in the day the pace was set by a colt from the first crop of the King George hero Poet’s Word after Kevin Ross paid €62,000 for a son of the Boardsmill Stud resident who is a half-brother to the multiple Grade 1 winner Benefficient.
“I was particularly keen to get one by Poet's Word and this is the one I really wanted. He is a lovely foal, a proper stamp of a foal. I have been very keen on the sire, he is stamping his stock and this is a particularly nice model. He has been bought for a client for resale and stays in Ireland,” commented Ross.
The first major transaction of the day came when Timmy Hillman bested Norman Williamson for a €54,000 son of Maxios out of a King’s Theatre mare.
“He’s been bought to come back here as a three-year-old. He’s a good colt from a good French family and the sire has had a few very nice types to represent him over jumps as well,” declared Hillman.
Frisby purchase
Also set to return for sale as a three-year-old is a Blue Bresil colt who cost Dick Frisby €50,000. Offered by the sire’s former base, Yorton Farm, this colt is out of a half-sister to the Stayers Hurdle winner More Of That.
“He’s by good stallion out of a young, well-related mare and he’s a good-looking, good-walking horse. He will come back here for resale,” declared Frisby’s son, J.J.
John Kilbride, who signed for one of the top lots at Goffs last week, was again to the fore when forking out €42,000 for a colt from the first crop of the top class middle distance runner Crystal Ocean.
COMPARATIVE FIGURES FOR DAY 2
YEAR CAT OFF SOLD AGGREGATE AVERAGE MEDIAN
2021 279 257 189 €2,724,400 €14,415 €10,000
2020 230 203 159 €2,038,400 €12,820 €9,000
2019 279 247 169 €2,041,400 €12,079 €10,000
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