RICHARD Sheane, who was no doubt busy at home all week at Cooley Farms, made one purchase at the Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale on Wednesday when, bidding through Martin Donohoe, had the final say at €40,000 on Niall O’Doherty’s unnamed Vittorio gelding (Lot 34).

“I saw him early on in the year and liked him then,” said Sheane. “I was in Barnadown early in the week and saw him again and liked him even more. I also liked his breeding, it’s a Mary McCann family. According to Martin, there were at least two others seriously interested in the horse, so I’m delighted I got him, though I was at my limit.”

The chesnut, who was bred in Co Clare by Connie Barry, is out of the Cruising mare Twilight Cruise, a full-sister to First Mate (CCI5*-L) and Bosun (CCI4*-L) and a half-sister to the Clover Brigade gelding Buccaneer (CCI4*-L). These were all bred by Mary McCann’s husband David out of the unraced thoroughbred mare Tobar Bhride (by Good Thyne). In its further removes, this is the family of Majestic Nurse, Corked and The Dealer.

Home-bred

Co Down event rider Ella Boyle purchased Harry Quigley’s home-bred Rathduff Ramiro Boy (Lot 59) for €36,000. The three-year-old Dignified van’t Zorgvliet gelding, who came on the market at €30,000, is out of the Ramiro B mare Millridge Opal, a half-sister to the Touchdown gelding Millridge Keano (CCI3*-L).

British interest

Britain’s Derek Morton, a regular supporter of this sale, purchased two lots on Wednesday giving his higher price of €33,000 for Drombane Sunset (Lot 56) who was consigned by his Co Tipperary breeder Michael Ryan. The three-year-old bay ISH gelding by Freestyle van de Wolfsakker is out of the OBOS Quality 004 mare Crown Quality, a full-sister to Tommy Quality (1.35m) and a half-sister to the Loughehoe Guy gelding HSH Crown Cruise (CCI3*-S).

Britain’s Annie Dalton signed for two three-year-olds, the more expensive of whom, at €28,000, was Michael O’Callaghan’s Raphanus (Lot 26). This bay gelding by Ramiro B is actually returning to his native land having been bred in Leicestershire by Rose Best out of the Elroon mare Erythronium who competed at CCI2*-S level.

French interest

It was good to see a French name among the list of successful purchasers, with Anthony Steiner giving €25,000 for Equine Evolve and Arion Ltd’s KWPN-registered Paola G (Lot 51), a three-year-old Carrera VDL gelding from the family of Veni Vidi Vici (1.50m).

Trade Horse Ltd sold two of their four-strong consignment and both three-year-old ISH geldings were knocked down to ‘cash’ customers for €24,000.

Bidding on the first of the pair, Cornascriebe Lockdown (Lot 69), stalled at €18,000 before kicking on again. The Orestus bay was bred in Co Armagh by Carol Armstrong out of the Numero Uno mare Cornascriebe Fortuna. This is the family of Seaview Shutterfly (1.45m) and MHS Going Global (CSI5*). The Sligo Candy Boy bay (Lot 89), who was put on the market at €22,000, is out of a Beach Ball mare whose Aldato half-sister is dam of Castle B Quick (1.45m).