First Polish-Reared Yearling To Sell At Tattersalls Ireland Adds International Feel

You cannot guarantee much when it comes to the yearling sales. But one thing is for sure, lot 206 will be the only horse offered at Part 1 of the Tattersalls September Yearling Sale that was raised on Polish grass. 

Bartek Radzikowski admits that consigning the first Polish-reared yearlings at Tattersalls Ireland this week under the banner of Baroda Stud will help him fulfil a lifelong ambition and said that he hopes a good result in the ring could provide a springboard for his unorthodox pinhooking programme to grow.

The 30-year-old explained, “This was always a dream of mine to do this. I have worked for a really long time in Ireland and always wanted to have my own farm. We have land in Poland and I was lucky a few years ago with a mare I bought for five grand. We sold her for 25 grand and then I built a little barn back home in Poland with the money I got from that. The plan was to buy two foals to bring back home to Poland and I was so thrilled to get them. This is the first [lot 206], a Lucky Vega (Ire) colt who cost €30,000, and the other is an Inns Of Court (Ire) colt who cost €10,000 as a foal and sells at Part 2.”

He added, “I own 60 per cent of both horses and friends of mine own the rest. I always felt that, if I wanted to start pinhooking, I'd have to start with a younger sire as they would be easier to buy and also easier to sell. I saw every single colt foal at the sales last year. I followed in a lot of foals that I couldn't afford. But every time I saw this Lucky Vega colt, he gave me the same show. That's why I bought him. He is a rock solid colt and has been that way since day one.”

The Eastern European flavour to Tattersalls Ireland, be it at the yearling or breeze-up sales, is something that has been celebrated in recent years. The Polish market is certainly one that is growing but it's the horses that have been for export that usually grab the headlines. That's what makes Radzikowski's role at this week's sale so interesting.

He said, “There are massive nerves. It's really hard to buy a nice foal and I can remember I tried so hard but I just couldn't seem to get one over the line. The Lucky Vega colt was the second-last lot into the ring at Goffs and I can remember hiding under the stairs so nobody could see me. I was bidding very fast so that some of the buyers would think that maybe the bidder was a big man with a big budget and maybe not to take me on. Little did they know that I was not a big man and I had a limit. I was very lucky to get him and, like I said, it has been my dream to do this.”

Radzikowski added, “I worked for Guy O'Callaghan at Grangemore Stud for four years and learned a lot over there. I also worked for Yeomanstown Stud with the stallions as well. I started coming to Ireland when I was 12. My father, who is known as Billy, has worked for Rathasker Stud for most of his life and I used to come and visit him in Ireland before eventually moving here myself. I couldn't dream of doing anything else with my life other than working with horses. I just love it. Prepping horses is one of the best aspects of the business for me and I have really enjoyed seeing these horses grow and develop back home in Poland.”

While the cost effective thing might have been for Radzikowski to get his colts prepped for the sales in Ireland, that would defeat the purpose of this venture. Yes, there is a bottom line to pinhooking foals, but in this case, it's a love of the animal and the process involved in readying horses for the sales that proved more of an allure to the Polish native who spends half his time in Ireland and the rest in his native land. 

He explained, “These horses look good. We have very different weather in Poland compared to Ireland. We have very warm summers but also very cold winters. Where I am based in Poland, we have a lot of forests and these horses go walking for 45 minutes through the woods every evening. Okay, I could have gotten these horses prepped by somebody else in Ireland and it would have saved me some money but then I would not have been able to see them every day. I don't do this for money. Yes, money is important, but I just love horses and I hope to be able to do this every year and for a long time. Not just once.”

Indeed, Radzikowski is not the only native of Eastern Europe who has commanded attention on the sales ground as Lithuanian native Ausra Bargary who, along with her husband Colin, bought the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes winner Spirit D'Or (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the Irish National Stud last year. 

Colin and Ausra Bargary bought the valuable sales race winner Spirit D'Or here last year | Brian Sheerin

Under the banner of Drummona House Stud, the talented breeze-up handlers paid €55,000 for the first foal out of Dubawi (Ire) mare Across The Sea (GB), before turning a healthy profit when the filly rocked into €145,000 at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. She is now two from four for trainer Gavin Hernon including that €135,500 prize for winning the sales race. 

“I had a baby only a few weeks before this sale last year,” Bargary recalled. “That's why I came for only one day last year. Spirit D'Or was one of the first fillies that I saw and, when I saw her, I said to Colin that we needed to buy her. No matter what she was making, I wanted to get her. There was so much class about her and she just looked a good one. She has a lovely page, being the first foal out of a Dubawi mare, and there was an Invincible Spirit under the second dam who was a good filly as well.”

She added, “When we bought her, we entered her in the sales race and said that, if she didn't make good money at the breeze-up sales, we could always race her ourselves. Thankfully she made money at the sales and then went on to prove how good she is on the track. I am just so thrilled for the Irish National Stud and it's a nice pedigree update for them to have as well. Her brother [417] is in the sale this week and he is lovely as well.”

It shouldn't go unnoticed the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes at Tattersalls Ireland to make this sale ground the international hub that it is. Not a week has gone by this year where the sales company's social media hasn't been updated by a representative at a big meeting abroad and the fruits of that labour are reaping just rewards. 

Tattersalls Ireland chief Simon Kerins commented, “I think the quality is certainly on a par if not better than last year, which was a brilliant sale. We have a huge number of people who deserve credit in attracting the buyers here. Niamh Flynn does a huge amount of work on the ground while Mary Lanigan, John McDonell and all of our marketing team and agents do some incredible work behind the scenes.”

He added, “The international buyers have always enjoyed coming here and they feel that they get value. As soon as the hammer drops on this year's sale, we'll be trying to get them all back-England, Ireland and broader Europe-for next year. The vibes are good and there are a lot of people here so it's fingers crossed for a good sale.”