Brother to Adaay Sets New Fairyhouse Record

FAIRYHOUSE, Ireland—A bigger catalogue would always test the rise of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, but as typical of Ireland's fastest growing yearling sale, many diamonds were to be found in County Meath this week. One of the featured jewels on paper was lot 491, a full-brother to dual Group 2 winner Adaay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), offered by Brendan Holland's Grove Stud, who set a new September Sale record at €275,000.

Bids came thick and fast for the strongly-built bay, with the finals blows dealt between Eamon Reilly of BBA Ireland and Stephen Collins, General Manager of Derrinstown Stud, as a full sales ring looked on with bated breath. Last-minute retaliations did enough to keep Simon Kerins's gavel from falling too soon, with delayed direction over the phone adding to the drama. The ding-dong battle ended in Collins's favour, and after signing as Shadwell Estate Company Ltd., he said, “I thought he was a racy, quality colt, with a lovely athletic way about him. He is a very good example of his sire and isn't unlike his brother, though being a late April foal, there is plenty of improvement left in him.”

Brendan Holland is renowned for shrewd pinhook purchases, be they resold as yearlings or as 2-year-olds, and the record-breaker was no exception, having cost the Blarney resident €60,000 as a foal last year. Of his latest sales star, he said, “He was a small foal because of his late birth date, but he was a nice type and has been a joy to prep. He is very athletic and has a great mind, which is what I like most in a racehorse.”

Despite a stellar result with a record sales price, Holland was keen to point out that not all was rosy in the sales ring. “I can't complain with the results I've had this week, but overall, vendors' expectations haven't been high due to worries over lack of demand,” he said. “The uncertainty caused by Brexit is a major issue, especially given that the UK is our main market, and that this is coinciding with rising foal numbers. The middle part of the market, which is what we're selling to this week, is the main worry and unfortunately there is no short-term solution. The industry has produced beyond demand and at the moment, we are at the wrong point of the circle.”

Holland's sentiments were echoed by figures dropping across the board for Part 1 of the sale. Turnover dropped by 8% to €10,488,000, despite 17% more horses going through the ring, while the clearance rate dropped to 78% for 411 horses sold, from an impressive 90% in 2017. The average decreased by 11% to €25,518 and the median by 13% to €20,000.

Despite falling figures, it is encouraging to note that aside from the 2017 results, the latest average and median prices were the highest recorded, though larger catalogues had been offered in the past, the highest being 708 lots in 2005.

Another good pinhooking result came via lot 475, an Excelebration (Ire) colt bought by Matt Coleman and Loughmore Stables as a foal for €26,000. Bred by John O'Connor, the colt blossomed into a €120,000 yearling, helped by the exploits of his half-sister, Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who won her second start by an impressive 10 lengths in a competitive Curragh contest. She followed up with a fine fourth in the G2 Debutante S., before finishing best of the rest behind Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) in the recent G1 Moyglare Stud S.

Given her sire, Lady Kaya has been watched closely by Joe Foley and it was he who outbid Kevin Ross to secure the half-brother to seven winners. After confirming that the bay was bought for Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics, he commented, “He is a lovely colt and was well presented by Kitty Cowhey and her team at Loughmore Stables. Lady Kaya is a high-class filly, but this colt is a very good individual in his own right and was well bought as a foal. The dam is obviously very special and I'm a big fan of Singspiel (Ire) as a damsire—Steve has had luck with him through Suedois (Fr).”

Joe Foley is a regular face at Tattersalls Ireland, both as a buyer and vendor, and last year spent €397,000 at this sale. At the end of the second day, his outlay was €230,000, and when questioned on current trade, the master of Ballyhane Stud said, “We're on the cliff of Brexit, which is causing uncertainty in the market. Demand seems to be down overall, but the nice individuals stand out.”

No Nay Never's popularity this week came as no surprise, the son of Scat Daddy leading the first-season sire table, and he supplied three six-figure lots on the second day at Tattersalls Ireland. There had been whispers about the popularity of lot 340, a colt offered by Killourney Mor Farm, and his reputation delivered in the ring, where Alex Elliott fended off bids from various parties with a winning price of €120,000.

“He was my pick of the sale,” Elliott said. “I loved everything about him, but I didn't think we'd buy him, so I'm delighted. He's for a new client and will be trained in Newmarket by Jeremy Noseda.”

A more established stallion accounted for the next highest price of the day, a son of New Approach (Ire) (lot 400) offered by the multiple Group 1 winner's breeder, Lodge Park Stud, which was knocked down to agent John Kilbride at €110,000. The full-brother to Chesham S. winner Tha'ir (Ire) also attracted the attention of Kevin Ross, amongst others, but Kilbride was determined to buy what he described as “a fantastic specimen”.

“He's been bought to go to Mark Johnston,” said the agent. “We made a list with his specific criteria in mind and I visited the yard for the first time last week to learn more about his regime. I think this colt suits that process physically; he ticked all the boxes, but yet, you don't know where his ceiling is. I've always wanted to buy from Lodge Park Stud—they're renowned breeders of great racehorses.”

Kevin Ross tasted success later in the afternoon as his perseverance paid dividends on lot 454, an Acclamation (GB) colt bred on the same Marju (Ire) cross as the brilliant sprinter Marsha (Ire). Offered by his breeder Rathbarry Stud, which also stands the sire, the easy moving-colt is also closely related to listed winner Wentworth (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and comes from the family of dual Group 1 winner Sir Percy (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}).

The final price was €105,000, much to the delight of Paul Cashman of Rathbarry Stud, who said, “He is a real Tattersalls Ireland-type horse; a strong, well-balanced, ready-made 2-year-old, with a bit of quality, as well as a good page. We bought the mare because Marju has worked very well with Acclamation, as he has with this particular family, so she was a no-brainer. Acclamation has had another very solid year, with Expert Eye (GB) heading a strong bunch of stakes winners, and it's good to see that being reflected in the sales ring.”

The Acclamation colt was one of eight lots bought by Kevin Ross over the two days for a total of €357,500. Ross, who works with his wife Anna, spent much of the sale accompanied by Jason Maguire, who manages the racing operation of Paul and Clare Rooney, and he confirmed that the horse was for his aforementioned client.

Wednesday, like Tuesday, started strongly at Tattersalls Ireland, as the third lot through the ring sparked a duel between BBA Ireland's Patrick Cooper and Matt Coleman. The object of their affection was a daughter of leading first-season sire No Nay Never (lot 285), from the esteemed family of Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert), Chinese White (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Pride Of Dubai (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}). Coleman, who is also the UK representative for Tattersalls Ireland, emerged the winner and disclosed that his client was Godolphin, also the new owners of yesterday's top lot at €180,000.

The February-born filly is the first foal out of Cabelo (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), a winning half-sister to the talented and consistent Master Carpenter (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), and represented an excellent result for Herine Bloodstock, who bought Cabelo (Ire) for 30,000gns at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Consignor Timmy Hillman of Castledillon Stud commented, “She was busy from the moment she arrived and we were very happy with the sale. We also sold a Showcasing (GB) filly for €85,000 yesterday, so it bodes well for later sales, where we're selling a few nice ones.”

Prominent owner Zhang Yuesheng was another keen to add a No Nay Never to his growing string, as Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland explained after giving €100,000 for lot 324 in his client's absence. “He was bought for Yulong Investments. Mr. Zhang is a big fan of the sire and this horse looks a real sharp 2-year-old, hopefully an Ascot type. That's the dream,” he said.

Offered by Peter Nolan Bloodstock on behalf of breeder Anna Giunta, the May-born colt is out of a half-sister to the dam of Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic), from the renowned family of Dolphin Street (Fr) (Bluebird), Saffron Walden (Fr) (Sadler's Wells) and Sequoyah (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

Donohoe didn't wait long to strike again, going to €70,000 for lot 330, also by No Nay Never and he confirmed that the filly, too, was for Yulong Investments. “She and the colt will be trained in Ireland, but Mr. Zhang will wait to decide who by. He is building up a big broodmare band in Australia and with her pedigree this filly holds residual value. She offers a nice outcross, being free of Danehill, and Mr. Zhang is racing well-bred fillies to retain, as he hopes to stand his own stallions in time.”

The Manister House Stud-consigned filly is indeed well bred, being a half-sister to St Leger hero Rule Of Law (Kingmambo) and two other black-type horses, while three of her half-sisters have produced stakes performers.

Part 2 of the September Yearling Sale takes place today, with selling starting at 10 a.m. local time.