'Standout' Willmount new addition to Mulholland yard for sale-topping £340,000

The Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale didn't take long to burst into life on Thursday as Neil Mulholland went to £340,000 for Colin Bowe’s exciting Comea point-to-point winner Willmount.

Lot eight of 37 offered, he is by one of the sires of the moment in Glenview Stud resident Blue Bresil.

Willmount was a two-and-a-half-length winner of his four-year-old maiden point this month, and that impressive victory allied to his good looks saw a fierce bidding battle ensue between Mulholland, Harold Kirk, Gerry Hogan and Eddie O’Leary, with auctioneer Alastair Pim eking every last drop out of the participants.

After digging deepest, trainer Mulholland revealed: “He’s for Oliver Harris, who has a few horses with us and is a good owner. I mentioned him to Olly and he said that number eight is his lucky number!

“He was one of the standout horses of the sale, he came highly recommended and we’re delighted to have him on board.

"The sire is going places and we’re good friends with Colin Bowe. I called him last night and had a good chat with him. Olly was keen to get the horse and stuck his neck out."

On future plans, Mulholland added: “We’ll get him home, we’ll treat him as a good horse and see if we can win a bumper.”

Neil Mulholland: 'He was one of the standout horses of the sale'Credit: Laura Green

Having sold to Sid Bloodstock for €25,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November Foal Sale in 2018, the bay was then picked up for €46,000 by Bowe's Milestone Bloodstock as a store from the Goffs Land Rover National Hunt Sale. Thursday's auction showed that to have been a shrewd bit of business.

Willmount is out of Old Vic mare Youngstar, who won a bumper for Sue Gardner and is a half-sister to the Grade 2-placed West Bridge. Further down the page are black-type winners Maire Banrigh, Banjaxed Girl and Grand Patron.

Bowe is no stranger to big prices at this event, having sold Grade 1 winners Envoi Allen and Ferny Hollow for £400,000 and £300,000 respectively.

He said: "Willmount has always been a standout, he has a very good temperament, he handles soft ground and can quicken off it.

"I sold The Druids Nephew to Neil Mulholland, so hopefully this will be another good one!”

A walk in the park for O’Toole

Just four lots later, Shannon Royale, who had finished runner-up to Willmount at Comea, sold to Mags O'Toole for £300,000.

The son of Coolmore supersire Walk In The Park, out of Topanoora mare Shannon Rose, was consigned by Denis Murphy's Ballyboy Stables.

Mags O'Toole: bought Shannon Royale for £300,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February SaleCredit: Laura Green

Shannon Royale made €90,000 as a foal when picked up by Patrick McCann at the Goffs December National Hunt Sale, and then €100,000 when purchased by Ballyboy from Ballincurrig House Stud at the Land Rover Sale last June.

He hails from a fine family that includes half-brother and Grade 3-winning hurdler Minella Foru, plus six-time winners Penny Jane and Sumkindofking, who was also second in the Listed Badger Ales Chase. That trio are King's Theatre full-siblings.

O’Toole said: “He’s a fine, big horse. The sire is on fire and he had a lovely run against the top lot here. He's one for the future and goes into training with Gordon Elliott for an existing client.

"I loved the way the winner and this horse got away from the others at Comea, they quickened well, and he is only four. He’s gorgeous, has a lovely head on him, and was always going to make a lot of money.”

Murphy's description was similar, as he said: “He’s a gorgeous, big horse who should have a big future. He was the pick of the paddock when I bought him and he’s been an easy horse to train. He should go forward.”

Check mate for Captain

Captain Checkdown, fourth on his debut point-to-point behind this week’s eyecatching bumper winner Madmansgame and subsequently dead-heat winner on his second start at Ballinaboola, sold to Tony Martin for £180,000.

Captain Checkdown: Ballinaboola point-to-point winner was knocked down to Tony Martin for £180,000Credit: Laura Green

A €26,000 purchase by Ballinakill Stables from the 2020 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, the five-year-old Getaway gelding hails from the family of the prolific Grade 1 winner Clarcam and Betfair Hurdle and Grade 2 chase winner Pic D’Orhy.

Martin said: “He’s for a new client to me. The horse was well recommended to us and was impressive when he won. We’ll carry on with him now, he’s a five-year-old and we’ll look to win a bumper.”

Evan Williams had secured the previous lot in the shape of Rob James’s well-related Belharbour winner Out Of Office, signing the docket at £160,000.

Out Of Office: 'He won his maiden well and I think he’s very good and very smart'Credit: Laura Green

The son of Shirocco was making a decent profit for James, having cost €30,000 as a foal from the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale when offered by Marilyn Syme from Ashwood Stud.

The four-year-old is out of the unraced Bob Back mare Shuil Dorcha and therefore a half-brother to Grade 2-winning chaser and hurdler Bright New Dawn, who was also Grade 1-placed behind Jezki and Champagne Fever, and the Listed-winning and Grade 1-placed Lyrical Theatre.

James, who also rode Out Of Office at Belharbour, said: “He was a lovely foal and has a very nice pedigree. He was a great model as a foal and is still a good model. He won his maiden well and I think he’s very good and very smart.

“Everything went to plan with him, he’s a very straightforward horse. I’m delighted Evan got him as he bought Star Gate off me at this sale and this horse won the same maiden. Hopefully he’s lucky for Evan and the new owners.”

Highflyer Bloodstock were also among the buyers, snapping up Moate Stables’ Well Chosen gelding Well Dick, a Tallow winner from the family of Andy Dufresne, for £135,000, while Tom Malone and Jamie Snowden went to £130,000 for fellow five-year-old Colonel Harry.

The son of Shirocco was offered by Moylisha Stables and is out of a sister to the high-class Colonel Yeager, while he is a half-brother to Listed-placed hurdler Dorabelle.

Overall, 33 of the 37 lots offered sold, for a clearance rate of 89 per cent and turnover of £2,718,000. The average of £82,364 was up four per cent on 2020, the last time the sale had been held, while the median of £60,000 was the same.

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