King George diamonds glitter at the Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale

The complexities of the relationships among handlers and jockeys in the point-to-point world were laid bare at Tattersalls Ireland on Thursday, when Matty Flynn O'Connor and Rob James went head to head for a gelding from the second crop of champion stayer Order Of St George.

Just 24 hours earlier the pair had pooled their resources during the opening session of the July Store Sale for Shane Roche's gelding by Valirann, who they teamed up to buy for €27,000.

However when it came to Thursday's prime offering, they were on opposing sides of the ring, both figuratively and literally.

Bidding opened at €20,000 for the wildcard entry from Mount Eaton Stud, who had missed his intended sales date last month. 

Flynn O'Connor and James soon saw off all other competition and the pair settled down to duke it out for the three-parts brother to Nell's Bells, who is closely related to Donald McCain's Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle, Fighting Fifth and Mersey Novices' Hurdle winner Peddlers Cross.

It was Flynn O'Connor who struck the successful €65,000 bid for the gelding with James left with nothing but a rueful smile as the May-born three-year-old was led out of the ring.

"He was our pick over the two days, and it seems a lot of others thought so, too!" smiled O'Connor. "He is a big, scopey stamp of a horse and he just missed his slot at an earlier store sale."

Also closely related to Fin And Game, by Oscar, he is the third store the Ballycrystal Stables handler has bought this season from the second crop of Order Of St George, successful in the Irish St Leger and Gold Cup at Ascot.

The son of Galileo also played his part in a piece of bloodstock history; he was third behind stable companions Found and Highland Reel in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe of 2016 which was the first time a stallion had sired the first three home in the prestigious race.

Flynn O'Connor, who bought the gelding with Ger O'Connor, has already assembled a large team for the new season.

He said: "I haven't had any by the sire before but have three for this season. All in, I'll have about 50 or 60 pointers for the next season with around 15 for the autumn."

Out of Miss Cilla, an unraced Shernazar half-sister to Peddlers Cross, the gelding was sold by Mount Eaton Stud who had purchased him as a foal in this ring from Clonbonny Stud for €23,000.

The Order Of St George gelding out of Miss Cilla in the ring at the Tattersalls Ireland July Store SaleCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Miss Cilla, who is the dam of two winners from three runners, foaled a year-younger full-sister to this horse and she made €3,000 to Kevin McVeigh at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale, also sold by Clonbonny Stud.

Under his fourth dam, the Strensall Stakes winner and 1,000 Guineas third Joking Apart, is Sue Smith's 2013 Grand National hero Aurora's Encore.

Good things come to those who wait

With the King George at Ascot on Saturday the racing highlight of the week it was fitting that the race had an impact on the upper echelons of the sale. 

Prix du Jockey Club, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Irish Derby hero Montjeu confirmed himself as one of the greats with his defeat of Fantastic Light in the 2000 running of the King George and his grandson, the 2017 Derby victor Wings Of Eagles, has been in demand at the store sales because of the positive impression made by his first Irish-bred crop this year.

Late in the day Cooladurragh House offered a bay by the son of Derby winner Pour Moi and Steven Crawford was glad he had not spent all of his 2024 store sale budget so he could acquire this March-born gelding for €45,000. He was sold as a foal for €20,000 by Conna Stud to Afton Bloodstock.

"The gelding is quality through and through," Crawford enthused of his new acquisition. "You would probably prefer another inch on him, but he would have been more expensive then! I like his page and we've had a bit of luck with the sire, he is a new sire to us but all the ones I have seen by him have been athletic. This horse is athletic, he has quality and conformationally he is correct and conformation is important to us. I knew whoever bought him if I had not bought him, he would be dear."

Cooladurragh House's Wings Of Eagles gelding out of Sleep By Starlight was another highlight Credit: www.healyracing.ie

The page Crawford refers to only has two dams on there, Sleep By Starlight and her dam Folklorique. Sleep By Starlight is an unraced Sleeping Car half-sister to Grade 2 Prix Amadou Hurdle winner Gray Steel and to Genifique, the dam of Paul Nicholls' Grade 1 King George VI Chase and Challow Novices' Hurdle winner Bravemansgame. 

Another of her half-sisters, the winning Gray Steam, is the dam of dual Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 Prix Prix Renaud du Vivier Hurdle third Raffles Sun.

That 'bit of luck' mentioned is Marlacoo, who the Crawford brothers found for just €1,250 at last year's July Store Sale. From that impressive first Irish crop of Wings Of Eagles, he won a Down Royal bumper on debut in early May and was sold for £85,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale later that month.

Crawford continued: "I did't get everything I wanted this summer so I came into the sale with the kitty intact and I knew when I saw a horse I liked I could press on – did I think I would have to go for €45,000 for this horse? Probably not, but in my head I was prepared to go to that before we came in. I picked up a nice Shirocco [184A for €26,000] yesterday and, for me, they were the two I wanted here. Time will tell!"

Family Fortunes

The last time someone with the surname Bowe bought a filly at the July Store Sale and sent her to Sam Curling it didn't go so badly so JJ Bowe will hope this €35,000 daughter of Jukebox Jury  can emulate his daughter Correna's success with Doyen filly Echoing Silence.

Former event rider Correna picked out Echoing Silence 12 months ago with her father and bought her for €28,000. She won her maiden on debut at Ballycahane in early March and Bowe sold her, through her boss Curling, for a staggering £440,000 to Peter Molony at the Tatteralls Cheltenham Festival Sale. 

"She's going to Sam Curling. She's a gorgeous model and a great goer. The brother [McLaurey] is supposed to be very good. He won his point-to-point and JP [McManus] has him with Emmet Mullins. Hopefully we can go the same route," JJ commented after purchasing the filly from Burgage Stud where the Irish St Leger winner by Montjeu stands.

The Crawford brothers bought Cooladurragh House's Wings Of Eagles geldingCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Another of the wildcard entries, the late May foal missed an earlier sales date but the extra time certainly benefitted the filly. Bred by Victor Connolly, she is a granddaughter of triple Listed winner Soeur Ti who was also second in the Group 3 Prix de Sandringham and Prix Thomas Byron.

Galileo Gold

Galileo won Ascot's King George race 23 years ago and with Order Of St George supplying the sale topper, it was another son of the breed-shaping stallion who came up with one of the day's best.

Shade Oak Stud's Telescope was runner-up to Taghrooda in the mid-season highlight for Sir Michael Stoute and Highclere Racing a decade ago and sired his first Grade 1 winner last season in Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Slade Steel.

Ballincurrig House Stud offered the second foal out of Indian Stream on behalf of Ruth Brown and John O'Loughlin, who pinhooked him from Michael Moore's Cork nursery at the 2022 November National Hunt Sale. Bred by Dr Bryan Mayoh, he cost them €14,000 as a yearling and sold for €38,000 on Thursday.

His new owner is Terence Thomas Steele from Ballynahinch, County Down and he cheerfully admitted after signing the docket that he had exceeded his anticipated budget.

"He's a racehorse, I hope! We'll take him home and see how he goes. We might start in point-to-points, but I don't know. I paid more than I expected, and we will decide on a trainer later," he said.

Loughview Stud's Poet's Word gelding is hammered down to Richard Downes and Charles Byrnes for €33,000Credit: www.healyracing.ie

The gelding's dam was most definitely a racehorse; the daughter of Generous won seven and placed in nine of her 25 career starts. Twice a Listed winner over fences, including at Wetherby against geldings, for which she earned a RPR of 152, she was also fourth to Apple's Jade and Benie Des Dieux in successive runnings of the Grade 1 David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham for Neil Mulholland.

Indian Stream's first foal is a four-year-old Telescope filly named Neon Madonna and she has a two-year colt by another of Shade Oak sire who was placed in the King George for Sir Michael Stoute – the late Queen's Dartmouth.

Poetry in motion

Loughview Stud's gelding who made €33,000 to Richard Downes continued the connection to the King George and Sir Michael Stoute as he is from the first Irish-bred crop of Poet's Word, who defeated Crystal Ocean in the 2018 renewal. That was the second Group 1 victory of his career; his first was a defeat of Cracksman in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot previously.

Having covered a tiny book of mares at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud in his first season, he was switched to the Flood family's Boardsmill Stud and has proven extremely popular with National Hunt breeders, pinhookers and now, trainers.

Charles Byrnes: will train the Poet's Word gelding out of Present LineCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Charles Byrnes will train this gelding who is a half-brother to a pair of winners by Court Cave, the recently deceased stud mate of Poet's Word. 

"We like the horse, he has some quality and we like the family too," commented Downes, who had bought a €20,000 Idaho gelding for the trainer on Wednesday.

That family contains familiar names. The bay's dam Present Line is an unraced Presenting half-sister to Line Ball, who won the Easter Handicap Hurdle at Cork and was third in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase for JP McManus and Christy Roche.

Second dam Navaro is a Be My Native half-sister to Christmas Hurdle winner Mighty Mogul and to Shinethyme, the second dam of Grade 2 Prix La Barka winner and Grade 1 Aintree Bowl second Ballynagour and Grade 3 winner Mae's Choice.

Pinhooking triumph

Daragh Berry's Furziestown Stables recorded an impressive pinhooking success at this venue in May when selling 40-length Inchydoney maiden winner Dippedinmoonlight for €130,000 to Emmet Mullins , having purchased her for €9,500 less than four months before that big pay day at the point-to-point sale.

Thursday's profits were smaller in digits but every bit as impressive in real terms as the Frammassone gelding bought for just €1,700 as a foal at the November National Hunt Sale was sold for €32,000 to Marcus Collie, Highfort and Tom Keating.

 Collie explained why the trio were so keen to land the gelding: "He was bred by the Beswick Brothers [Collie is their racing manager], because we bought the sire from France and moved him to England. He was sold as a foal and brought back here. 

"Myself, Tom Keating and George Murphy [Highfort] really liked him. I showed him to George who thought he was a gent, and hopefully he will be on the racecourse too. He will go into training with George."

The Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale continued on ThursdayCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Frammassone was a triple Grade 1 winner over hurdles in Italy and was acquired by Beswick Brothers Bloodstock ahead of the 2020 breeding season. He stood for three seasons at Will Kinsey's Peel Hall Stables in Cheshire before moving to Batsford Stud and he is now at Tenbury Wells Stud in Worcestershire.

His best son is Gabbys Cross who was third in the Leinster National at Naas last year for Henry de Bromhead and Roger Brookhouse. He is also the sire of Imperial Cup second Lively Citizen.

Three of the day's biggest prices, including this one who was the third last transaction of the evening, came during the final hour of the sale, and Collie added: "We just thought he was a cracking individual and a great mover. The ones that standout, there are people to buy them, which is good."

No, not that Mullins 

Sholokhov never ran in the King George but the Group 1 winner was second in the Irish Derby to High Chaparral and filled the same position in the Eclipse behind Hawk Wing, another stable companion. Sire of outstanding horses such as the gorgeous Cheltenham heroes Don Cossack and Shishkin, the Sadler's Wells stallion was a reliable source of high-class horses and will continue to be for another few years despite his death earlier this year.

Andrew Cocks and Tara Johnson are hoping the Sholokhov gelding they bought on Thursday for €30,000 will be one of those who keeps his sire's name in lights. Another from the wildcard section of the sale, consigned by Coolruss Stud having been bought back for €25,000 at the Derby Sale last month, he has the pedigree to add to Sholokhov's reputation.

He is the first foal of Marmalade Mist, a Stowaway half-sister to Blow By Blow, who won the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at Punchestown for Willie Mullins and the Grade 3 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle for Gordon Elliott after owner Gigginstown House Stud consciously uncoupled from the Closutton yard.

The Telescope gelding out of Indian Stream was one of the highlights on the second day of the saleCredit: www.healyracing.ie

The March-born bay is related to one of Mullins' century of Cheltenham Festival winners; Cooldine who was successful in the 2009 RSA Chase. The son of Beneficial was also sold by Coolruss Stud and is a half-brother to Shean Rose, dam of Blow By Blow and second dam of this horse.

This gelding will also be trained by a Mullins, as Cocks and Johnson are long-standing owners in Wiltshire yard of Seamus Mullins.

"We have had horses with Seamus for over 20 years," laughed Cocks. "Most of the horses go to him, they will be broken and we will sort plans out as they start work."

Mullins will likely receive the €12,000 Blue Bresil gelding that Cocks and Johnson bought during Wednesday's opening session too and the trainer believes the Sholokhov gelding will be a long-term prospect.

"Andrew and Tara are patient owners and will need to be with this horse as he won't be early but he will be worth the wait. He's by a good stallion, this is a good stamp of a horse and I am delighted to have him coming back to us," Mullins remarked.

Coleman's a cover star

Matt Coleman has already seen some success from his purchases at the July Store Sale, having sourced last season's Aintree Premier Handicap Hurdle winner Gwennie May Boy at the first edition of the sale. He was in action early during proceedings, snapping up the morning's highlight – a filly by Shirocco for €24,000.

Coleman was purchasing on behalf of AJ and Jonjo O'Neill and Jackdaws Castle has been home to one of Shirocco's best chasers - Cheltenham Festival winner and Gold Cup runner-up Minella Rocco, who, with a RPR of 168 is second only to Annie Power in the hierarchy of progeny by Rathbarry Stud's sire.

The agent confirmed the impression: "Jonjo has had some luck with horses by Shirocco including Minella Rocco, the sire has been good for them."

Matt Coleman in action at the Tattersalls Ireland July Store SaleCredit: www.healyracing.ie

This particular daughter of the Breeders' Cup Turf winner is the first foal out of Honey Come Home, a Mahler mare who won a point-to-point and was placed over hurdles. She was bred by Jim Lanigan, as was this filly who he sold for €4,000 to Gatelodge Stables at the 2021 November National Hunt Sale, so the sale was a tidy pinhooking success. Honey Come Home's second foal, a colt by Blue Bresil, made €28,000 to Brown Island Stables a year later.

Lanigan might have to wait a little longer for updates to come from Honey Come Home's first foal, as Coleman explained.

"She's a very sweet filly, she has loads of quality but is still a bit immature and I see her as a longer-term project over staying trips, it is quite a staying pedigree. She has got lots of style and is a very good mover."

That staying pedigree includes Warrantor, a Turtle Island half-brother to Honey Come Home who was third in the Midlands National for Warren Greatrex.

Later in the day, Coleman and O'Neill bought a Mahler gelding out of a Silver Patriarch half-sister to Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Rathlin for €23,000. Niamh Spiller struck the winning bid on behalf of the pair who were on a dash to Dublin airport to make their flight home.

Offered by Cabragh Lodge, he's a half-brother to the ill-fated Western Safire, who won over hurdles last year.

What's in a name?

The only horse in the catalogue by Golden Horn, who sired his first Cheltenham Festival winner this year, made €24,000 to David Carter who was not deterred by the gelding's name; Allroadsleadtorome.

Brenda Short with the Sholokhov gelding who made €30,000 at the July Store SaleCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Carter said: "I don't mind the horse's name but it's the only downside of the purchase."

There are far more upsides to the gelding who Carter went to the very limit of his budget to secure. In addition to being a son of Derby, Eclipse and Arc hero he also comes from an iconic Ballymacoll Stud family.

Allroadsleadtorome is the second foal of New Desire, an unraced daughter of Dansili and Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes and Listed Upavon Stakes winner New Morning. She is a Sadler's Wells full-sister to the champion Islington, whose Group 1 triumphs included the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mares' Turf, and to Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis winner Greek Dance and Listed Aston Park Stakes winner and Gold Cup third Election Day.

New Morning is also a half-sister to Grand Prix de Saint Cloud winner Mountain High and to Listed-placed Desert Beauty, the second dam of Melbourne Cup and Australian Cup winner Fiorente.

Offered by John Bourke's Hyde Park Stud, the Golden Horn gelding will be trained by John McConnell.

"He's our first purchase today," Carter said. I didn't think we were going to get him, but we went to our last €1,000 and he was ours. We just liked the pedigree and the horse. John's [McConnell] partner is Amy Crook and we have horses with Amy's dad Andy [Crook] in Middleham."

Carter's new buy is a half-brother to Roaring Gallagher, a son of Roaring Lion who was fourth in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes in 2022 for Joseph O'Brien.

Figures

Thursday's median and average figures were better than those recorded during the opening day of the sale but the clearance rate, at 58 per cent, was lower.

During the second session 118 of the 204 lots offered were sold for turnover of €1,159,150 which was four per cent lower than Wednesday's receipts. Thursday's average of €9,823 was 17 points higher than the previous day's figure while the median, at €7,000, was up by an almost identical amount.

Taken together, the two days of trade generated €2,386,650 for 264 horses sold from the 439 offered which brings the clearance rate in at 60 per cent. Across the July Store Sale, the average price was €9,040 while the median was €6,500.

End of sale statement

Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins said: "It has been a mixed summer of store sales, culminating with this week’s July Store Sale. The July Store Sale provided National Hunt purchasers with a final opportunity of the year to enter the market, and it was encouraging to see lots of new faces on the ground and on the final purchaser list.

The Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale concluded on ThursdayCredit: www.healyracing.ie

“We started our store sale season with the May Store Sale, held at a later date and we also added a small select group of point-to-point and horses-in-training on the eve of that sale. The later timing resulted in an improved clearance rate.

“The 50th Derby Sale yet again secured the top-priced store sold at any store sale in Ireland and the UK this year. A son of Doctor Dino was purchased from Walter Connors by Gordon Elliott Racing for €350,000, and 25 lots surpassed the €100,000 mark, more than any other store sale. This continued success at the Derby Sale underscores the high quality and enduring appeal of our offerings.

“We recognise the current selective nature of the National Hunt market, in particular over the last two days. This selectiveness has presented challenges, especially at the lower end of the market. However, it is very encouraging to see purchasers in Ireland and the UK retain faith in Irish stores. The Tattersalls Ireland stores sales are proven as the most reliable source to purchase Grade 1 winners, and I have full confidence our store graduates from 2024 will make an impact at the highest level over the coming seasons. We are also deeply appreciative of the unwavering support and loyalty of our vendors.

"We would like to thank Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for their dedicated efforts in promoting the Tattersalls Ireland store sales to the UK market. Their work has been instrumental in guaranteeing attendance, and we truly feel their efforts made a noticeable difference this year."

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