The six-day November National Hunt Sale concluded with the one-day National Hunt mares' session which saw 51 mares sold for an average price of €15,429, a median of €6,500 and a turnover of €786,900.
The session brought a hugely successful and record-breaking 2017 November National Hunt Sale to an end. Overall, the November National Hunt Sale produced a turnover of €13,868,300, and a best-ever average of €15,996 and record median of €11,500. The figures are improvements on 2016 by 15 per cent, 12 per cent and 10 per cent.
Clearance rate for the week's trade was a healthy 73 per cent.
The Closutton Stables-consigned dual-purpose Grade 1-winning mare Airlie Beach topped the final day's trade (Lot 1357). She was bought by John Flood of Boardsmill Stud for €140,000, the underbidder being Peter Molony of Rathmore Stud.
The mare is in-foal to Mount Nelson, who stands at Boardsmill and is about to embark on his second covering season at the farm.
"Her race record speaks for itself," said Flood of the daughter of Shantou. "Even on her last run, when she won a Listed race on the Flat, she ran to a mark of 100.
"She is for a client who is putting together a band of broodmares, and, of course, we knew her due to her Mount Nelson cover - she is a good fit for him."
I'm All You Need, the Listed-placed winner, in-foal to the popular sire Walk In The Park, whose foals were in much demand this week averaging €25,160, sold for €62,000 to Marilyn Syme signing under the Ashwood Stud banner (Lot 1382).
Offered by Coolamurray Stud, the mare is from the family of Grade 2-winning, Grade 1-placed hurdler Bilboa, the Grade 2-winning, Grade 1-placed chaser Makounji, the dam of the French Listed winner Roulez Cool.
"She is lovely, gorgeous mare - we are pleased to get her," said Syme. "We love the fact that she is by King's Theatre and, of course, the cover is attractive too."
Syme enjoyed a very good week at the November National Hunt Sale, a highlight selling Lot 622, a colt foal by Fame And Glory and half-brother to Bright New Dawn, for €75,000 to Ian Ferguson.
At the conclusion of the sale, Managing Director, Roger Casey said;
"Remarkable trade and the best set of results since 2007 when it was a thirteen day sale are the clear standout highlights of the 2017 November National Hunt Sale.
We have experienced exceptional trade for the better stock on offer throughout the entire week, buoyed by the results of the record edition of this year's Derby sale. Opening with the National Hunt yearlings on Sunday which saw a 11 per cent increase in turnover, a top price of €75,000 and the best price for a yearling since 2013. Leading on to four days of foal sales, which exceeded all expectations by producing a clearance rate of 76 per cent, the best turnover for this session since 2007 of €11,688,200 and 59 foals realising €40,000 or more, 22 more than 2016. Lastly, the broodmares concluding trade today, and contributing a turnover of €786,900 to the increase experienced earlier this week. We have witnessed staggering growth this week and with the foal trade in particular, always acknowledged as a key measure of the health of the National Hunt industry, the ferocious demand for foals observed throughout the week provides a firm indication of confidence in the National Hunt market for the future.
Graduates like Gold Cup winner Sizing John continue to provide the best form of promotion possible for this sale and re-enforce the sentiment that the November National Hunt Sale remains the obvious and leading choice for National Hunt purchasers to conduct business and on the strength of this we have been supported by a significant contingent of domestic, UK and European purchasers who came to Tattersalls Ireland to buy the best National Hunt stock on offer and clearly did not leave disappointed as reflected in the clearance rate of 73 per cent across all categories. We have again enjoyed the unstinting support of our loyal vendors who have sent us their best National Hunt stock and have been duly rewarded over the past few days.
We would like to thank everybody that contributed to a successful 2017 in the sales ring at Tattersalls Ireland and we now turn our attention to 2018 with the February National Hunt Sale on Tuesday 30 January the first sale in the New Year."
Click here to view the results of the November National Hunt Sale.