Festival Sale the next stage in Patrick Turley's eventful career

Patrick Turley’s dry sense of humour manages to underplay the two contrasting incidents that have punctuated his initiation to the role of sales vendor.

"I’d actually gone home for a wedding," he recalls of a day in December 2016. "On the Sunday I was clipping my father’s hunter, and he kicked me [in the head]. He actually left me in hospital for two and a half weeks; face injuries, eye socket, jaw, nose. It was bad enough but we've got over it now."

A former point-to-point rider from County Down, Turley had been continuing his education at Tally-Ho Stud at the time, renting the odd box nearby and working on several pointing projects of his own on the side.

Thankfully he had a guardian angel in the shape of his former employer Brian Hamilton, who took over the training of Onefortheroadtom, prepping the grey to score between the flags at Oldcastle and selling him to JP McManus’ son Kieran for £100,000 at Cheltenham the following April.

A year later, once back on his feet in all senses, Turley recorded an even more mouthwatering return when selling Lecale’s Article for €320,000 to David Minton at Punchestown, having pinhooked the gelding for just €26,000 a few months earlier.

Now settled back home, where Kingsfield Stud can be seen within the confines of the rambling Downpatrick racecourse, Turley can be quietly optimistic of another healthy return on investment as he has entered two of the first 15 lots in Thursday’s Cheltenham Festival Sale.

Leading the way is Power Of Pause, a son of the en vogue Doyen from a family of good hurdlers, who forged well clear in a 2m4f point at Punchestown last month. Joining him is stoutly bred Stowaway mare My Whirlwind, who came through the driving rain in convincing fashion at Ballycahane.

"They’re two fine horses – they’re both quite different but very talented," says Turley.

"Power Of Pause is the first horse I bought with [jockey] Mark O’Hare out of the Land Rover Sale. I looked at everything the day before the sale and he was about the second horse we saw on the second day. Mark liked him just as much as I did, so we took a chance and hopefully he can turn a profit for us.

"I think his win is down as six lengths but if you watch the video it’s probably a lot more, he was galloping away from the last fence.

"At home we never got to the bottom of him, he never came under any pressure. He got a bit tight into one of his later fences, Mark had to get him back up with the pace but when the penny dropped he fair lengthened his stride. It showed the natural ability that he could quicken off the high intensity pace."

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And of My Whirlwind, he adds: "She’s a downright galloper, whereas Power Of Pause would be a sharper, speedy type. She’s not slow but in her race she put it to bed very quickly, everything was off the bridle bar her at the third-last and it was pretty much hands and heels all the way there."

Turley, who is quick to credit his team members Philippa Baird and Declan Lavery for their help, is building things up nicely with a handful of pointers and Flat types.

Lecale's Article: a huge sales result for Patrick Turley at Punchestown last yearCredit: Goffs

"We sold two breezers last year," he explains. "One was a filly called Dragon Roll. She won first time for Jessie Harrington and still holds an entry for the Irish 1,000 Guineas. There was also a Zebedee [Magical Spirit] who won as well. We have a few in pre-training for other people too.

"It’s not easy, no-one will say it is, but it’s what we’re into now. We’ve put a 19 stable barn in, with a sand school and circular gallop. Hopefully, if all goes well, we’ll put a schooling strip in. The bank have to be paid off, but when we get that done, we’ll reinvest."

With five more breeze-up candidates going through their early paces, this is a time where a young man has little time on his hands. A markedly more pleasant interruption has recently changed his life again, but perhaps there might have been more opportune moments for Patrick junior to appear on the scene than only a few days ago.

"I’m winging it," he admits with a laugh as he attempted to keep Patrick amused at the same time as undertaking this interview.

"Basically Mary [his partner] knows best. Hopefully we’ll get the summer to regroup, and get this baby grown."