Recent winners add wildcard appeal to Goresbridge sale buoyed by an Epic winner

Goodwill doesn't cut it in business. Without results any operation will fail but the return of point-to-point sales at Goresbridge enjoyed a warm welcome and support which has now been backed by success on the track. 

It's timely as the company goes again on Thursday with a catalogue of point-to-pointers and horses-in-training that has been bolstered by the addition of weekend winners.

Tom Malone was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the company's sale back in April and, on the day, he was the busiest buyer with three purchases including the €60,000 Epic West who went into the catalogue as the winner of a Belclare five-year-old maiden on his second start for Donnchadh Doyle.

Malone bought the Mount Nelson gelding who was one of the top lots seven months ago and he went to Jamie Snowden, for whom he made a winning debut over hurdles at Carlisle just last week.

The Monbeg team has one of the larger drafts for Thursday's sale, the second held by the Donohoe family company after a six-year hiatus.

Atomic Level (lot 13) is a five-year-old son of Diamond Boy who is en vogue and this half-brother to a winner added that all important victory to his own resume at Tattersalls last month when justifying favouritism in a maiden on his third start.

A €20,000 store purchase he is out of the unraced Milan mare Mugs in Milan who is full-sister to the winning Senor Lombardy, who contests a Wetherby chase this afternoon for Nicky Richards. Their dam is an Alderbrook half-sister to Irish Grand National winner Glebe Lad and the Grade 3 chase winner Stashedaway.

Buying and selling at Goresbridge: Tom Keating, Rob James, Mouse O'Ryan, Gordon Elliott, Tom Malone and Matty Flynn O'ConnorCredit: Between The Ears Equine Videos

Shane Roche consigns Leading Endeavour (6) a five-year-old daughter of Leading Light and a half-sister to a Cheltenham Festival winner in Great Endeavour, successful in the race formerly known as the Mildmay Of Flete.

A homebred for the Roche family, Leading Endeavour won the mares' maiden at Damma House at the beginning of November on just her second start.

Fat Faced Columbo (10a) may have an insulting name but he must also possess at least a modicum of talent to have been given such a memorable moniker and the four-year-old son of Mahler was runner-up at Knockmullen House earlier this month on just his second start.

Ballycrystal Stables consigns the half-brother to three winners and purchased him as a store for €22,000. He is out of Cesana, a half-sister to Tharawaat, winner of Fairyhouse's Grade 3 juvenile hurdle for Gordon Elliott back at the start of his training career.

John Walsh began Corach Rambler on the road to glory with the future Grand National hero starting his career in Wexford at the Walsh family's Scar Stables, taking his time with the enigmatic hero who won his maiden at the fifth time of asking.

Scar Stables consigns five-year-old Lynsey Larue (19) who also has that stat in common with her predecessor as the Elusive Pimpernel mare took five goes to win her maiden.

Lynsey Larue is out of Open Your Heart, a Soviet Star half-sister to the Irish Oaks winner Bolas and their dam, Three Stars, is a Star Appeal half-sister to Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup winner Longboat.

Crossgale Stables sends recent five-year-old maiden winner Hickeys Hill (26) to the sale. The son of Hillstar cost €13,000 as a store and got off the mark on his first completed start which was at Quakerstown in early November. He is the first runner out of his dam, the Craigsteel mare Lena Rose and the family goes back to Thyestes winner Bob Treacy.

The sale starts at 1pm on Thursday and the full catalogue is available to view here.

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