Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins bought the top three lots during the opening day of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale on Wednesday.
A gelding by Nathaniel from Castledillon Stud caught their eye at €180,000. Sold as lot 138, he is out of the dual listed winner Floressa (Poliglote), who had placed at Grade 1 level over jumps. The gelding was an €87,000 pinhook from Goldford Stud.
Earlier in the day, the duo had purchased Miss Mam (Masked Marvel) for €150,000 from Oak Tree Farm, and Mystere Du Chenet (Doctor Dino) for €120,000 from Moanmore Stables. Overall, they bought four lots on Wednesday. Miss Mam was a €47,000 buy as a 2-year-old.
Kirk said, “All the horses I am buying here will be purchased with the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland MSL Mercedes-Benz Sales Bumper in mind – moving the race to a December date works well for us and it gives us options.”
The inaugural Derby Sale 2-year-old session was topped by an Ectot half-sister to the Grade 1 winner Hearts Are Trumps (Oscar), bought by Dan Skelton and Ryan Mahon for €100,000.
Turnover for the first day's trade was €7,142,000 for 150 horses sold from 196 offered (77%). The average was €47,613 (+2%) and the median was €42,000 (+11%).
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