'He’s the best horse in the sale’ – talking horse Old Tom Morris tops Cheltenham January Sale at £150,000

A drama-filled day at Prestbury Park concluded with a short, sharp session of selling at the Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale, where the market was led by the £150,000 Old Tom Morris. 

The promising youngster went into plenty of notebooks when he made an impressive debut between the flags at Turtulla. Ridden and trained by Rob James, the rider took his time aboard the scopey son of Getaway, who could be spotted travelling with notable ease from some way out.

By two out Old Tom Morris was upsides the leader going best before another fluent leap at the last put the race to bed. He came home a comfortable two and a half lengths clear. 

There may have been plenty of chat about Old Tom Morris before he came under the hammer but there wasn’t quite so much after he was knocked down to Hamish Macauley at £150,000. The agent was unable to reveal the identity of his client or future training plans, simply saying: “He’s the best horse in the sale, a really good-looking type.” 

That effort at Turtulla was not the first time Old Tom Morris had caught the eye as he fetched €75,000 from James and Ger O'Connor at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale. That was his second appearance on the public market after Springhill Stud gave €31,000 for the youngster at the November National Hunt Sale back in 2019. 

The five-year-old was bred by Daniel Corry out of Caheronaun, a daughter of Milan who won over hurdles and fences and boasts black type after reaching the frame in smart company in both disciplines. This means Old Tom Morris is bred on the same Getaway-Milan cross as significant talents like Killer Clown and Talkischeap. 

Malone snaps up Admiral Stewart

The twice-raced Admiral Stewart is heading to Jamie Snowden after being knocked down to agent Tom Malone at £130,000. Colin Bowe’s five-year-old son of Soldier Of Fortune was fourth on debut at Ballindenisk but took a big step forward to open his account at Tinahely by six lengths on January 7. 

The handsome bay boasts something of a mixed pedigree as he is a half-brother to the useful three-miler The Crafty Butcher, while the dam is a sibling to the Prix Morny winner Tagula, sire of Flat celebrities such as Canford Cliffs and Limato. 

Tom Malone looks happy to be back buying at Tatteralls CheltenhamCredit: Debbie Burt

Conditions were so bad when Admiral Stewart broke his maiden that Malone admitted the recommendation from Bowe, who gave €78,000 for the horse as a store, had counted for plenty. 

“I really liked him, although I had to take a lot on trust from Colin Bowe because you could only see about 40 yards of his replay because of the mist!” he said. “Colin said you can stand by the performance though and I had a big winner by Soldier Of Fortune today in Kerryhill [Grade 2 River Don Novices' Hurdle], so I don’t mind the stallion. He hasn’t let me down so far. The horse is beautiful too, he was nearly an eighty grand store and they haven’t done too much to get him to win, and now we get to find out how good he really is.” 

The Snowden team endured something of a mixed 24 hours as the Grand Military Gold Cup success of Farceur Du Large and Ga Law’s victory in the day’s feature handicap was contrasted by the fatal fall of Datsalrightgino. 

Malone reflected: “We’ve had an up and down day with Ga Law winning and then Datsalrightgino unfortunately passing away. Winning the Grand Military Gold Cup was a great training performance by Jamie though because that horse hasn’t been easy since we bought him.” 

Mullins on the mark again

Emmet Mullins also enjoyed a winner at Prestbury Park on Saturday as he saddled Noble Yeats to land the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle. The trainer capped his trip by outbidding Sally Randell to secure the strapping Melbourne Shamrock at £125,000. 

The five-year-old son of Hillstar pulled up on debut for Matthew Flynn O'Connor back in November but showed his true colours at his trainer’s home course of Ballycrystal when putting in a performance that was equal parts class and courage. He made virtually all to break his maiden by a length in a race that was run in the teeth of Storm Isha. 

Emmet Mullins signs for Melbourne Shamrock at the Tattersalls Cheltenham January SaleCredit: Debbie Burt

“He was very tough in his race,” said Mullins. “He bounced out and made all, one or two horses took him on along the way but he batted them away. Mags [Mullins] actually had a nice horse in there [Colonel Nelson] who was second. He came to win his race and the two of them quickened up like two smart horses. Hopefully he can go on to bigger and better things. There’s no immediate plan with him yet but he’s been bought for an owner within the yard.” 

Reflecting on his afternoon’s work, the Grand National-winning trainer added: “It’s always exciting coming to Cheltenham, especially when the sale’s on. It’s been competitive trying to buy the nicer quality horses but hopefully it’ll lead to some more good days on the track.”

Flynn O’Connor provided some insight into the imposing gelding: “I gave him one run last year but he was a green auld fella, a big baby. We ran him at our own place last weekend and he did it really well. He’s tough and hardy. They got racing plenty early and he kept up the gallop and did it in a fast time. The race was run in scary conditions alright! It was rough but he got it done. He’s gone to a good home anyway so hopefully he’s got a future.” 

Melbourne Shamrock was bought by Emmet Mullins for £125,000 from Matty Flynn O'Connor at Tattersalls Cheltenham January SaleCredit: Debbie Burt

Melbourne Shamrock’s looks and performance are backed up by a deep National Hunt pedigree. He was bred by Sean Murphy from the Saddlers’ Hall mare Lucy Murphy. The dam has bred two winners under rules, most notably the smart Barnaviddaun whose successes include victory in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle. 

Lucy Murphy is a sibling to the dam of Grade 2 Leamington Novices' Hurdle scorer Mossy Fen, while the likes of Sound Man, Pairofbrowneyes, Master Of The Hall and dual Cheltenham Festival hero Samcro appear beneath Melbourne Shamrock’s third dam. 

Melbourne Shamrock was making his third appearance at the sales having first fetched €17,000 from Timmy Hillman as a foal before Flynn O'Connor went to €70,000 at the Derby Sale three years later. 

He is from the third crop of Hillstar, who retired to Garryrichard House Stud after winning the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International during his time with Sir Michael Stoute. The son of Danehill Dancer is from Sir Evelyn De Rothschild’s signature ‘Crystal’ family and is a half-brother to the champion Crystal Ocean, who has proved a huge hit with jumps breeders since he retired to The Beeches Stud in 2020. 

Deveroux’s delight

Kim Bailey was quick off the mark to secure the very first lot into the ring when bidding £120,000 for Raymond Deveroux’s Seatoit.

The owner declared himself “over the moon” with the price after giving just €24,000 for the youngster at the Goffs Land Rover Sale back in 2022. Seatoit then went into training with Emmet McNamara, who saddled the son of Affinisea in two bumper outings. The latter of those saw Seatoit finish a staying-on second behind the highly regarded Kish Bank at Punchestown.

Tom Malone and Jamie Snowden combined to buy Admiral Stewart for £130,000 from Colin BoweCredit: Debbie Burt

Deveroux explained a familiarity with Affinisea helped inform his initial purchase, saying: “I bought him because I love the sire, Affinisea. I used to work on the Curragh for Dermot Weld, and John Oxx was on the Curragh at that time. He was a great trainer, as we all know, and he had Affinisea. He won his maiden but was retired after he got hurt on his next start before he went to Ronnie O'Neill’s [Whytemount Stud]. 

“We always felt this was a horse with a load of ability, and he’s a fast horse too. He could’ve gone point-to-pointing but we always felt he’d be a right horse over two miles and he proved that at Punchestown when we took on Gordon. He’s one of the best trainers in Ireland and we’re all afraid to take him on because we know we won’t win. We don’t mind being second to him though!” 

When asked about the price, Deveroux smiled and said: “Over the moon, although I’d have taken another hundred!”

Sale statistics

The inclement weather experienced recently had impacted plenty of trainers’ running plans and consequently the January Sale catalogue was almost half the size of last year’s edition. In 2023 the sale was topped by Wingmen, a £250,000 purchase by Gordon Elliott on behalf of Bective Stud. The trainer, whose yard was rocked this week by the news that Andy and Gemma Brown are selling their entire Caldwell Construction string, was among the absentees this time around. 

In all 22 lots came under the hammer on Saturday evening and 16 of those found a buyer for a clearance rate of 73 per cent. Turnover was down by 64 per cent as £876,000 changed hands. The average price was down by 32 per cent at £54,750, while the median dropped by 54 per cent to £31,000, having been £67,500 12 months ago.

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