HORSES

Yeats colt makes six figures at Tattersalls

SALE

Ryan McElligott

Across-the-board gains in all key areas helped this year's Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale end with its best set of results since 2007. The majority of the catalogue was given over to foals and this section witnessed strong trade as pin-hookers and those buying to race looked to secure the best foals on the open market.

For the first time in three years, the foal sale was headed by a six-figure lot - a €100,000 colt from the first crop of the great stayer Yeats.

Away from the head of the market, demand held up well. At its conclusion, the sale produced a turnover of over €7.5 million, which was an improvement of 13% on last year's figure. The median of €7,500 was up by 25%, while the €11,448 average represented an 8% improvement on 2010. In addition, the clearance rate progressed from 52 to 62%.

The mares sale, which was covered on these pages last week, did produce the overall sale-topper in J'y Vole, who made €120,000, although demand in this sector remains very subdued.

Meanwhile, the yearling sale held up quite well as Highflyer Bloodstock's David Minton bought a number of sought-after lots for leading British owners Trevor Hemmings and Dai Walters.

''Prior to this week, there was a genuinely positive vibe from clients on the strength in depth of the catalogue and certainly the trade witnessed this week has vindicated that feeling,'' reflected Tattersalls Ireland general manager Roger Casey.

TOP COLT

Twelve months ago, the top-priced foal at this sale made €65,000 but this figure was bettered on a number of occasions and holding sway in this section was the €100,000 colt from the first crop of Yeats. The John O'Dwyer-owned grandson of Sadler's Wells was bought by Englishman Ben Case who was acting for Lady Jane Grosvenor. Case indicated that the three-parts brother to the high-class novice hurdler Rock On Ruby would be offered for resale as a three-year-old.

Case, who has been a major force at this sale for the last number of years, made several other high-profile purchases. He also spent €85,000 on a King's Theatre colt from Sunnyhill Stud whose family includes the Champion Hurdle third Afsoun and, on the final day of the auction, he gave €75,000 for an Aaron Metcalfe-owned Presenting own-brother to the dual Cheltenham winner Weapon's Amnesty. These were also bought for Lady Jane Grosvenor and will be offered for resale.

Yeats was also responsible for a €60,000 colt who came to English-based agent Aiden Murphy and he indicated that his purchase would also be back for resale. The Kenilworth House Stud offering is out of the crack hurdler and Champion Hurdle third Bilboa, who was represented by a Flemensfirth foal here in 2008, whom Murphy bought for €95,000.

Unquestionably the busiest purchaser of the week was John O'Byrne, who secured a host of the very best foals. His most expensive purchase was a €55,000 son of Presenting whose dam is a daughter of the very smart jumper Force Seven. O'Byrne also paid €44,000 for another son of the leading stallion who is an own-brother to the Cheltenham Festival winner Bobs Worth. In addition, he secured an especially well-related son of Milan for €42,000, a Shantou own-brother to the promising Dylan Ross for €37,000 and good sons of Scorpion for €38,000 and €36,000.

Presenting's offspring were predictably popular throughout the sale and agent Kevin Ross spent €52,000 on a son of the Mtoto horse out of a dual listed-winning jumper. Ross indicated that his purchase would be back for resale.

Richard Rohan secured a couple of excellent foals. He was acting for Ballincurrig House Stud client Nigel Collison when giving €50,000 for son of the late King's Theatre related to the Grade 1 scorer Breedsbreeze. Rohan also spent €45,000 on a Presenting colt related to hurdler/chaser Tullymurry Toff.

Elsewhere, Paul Cashman spent €36,000 on a Presenting own-brother to the Leopardstown Chase winner Anothercoppercoast, while owner/trainer John Nallen went to €33,000 for a Flemensfirth own-brother to the World Hurdle runner-up Time For Rupert.

TOP FILLY

The top-priced filly foal of the week was a King's Theatre filly from Candlefort Stud who made €31,000. She was bought by Kevin Heaney and is a three-parts sister to the Powers Gold Cup winner One Cool Cookie and his John Durkan Memorial Chase-winning sibling In Compliance.

The yearling section was headed by a €60,000 King's Theatre own-brother to the smart hurdler and Ebor Handicap heroine Sesenta. The Michael Carroll-owned filly was bought by David Minton on behalf of Dai Walters, who owns the top-class English hurdler Oscar Whisky. Minton was also acting for Walters when giving €37,000 for a Robin Des Champs gelding from Peter Molony's Rathmore Stud.

Tommy Wade secured a Presenting relation to Denman for €47,000 and John O'Byrne made his presence felt when paying €40,000 for a King's Theatre relation to Watson Lake.

English owner Julie Green spent €42,000 on a High Chaparral yearling whose siblings include the smart On Raglan Road, while Minton was acting for Trevor Hemmings when giving €36,000 for a son of Motivator from Rathmore.