By Brian Sheerin
RATOATH, Ireland–When Laura Joy netted what she described at the time as a “life-changing” result here last year when her 2,000gns Tasleet (GB) colt rocked into €42,000, it proved captivating to read of the young pinhooker's profit.
It was a similar story at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale when the Shinnick brothers–Andy and Johnny-netted a €170,000 payday with their Make Believe (GB) filly who was now famously said to have 'looked quick going past thistles' at home.
Tattersalls Ireland has punched well above its weight in delivering the good news stories in recent years and, judging by the car parks here since Saturday, the next one could be bubbling beneath the surface.
Edmond Ryan has been in this game longer than Joy and the Shinnick brothers combined but sometimes you can't beat the old dog for the hard road and it was his Sioux Nation colt–now known as Native American (Ire)–who plundered the €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale at the Curragh.
A €12,000 foal purchase, Native American left the Weir View Stud operator in dreamland when selling to Robin O'Ryan and Richard Fahey for €75,000. It is a result the veteran operator hopes to build upon this week and, with a strong cohort of international buyers as well as the regular domestic clients in attendance, that is not a long shot.
Edmond Ryan | Tattersalls
“It was the sort of result we all dream of in this game,” Ryan says, thinking back to selling Native American here almost 12 months to the day.
“From the day you buy them, you just hope you have found a good one. I just loved him as a foal and he stood out here last year as a yearling.
“I'm more associated with the National Hunt but I have had a lot of luck on the Flat as well and sold Urban Beat (Ire) (Red Jazz) to Johnny Murtagh a few years ago and that was another good pinhook. I'm no pedigree guru but I am very strict on conformation and it has served us well.”
He added on the buzz about the sale ground, “The footfall has been magnificent. I can't get over how many people are here. This is a very important sale and it's very important that the middle market is good. We've a good feeling ahead of this week and I'd like to think that one of mine can do it again!”
Contributing to that buzz is a stellar cast of trainers from Britain and Ireland, including Johnny Murtagh, Gavin Cromwell, Fozzy Stack and Karl Burke, who were all busy sifting through the yearlings on show. Not to mention the big agents and breeze-up men and women who jetted back from Keeneland specifically to attend this sale.
There were some unfamiliar faces, too. From Britain, Charlie and Fran Poste were in attendance, having made their first trip to this sale. As was Ed Bethell. Fellow first-time visitors include Niels Petersen from Sweden, Dubai-based Ahmad Abdulla Ali Bin Ghalita Almheiri, Polish and German buyer Marian Ziburske, the Spanish Alvaro Soto, Kriz Leram from Czech Republic and the Swiss pair of Beat Bohli and Kai Fuchs. When Tattersalls say that there is something for everyone at this sale, they really mean it, you know.
Paddy Turley hasn't been coming to Tattersalls Ireland that long but long enough to have made an impact. And a big one at that. It was the young Northern Irishman's Kingsfield Stud, based slap bang in the centre of Downpatrick racecourse, that sold Graceful Thunder (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) for €68,000 here 12 months ago.
Turley paid just €14,000 for Graceful Thunder as a foal and she has earned her right to be one of the poster girls for this sale in winning three times for George Boughey and the Amo Racing team, including at Listed level in France.
“Graceful Thunder was the first ever foal I bought,” says Turley. “It's only a new venture for me. I better give Alan Hannigan the credit because, in fairness to him, we were talking at a schooling day up north the day before the foal sales and I asked him to give me one sire to keep on side. He told me that Havana Grey was the one and, when I saw her, I liked her and I made sure to get her bought.”
He added, “She was good and busy here last year and Hamish Macualey bought her to go breezing with John Bourke [Hyde Park Stud]. She made a good few quid for us and then John got £90,000 at the breeze-ups so everyone was happy. She's a listed winner and was placed in a Group 3 so it's nice when it works out like that. I've an Ardad (Ire) filly who is very similar here this week. She goes well. We've a Shaman (Ire) colt as well and we're happy enough with how they are going down.”
Paddy Turley | Tattersalls
Turley's good fortune at Tattersalls Ireland does not end there. It was just a few months back when he got €80,000 at the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale for his homebred filly Kairyu (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}) who is now bound for Group 1 targets with her trainer and purchaser Michael O'Callaghan.
“Dad [Patrick] bred Kairyu and we breezed her here. She has turned out to be very lucky for Michael O'Callaghan and goes to the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes next week. From the first day we broke her in, she went well, so hopefully she can show what she can do at Newmarket. Dad still has the mare and she's in foal to Supremacy (Ire) so please God.”
He added, “You get well paid for a nice horse here, no matter what it's by. You can't put a saddle on a page. But Tattersalls has been very lucky for me, National Hunt and Flat. We've had great luck selling and buying out of here.”
The beauty about Turley, Joy, Ryan and the Shinnick brothers is that they are far from a minority here at Tattersalls Ireland. There is nothing dull about this place, especially when there is a raft of talented operators chasing the same bounty.
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