A colt by Walk In the Park (Ire) proved the most popular during the one-day Tattersalls Ireland Winter Flat and National Hunt Sale on Tuesday.
Sold as lot 58, the bay son of Glasgow Allen (Fr) (American Post {GB}) commanded €50,000 from Coolmore's Gerry Aherne. His dam is a half-sister to Muhtathir (GB)'s multiple Grade 1-winning jumper Envoi Allen Fr).
After purchasing the yearling from from The Beeches Stud, Aherne said, “The sire continues to break records and this is a very well-bred horse who comes from a great nursery. He was the one we really wanted today and we are delighted to get him.
“Plans for him are fluid, we could bring him back for resale or keep him to race, there's plenty of time for him. He was a standout on looks and pedigree today.”
Lot 172, a son of Blue Bresil (Fr), made €40,000 on the bid of Anthony Cahill and Martin Dowd. The Walshtown Stables-consigned bay is out of a full-sister to Lord Windermere (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup, as well as a half-sister to a multiple graded-winning jumper in Sub Lieutenant (Ire) (Brian Boru {GB}).
“He will come back for the Derby Sale,” said Cahill. “There are a few of us who buy together and my son was on the phone to me driving me on.”
The highest-priced filly was a daughter of Affinisea (Ire) and Hollygrove Rumba (Ire) (Indian Danehill {Ire}) (lot 70), who caught the eye of Tuesday's leading buyer Richard Rohan at €38,000. The Ballincurrig House Stud-consigned miss was one of two horses to make that price on the day, as did lot 129, another son of Walk In The Park who went to Kieran Shields from the draft of Hillview Farm.
Plans are flexible for the April-born foal, and Rohan said, “Her future is undecided as yet, she might be kept to race or could return to be resold, but we absolutely loved her since we saw her here.
“Will has been building up a nice stock of young horses. Not only did I like this filly as an individual, but everything is hot in this pedigree with both Gowel Road (Ire) (Flemensfirth) and her being by Affinisea, too. I really like him as a sire, and he had a Cheltenham Grade 2 winner at the weekend.”
“I hope he will be back here for the Derby Sale,” said Shields of the latter. “He is a young foal, but he has a nice outlook, and he is obviously by a top sire. He has good use of himself and is an attractive foal who I hope will make up into a smart three-year-old.”
Of the 160 lots offered, 84 (53%) sold for a gross of €893,650. The average was €10,639 (-5%) and the median was €7,500 (+7%).
Tattersalls Ireland's CEO Simon Kerins said, “We are delighted to have started the year with our newly named Winter Flat and National Hunt Sale. For the first time, we introduced Flat-bred yearlings to the sale, and this is an area we plan to build upon moving forward.
“The trade today was somewhat challenging and highlights the selective nature of the National Hunt market, sustained demand for those that hit the mark and less so for those horses that didn't, a trend that has been consistent across all National Hunt sales over the past 12 months.”
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