A fabulous two days of trade at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale 2016 produced a record-breaking sale and the best overall set of combined returns in Derby Sale history.
The average of €47,535 is a record for the Derby Sale and an increase of 11% on the Derby Sale 2015. At times through the day, the average was exceeding €50,000, a truly remarkable achievement.
The median of €36,000 matches 2015’s and is a joint-record figure, while the aggregate of €14,260,500 is an increase of 14% on 2015. It is the third-best aggregate ever achieved in the Derby Sale’s history.
There was also a record number of six-figure lots at 32, beating the previous best of 30, which was registered in 2007 when 151 more lots were catalogued.
Commenting on the emphatic trade at this year’s Derby Sale, Managing Director Roger Casey said: “The highest average and median ever recorded at the sale at €47,535 and €36,000 respectively, a record number of 32 lots sold for over €100,000 and 110 lots realised €50,000 or more. The top 5 store prices anywhere in 2016; the dazzling set of sales statistics from this week’s edition of the sale certainly speak for themselves and emphatically accentuate the accepted position of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale as a National Hunt institution and the undisputed venue of choice for those selling select stores.
“The voracious demand for horses from the start of the sale on Wednesday morning right through to Thursday evening has been remarkable and we must sincerely thank both our ever loyal vendors who continue to send their best stock to the Derby Sale on an annual basis and the industrious broad bench of purchasers from right across Ireland and the UK, with UK purchasers again accounting for more than a third of the overall turnover. I would like to thank the ITM team and our diligent marketing and bloodstock teams for their combined efforts in promoting the sale to purchasers far and wide in recent months with the €100,000 George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper also continuing to be a very attractive incentive.
We look forward now with enthusiasm to Part II of the Derby Sale which commences today at 10.30am.”
The top lot of the day two was bought by one of the sale’s busiest buyers, and one of its youngest, the rookie trainer Joseph O’Brien, who went to €185,000 to purchase a son of Presenting from Rathbarry Stud (Lot 312). It was the second time through the ring for the three-year-old as the County Cork-based farm had pin-hooked the bay gelding here as a foal in 2013 for €31,000.
Paul Cashman of Rathbarry Stud said: “The horse just really grew into himself, he became a real man of a horse, a fine horse. Damian Murphy had him for the first couple of years and I had him a little time before his sales prep.
“He has a great back pedigree and is by a great, dependable sire in Presenting – we are lucky to have him at home.”
Lakefield Farm, who sold the day one and overall top lot, the son of Saddler Maker for €255,000, struck again, this time with a son of Robin Des Champs (Lot 275). The Irish-bred gelding was bought by this year’s Gold Cup-winning trainer Gordon Elliot for €175,000.
The three-year-old is out of Tambourine Davis, a half-sister to the brilliant five-time Grade 1 Chase winner Klairon Davis, who herself is dam of Violin Davis, a Grade 2 winner.
Trainer Jessica Harrington, buying on behalf of owner Alan Potts, spent €115,000 on a Beneficial daughter of Spirit Leader, who was trained by Harrington to win five races, including three big handicaps – the Tote Gold Trophy, the William Hill Handicap Hurdle and the Vincent O’Brien Handicap Hurdle – all within the space of four months.
“She is just like Spirit Leader, only brown!" smiled Harrington of her purchase who became the eighth top-priced filly ever to sell at the Derby Sale. She is also Beneficial's fourth highest-priced lot to sell at the Derby Sale, just sneaking ahead of this year's Lot 253, who fetched €100,000.
"She is lovely and her dam was brilliant – she is for Alan Potts,” added Harrington.
Not only was Spirit Leader a top racemare, she has become a brilliant producer too – she has had three winners from three runners, including Prince of Scars, winner of last season's Leopardstown's Grade 1cChristmas Hurdle and Folsom Blue, winner of a Grade 3 Chase. Gordon Elliot, trainer of Prince Of Scars, was underbidder.
Leading consignor by aggregate was Ballincurrig House Stud, as it has been every year since 2011, breaking the €1million barrier. Peter Nolan Bloodstock, Lakefield Farm and Goldford Stud also achieved in excess of €500,000 in sales.
Monbeg Stables was the sale’s busiest purchaser picking up 21 lots for €638,000, while Aiden Murphy spent over €1,000,000 on 11 lots, the biggest purchaser by aggregate, ahead of Joseph O’Brien who bought 10 horses for an outlay of €935,000.
Click here to view the Derby Sale results