Sapphire Sale brings the curtain down on sales year at Tattersalls Ireland

Tattersalls Ireland stages its final auction of the year on Thursday when the focus quickly switches to the Flat and the Sapphire Sale of foals, yearlings and breeding stock.

Tally Ho Stud's first crop sire Starman has enjoyed popularity with purchasers at preceding yearling sales and one of the potential gems on Thursday is Graigue Stables' half-brother to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and dual Shoemaker Mile winner Obviously (Lot 903).

A late April foal, he is in bred 3x2 to Starman's broodmare sire Montjeu and is also a half-brother to Leala's Daughter, dam of Soprano who was third to Porta Fortuna and Fallen Angel in the Group 1 Matron Stakes and second in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup this season for George Boughey.

Gleneagles doubled his tally of Group 1 winners this year, with July Cup hero and new Yeomanstown Stud sire Millstream and Palladium, successful in the Deutsches Derby showcasing their sire's versatility.

Kilmacoliver Stud consigns a son (900) of the multiple Group 1 winner from one of the most famous families in the studbook.

The bay is a half-brother to the Group 3 Easter Cup winner Jet Away and closely related to Onshore, by Sea The Stars, and the dam of last year's Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto who is a son of Frankel.

Kalima, their unraced dam, is a Kahyasi full-sister to blue hen Hasili and Listed winner Arrive, dam of Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Promising Lead.

The Sapphire Sale's greatest claim to fame is Champers Elysees, the Matron Stakes winner by Elzaam who was sold by Archway Stud for €12,500 at the 2017 sale on behalf of Mantlehill Stud to AughamoreStud.

Johnny Murtagh's 2020 Leopardstown top-level winner is a daughter of former Ballyhane Stud resident Elzaam and there is a single representative from each of his last two Irish crops in the catalogue.

Knocklong House Stud consign a yearling filly (939) who could have an instant pedigree update as her two-year-old half-sister Great Mover is entered in the nursery at Dundalk on Friday night for Willie McCreery and the Probity Racing Syndicate. They are the first two foals out of And Yet She Moves who is related to Listed winners Lord Cromby and Highway.

In the foal section an Elzaam full-brother to two winners is to be found (999) consigned by George Ball. Out of the winning Kodiac mare Dance For Livvy, the May foal's successful elder siblings are St Cianan's Fire and Maura's Gift. 

First chance to buy a foal by Persian Force arrives on Thursday at Tattersalls IrelandCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Dance For Livvy is a half-sister to the Listed Wetherby Mares' Hurdle third Dance For Julie and their dam – Dancing Steps – is an unraced Zafonic full-sister to the Dubai Group 3-placed Seeking The Price and a half-sister to Pardoven, dam of Sprint Cup and Gimcrack Stakes winner Minzaal who stands at Derrinstown Stud and his first foals are due to sell in the next couple of weeks.

Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing has been increasing its portfolio of stallions of late with Go Bears Go joining King Of Steel and Bucanero Fuerte as Amo-owned Group winners retiring to stud. 

The latter pair will stand alongside Persian Force at Tally-Ho Stud and the Sapphire Sale offers the first opportunity to purchase a foal from the debut crop of the July Stakes winner.

Kildallan Farm consigns the son (976) of Persian Force, who was placed three times at the highest level during his sole season to race, and the colt has received a timely catalogue update. His Mehmas three-parts brother Musical Touch won a six-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton in late October for Richard Fahey.

They are out of Ray Of Light, a winning Canford Cliffs half-sister to Cairde Go Deo, who won the Listed Yeats Stakes and the King George V Cup and was third to Magical Lagoon and Toy in the Irish Oaks for Ger Lyons and Mark Dobbin.

Second dam Elusive Galaxy, by Elusive City, was placed in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes and Listed Balanchine Stakes. 

The sale begins at 11am on Thursday.

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