The 116 -acre farm that was auctioned at Knocknagranshy, Grange Hill, Manistir, Croom, was bought by Qatar Racing for €1.06m or €10,000/ac, Irish Country Living can confirm. It is the second farm they have bought in the area over the last five years, after the purchase of almost 103 acres at Manister, Croom, in 2013.

The auction, which took place last Friday at Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Knockanes, Adare, Co Limerick, was attended by 35 people. The three strong bidders who battled it out for the holding included two beef farmers from the locality and Qatar Racing. Opening at €500,000 or €4,310/ac, the property was freely bid up to €700,000 or €6,000/ac before slowing as it approached €800,000 or €6,900/ac. Put on the market at €1.04m, one more bid squeezed it up to €1.06m, or bang on €10,000/ac, and the holding was sold to an agent representing the bloodstock giants.

Rented for the last number of years, it is located in high-quality bloodstock country. The farm was offered by Billy Gabbett of John Shaw Auctioneers.