'We're delighted to get her' - £370,000 sale-topper heading to Henry de Bromhead

The Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale made a welcome return to the calendar after being a victim of the pandemic last year, and trade in the winner’s enclosure after racing was brisk and strong.

Henry de Bromhead, who had enjoyed some good fortune earlier in the day when Bob Olinger benefited from Galopin Des Champs’s final-fence fall to win the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase, left the track on Thursday night with another potential blue-chip performer in Kudasheva, consigned by Pat Doyle’s Suirview Stables and who commanded a winning bid of £370,000.

The daughter of Pour Moi had won her sole point-to-point start at Ballycahane, storming clear by an impressive 12 lengths, and she had the page to go with her talents. The four-year-old is out of the winning Daboya, a Hernando half-sister to 2016 Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, while under the third dam are the likes of German Group winners Denaro and Davidoff.

Henry de Bromhead: 'She's a gorgeous filly and came highly recommended by Pat Doyle'Credit: Patrick McCann

De Bromhead said: "She's a gorgeous filly and came highly recommended by Pat Doyle. She's for an owner with horses in the yard and we were delighted to get her."

Asked about the notable strong demand for fillies, De Bromhead smiled: “There’s a good filly who won the Champion Hurdle [his resident star Honeysuckle]. There’s [runner-up] Epatante as well, there are some good ones around.”

Doyle added: "I've sold Henry nice horses in the past and I love seeing them go on. I have never sold a mare for as much as that! She has a great pedigree, and she has done things so well."

Elliott at the double

Warren Ewing, who along with Barry Geraghty bought rising superstar Constitution Hill as a foal, had delivered an encouraging pre-sale word for his Lisronagh winner Better Days Ahead and he certainly caught the imagination, with a bid of £350,000 from Gordon Elliott needed to seal the deal.

By Milan, the four-year-old is out of Topanoora mare Bonnie And Bright, and is a brother to three winners including six-time scorer Milan Bound.

Elliott, who confirmed the gelding was for Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud, said: "He's from the consignor of Constitution Hill so hopefully he'll be lucky. He won his point very well and looked a nice horse."

Gordon Elliott bought Better Days Ahead for Bective StudCredit: Patrick McCann

Ewing added: "It's been a great week. He's really a super horse, he has a lovely head on him, and he's going to a great trainer. It's going to be nice seeing him running in the Morans' colours in the future."

Stellar Story, who had unseated at the second on his point-to-point debut at Kildorrery last month but had since made amends at Castlelands, was the first to get the bidding board really racing along, with £310,000 needed to secure his services.

Elliott, again the successful bidder, had been the trainer of the five-year-old’s prolific-winning brother The Storyteller, whose 11 victories included the Plate at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival and the 2020 Champion Chase at Down Royal.

The son of Shantou, out of Bob Back mare Bally Bolshoi, was offered by Donnchadh Doyle of Monbeg Stables and is a brother to two other winners.

Elliott said: “He looked a nice horse and we've been lucky with the brother. He's a proper staying chaser and is a horse for next year.”

Stellar Story sells to Gordon Elliott for £310,000Credit: Patrick McCann

Doyle's brother Cormac consigned the second lot to break the six-figure barrier in Idalko Bihoue, who sold to Sam Twiston-Davies and Jamie Sheppard for £150,000.

An easy winner of his point debut at Tinahely late last month, the son of Balko is out of the unraced Robin Des Champs mare Vann Bihouee, already the dam of a winner in No Risk At All gelding Hedenn Bihoue and from the family of French Grade 2-winning chaser Kario De Sormain.

Thomas tanks in

The Greenhills Farm-consigned Alfie's Princess was another eye-catching lot of the evening when selling to trainer Sam Thomas on behalf of Walters Plant Hire and James and Jean Potter, for £220,000.

Thomas said: "They have a big breeding operation and she looked very smart. Ross O'Sullivan really recommended her."

By Shirocco and out of the unraced Saddlers' Hall mare Dunahall Queen, Alfie's Princess is a half-sister to the Grade 3-placed Glamorgan Duke and from the family of Drinmore Novice Chase scorer and Gold Cup third Harbour Pilot.

Peaky a blinder

Kayf Tara’s son Peaky Boy had got off the mark at the first time of asking in a four-year-olds’ event at Borris House this month and commanded a winning bid of £240,000 from Ted Durcan.

Offered by Denis Murphy of Ballyboy Stables, Peaky Boy is a half-brother to a couple of winners out of Vinnie Roe’s daughter Joanne One.

Durcan said: "It's for a new owner on behalf of Michael Scudamore. He ticked all the boxes, Michael loved him and he vetted well."

Durcan admitted he was not a regular buyer of jumpers but confirmed his client had Flat horses already. "It’s lovely to be here," he added.

Peaky Boy: heading to Michael ScudamoreCredit: Debbie Burt

Brit muscles in

Kap D’Attente had made the perfect start to her career when running away with a four-year-olds’ maiden point-to-point at Brocklesby Park for Tom Ellis and Gina Andrews, and made £160,000 to Rathmore Stud.

She represents a big result for a British-trained filly graduate, with Peter Molony revealing she would head to De Bromhead for an undisclosed owner.

"She was a lovely scopey horse and she's got a page,” he said. “I don't know what she beat in her point but she did it nicely."

Owner Syd Hosie, who has recently gone back to his roots with Colin Tizzard, after something of a trainer merry-go-round, spent £80,000 to acquire Lingstown third Way Out, by Getaway and offered by Jonathan Fogarty Racing.

The sale did not take place last year, while of 24 lots offered in 2020, 15 sold for an aggregate £2,195,000, at an average of £146,333 (fractionally higher than Thursday's £145,783) and median of £115,000 (lower than Thursday, which weighed in at £120,000).

The 2022 aggregate was £3,353,000 for 23 lots sold from 26 offered, for a healthy clearance rate of 88 per cent.

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