Irish Yearling Season Begins In Newmarket

The symbiotic relationship between the Irish and British racing and bloodstock industries has never been so evident as it is on Monday as the Irish yearling sale season gets underway at Park Paddocks in Newmarket with the relocated Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

As has been the case so far this year with other bloodstock sales and indeed other global industries, expectations have been tempered as travel restrictions and economic woes have understandably had and will continue to have a detrimental effect on the selling of future racehorses. Participants, however, will wholeheartedly agree any trade is better than no trade and in the midst of challenges the bloodstock industry has held up remarkably well.

The team at Tattersalls Ireland have little reason to believe such resilience will desert them over the next few days as they facilitate the selling of a strong book of yearlings, many whose causes have been aided by the exploits of some high-achieving siblings and graduates of this sale, with recent G1 Matron S. winner Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) heading that roll of honour. Simon Kerins, Tattersalls Ireland's Marketing Director, while mindful of world events, is nevertheless positive in his outlook.

“It's all systems go and we are very fortunate to be able to relocate the sale to Newmarket,” Kerins said. “The UK is our biggest market for this sale and while it's disappointing to have to move from Ireland we really had no choice and vendors understand this and have been very flexible and supportive. Park Paddocks is obviously a fantastic facility and having made the decision quite early to relocate we've had time to re-do the stabling plan and have everything sorted,” he added.

Kerins continued, “Promoting the sale has had its challenges this year but thankfully a lot of previous graduates have done the talking for us on the track and we're delighted that there are so many siblings to these high achievers catalogued this week. Speaking to trainers, the majority are committed to buying, some perhaps on a lesser scale but the catalogue is condensed this year so we are optimistic that trade will be at a very respectable level. We are hoping also the change in venue will see us welcoming back some UK buyers who haven't been to our Fairyhouse complex in a while.

“We are very aware of the challenges people face currently but horse sales have stood the test of time and given the way the industry has coped so far this year, coupled with the strength of the catalogue, gives us all encouragement that we will have a solid, successful sale.”

Last year's edition of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale has already unearthed the Group 2-winning pair of juvenile fillies Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Potential buyers can look forward to the chance of buying a half-sibling to each of these fillies this week though no doubt such investors will have to prepare for a larger outlay than the €22,000 and €67,000, respectively, it cost to acquire their illustrious relatives last year. Dandalla's breeder Robert Norton will offer a Divine Prophet (Aus) half-sister (lot 83) to the G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner through Newtownbarry House Stud, while early in the session Collegelands Stud offers a half-brother to G2 Airlie Stud S. winner Aloha Star by Mastercraftsman (Ire) as lot 4. Both yearlings are out of young mares who have produced a high-class horse early in their breeding career, giving the pedigrees scope for even further improvement in the coming years.

As mentioned above, Johnny Murtagh purchased G1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron S. winner Champers Elysees (Ire) in this sale two years ago for €28,000 and her dam Le Cuvee (GB) (Mark Of Esteem  {Ire}) is represented this time around by lot 222, a colt by red-hot sire Mehmas (Ire). Offered by Beechvale Stud the colt was pinhooked as a foal at Goffs for €19,000 and is likely to show a good profit for connections.

A major pedigree update is something that fuels the dreams of pinhookers and another yearling whose value has increased significantly since being purchased last year is lot 309 from Coole House Farm. The Tamayuz (GB) filly was bought by BBA Ireland for 11,000gns at Tattersalls last year but last month her year-older brother Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) delivered the mother of all updates when winning the G2 Gimcrack S. at York in impressive fashion. While the breeders of Minzaal and this filly, Ringfort Stud, are missing out on selling the Tamayuz filly, can take solace from the addition of another high-class black type winner to the pedigree of their lot 230. This filly by first-crop sire Galileo Gold (GB) is a half-sister to this month's G2 Flying Childers S. winner Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) among three other stakes winners so lacks nothing in terms of pedigree.

York's Ebor meeting also provided a major boost to the prospects of lot 165 from Boherguy Stud. The Jim Bolger-bred Teofilo (Ire) colt already has plenty going for him being a full-brother to G3 Eyrefield S. winner Guaranteed but his 2-year-old full-sibling Gear Up (Ire) added a further touch of class to the page when he won the G3 Acomb S. at York for trainer Mark Johnston.

The updates kept coming for Clare Manning's Boherguy Stud when her grandfather Jim Bolger's New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) landed the G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. at The Curragh at odds of 66-1. Manning has the colt's full-brother catalogued on Tuesday as lot 260.

Fillies by Kingman (GB) could well become collectors' items in years to come and there are two opportunities in the sale to acquire one. Lot 98 from The Castlebridge Consignment has a pure Juddmonte pedigree hailing from the famous family of Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) and her dam Continental Drift (Smart Strike)'s only runner from two horses of racing age is the promising Ger Lyons-trained Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a debut winner at Leopardstown and group placed subsequently. The other Kingman filly is from Luke Barry's Manister House Stud and lot 248 is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Justineo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the fast family of Galeota (Ire) (Mujadil).

Yearlings from first-crop stallions can often provide value, especially if the stallion boasts solid credentials. Churchill (Ire) and Caravaggio certainly fall into that category as multiple Group 1 winners with top-class pedigrees to back up their race records. Champion European 2-year-old and dual Guineas winner Churchill has a pair of colts in the sale including lot 57 from The Castlebridge Consignment. This chestnut is out of the stakes performer Blue Angel (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and is a half-brother to Listed Dee S. winner Viren's Army (Ire) (Twirling Candy) who topped this sale in 2014 when selling to Peter and Ross Doyle for €115,000.

Joe Hernon's Castletown Stud offers lot 65, one of three yearlings by G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Caravaggio in the sale. The grey grandson of Scat Daddy is out of the Sadler's Wells mare Bright Birdie (Ire) who has already produced the multiple stakes winner Flying Fairies (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Nicky Teehan of Bluegate Stud could be in for another good payday courtesy of his former mare Bulrushes (GB). The mare, who Teehan sold privately last year to Al Wasmiyah Farm, has bred three stakes winners, the most recent being Ten Year Ticket (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) who carried Teehan's colours to victory in a listed race at Leopardstown in June before being sold to race in Hong Kong. The mare's latest offering, lot 72, is a colt by Red Jazz, making him a full-brother to Snazzy Jazzy (Ire), who along with a French Group 3 win also won the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Sales Race in 2017.

Selling gets underway at 11 a.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. on Tuesday with Part II of the sale commencing directly after the main sale finishes on Tuesday. As has been the case for many years all lots catalogued are eligible for the aforementioned €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale S. to be run at The Curragh in 12 months' time.