Filly out of Sprinter Sacre half-sister is a rare gem

The world's largest National Hunt sale gets underway at Tattersalls Ireland today with the first session confined to older horses and yearlings, two of whom have particularly eye-catching pedigrees.

First up is the Leading Light yearling gelding out of the unraced Milan mare Millys Gesture (Lot 138) . He is consigned by Oneliner Stables, who purchased him as a foal for €19,000 prior to his half-brother Coney Island winning the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse for Eddie Harty and JP McManus. Millys Gesture is closely related to Cheltenham Festival winner Wichita Lineman and a half-sister to dual Grade 1 hurdle winner Rhinestone Cowboy.

From bloodstock agent Peter Nolan comes a rare gem, a Diamond Boy filly (197) out of a half-sister to one of the best and most popular horses of recent years in Sprinter Sacre. Already named Gardenia Borget, she is out of the winning Kadalko mare Kashima, a half-sister to the Nicky Henderson-trained superstar.

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Tomorrow is the first of four sessions dedicated to foals, with Castlefarm Stud offering a Sageburg colt (277) who is the first foal of Beneficial mare Lead Kindly Light, winner of the valuable Grade B Ballyhack Handicap Chase and from the family of champions Doyen, Moonshell and Miss Finland.

Walk In The Park's first crop of foals bred since his move to Coolmore's Irish National Hunt division at Grange Stud is well represented this week. Among his colts for sale is the first foal out of Arctic Lady (339), a Soldier Hollow sister to Grade 1-winning hurdler Arctic Fire, who was also second in the Champion Hurdle and runner-up twice in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

Tuesday and Wednesday's sessions are traditionally the strongest of the foal sessions and a look at the lineup for both days explains why, with relations to Gold Cup victors, Cheltenham heroes and Grade 1 winners abound.

From Shade Oak Stud and Bryan Mayoh, who bred Sizing John with his former wife, comes a filly (581) from the first crop of Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes winner Telescope out of the King's Theatre mare La Doelenaise, a half-sister to the Jessica Harrington-trained Gold Cup hero.

Lot 698 is closely related to a pair of recent Grade 1 winners for Willie Mullins, both in the colours of Andrea and Graham Wylie. Consigned by Burgage Stud, the home of his sire Shantou, the colt is a brother to dual Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner Briar Hill. They are out of the unraced Bob Back mare Backaway, a sister to four-time Grade 1 winner Boston Bob.

Following him into the ring is a Flemensfirth colt (699) who has a former star of the Mullins' yard on his page. Consigned by Yellowford Farm, he is the first foal of Avichi, a Yeats three-parts sister to the diminutive but brilliant dual Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly.

The first foal out of Avichi, a half-sister to Hurricane Fly, is one of the choice lots on offer at Tattersalls Ireland this weekCredit: Pat Healy

Yellowford Farm, who had a successful Friday with their Flat-bred foals, also offer a Walk In The Park half-brother (732) to the multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler Bellshill. He is out of the Be My Native mare Fairy Native from the family of the legendary One Man.

Tuesday's collection of bluebloods includes two regally bred foals from Kenilworth House Stud and Limekiln Stud. At last year's sale, Kenilworth House bred and sold the most expensive foal by Califet, a colt bought for €58,000 by Richard Rohan, and his brother (703) will be offered for sale this year.

Limekiln Stud, meanwhile, will offer a Leading Light half- sister (728) to the four-time Grade 1 winner Yorkhill. Their dam is an unraced half-sister to the top-class chaser The Listener and to Offshore Account, winner of a Grade 1 novice chase at Punchestown.

Another member of this successful family (704) is the Notnowcato colt offered by Limekiln, the first foal out of Hear The Thunder, a Presenting sister to Yorkhill.

The offspring of two talented racemares come up very quickly in the catalogue. Clarendon Farm offers a colt by Overbury Stud's leading sire Kayf Tara (753). He is the first foal out of L'Unique, a daughter of Reefscape who won the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle for Alan King.

Six lots later is a daughter of Colm Murphy's wonderful mare Voler La Vedette, whose 11 wins include the Grade 1 Hatton's Grace Hurdle. Walshtown Stable consign the filly (760) from the penultimate crop of Rathbarry Stud's fantastic sire Presenting, who died earlier this year.

A Milan half-brother to the ill-fated Fayonagh – who won both Champion Bumpers at Cheltenham and Punchestown this year – sells on Wednesday. Consigned by Galbertstown Stud, the colt (857) is out of Fair Ina, a bumper winner and half-sister
to the legendary hurdler Solerina.

Galbertstown Stud offer a half-brother to the ill-fated FayonaghCredit: Caroline Norris

The late Presenting is also sire of a colt (994) on offer out of another Grade-1 winning mare Fleur D'Ainay. Consigned by Railstown Stud on behalf of breeders Noel and Kevin Heaney, the colt her first foal. Fleur D'Ainay was victorious in the Grade 1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure Chase at Auteuil. She is a Poliglote half-sister to eight winners including Rendlesham and Cleeve Hurdle winner Crystal D'Ainay, Etoile D'Ainay, who won the Grade 3 Grand Prix du Pau Chase, and Listed-winning chaser Flower des Champs.

Derby winner Pour Moi – sire of this year's Epsom Derby hero Wings Of Eagles – covered a select bunch of National Hunt mares
before his transfer to Coolmore's National Hunt division last spring.
The sole foal catalogued by Pour Moi this week (1003) comes from Rahinston Farm and Stud and is a half-brother to three-time Grade 1-winning chaser Don Poli.

Owned jointly by Jethro Bloodstock, the breeding operation run by the Cornish comedian Jethro, and Allan Munnis, manager of Beech Tree Stud in Somerset, is Lot 1079. The Royal Anthem colt is out of Flying Iris, the only full-sister to the legendary three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate, and is offered by the Gregson family's Beech Tree Stud.

Graiguebeg Stud offers a half-brother to last season's Grade 1 Ryanair Gold Cup Chase winner Road To Respect (1165). The son of Fairly Ransom, who stands at William Walsh's Lodge Road Stud in Tipperary is out of Lora Lady, a half-sister to top-class chaser Road To Riches, who, like his near relation Road To Respect, is trained by Noel Meade for Gigginstown House Stud.

The star attraction of Friday's final session dedicated to fillies and mares is undoubtedly Grade 1 winner Airlie Beach (1357). Having won the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last December, she heads a quartet of mares consigned by the team at Willie Mullins' Closutton Stables. The daughter of Shantou is in foal to Mount Nelson and was victorious in the Listed Oyster Stakes on the Flat at Galway on her final start.

Airlie Beach, already the dam of one foal, has a date with the Tattersalls Ireland auctioneers this weekCredit: Caroline Norris

Closutton Stables also offers an unraced half-sister (1360) to Airlie Beach, named Daydream Beach. The five-year-old daughter of Mahler is in foal to Airlie Beach's sire Shantou.

Preceding Daydream Beach into the ring is a mare with the unusual TUN suffix (1359). Also consigned by the Mullins team, the four-year-old Kalimama was born in Tunisia but both her and her dam Star Face were repatriated following the success of her half-brother Douvan. Kalimama is in foal to Walk In The Park, sire of her outstanding half-brother.

Cleaboy Stud and Coppice Farm offer a six-year-old Scorpion half-sister (1376) to The New One, a 15-time winner over hurdles for Nigel Twiston Davies whose victories include the Neptune Novices' Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle. Out of the Listed-placed Turgeon mare Thuringe, Nouvelle Ami is the dam of a colt foal by Presenting and carrying to Shantou.

From Ridge Manor Stud comes a four-year-old Presenting mare (1378) named Ocean Breeze, an unraced sister to Yorkhill, winner of two top-flight races at the last two Cheltenham Festivals. Ocean Breeze was covered last April by Grade 1 sire Martaline. who stands at Haras du Montaigue for €15,000.

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