Andy Pierce hoping Honeysuckle Mares' Maiden point winner can sparkle at Goffs Punchestown Sale

The Honeysuckle four-year-old Mares' Maiden has - as the name suggests - already produced a champion and Andy Pierce is hoping this year's winner, the promising Bellas Bridge, can not only prove to be a high-class performer but also light up Thursday's post-race Goffs Punchestown Sale. 

By Shade Oak Stud's Telescope and a half-sister to dual hurdles winner Horsted Valley, Bellas Bridge (lot 7) showed plenty of talent when landing the mares' maiden by a cosy three-quarters of a length at Dromahane this month. 

It was in that very same race at the County Cork circuit five years ago that a then-unknown Sulamani filly made her racecourse debut, flying 15 lengths clear under Mark O'Hare. Honeysuckle was sold on for €110,000 at this sale and headed into the history books as one of the most celebrated hurdlers of modern times. 

Having sold another exciting daughter of the Hardwicke Stakes winner Telescope in 11-length bumper scorer Seeyouinmydreams at last year's Tattersalls Ireland May National Hunt Sale to Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls - and for the not inconsiderable price of £235,000 - it is natural to hear Pierce's enthusiasm for his latest recruit. 

Pierce, who runs the County Wexford-based Blackhall Stables with brother Paul, said: "Bellas Bridge did it well and beat a nice filly who was well thought of. Our jockey thought she was very good as well, and in the end she was well in control. 

"She's from a lovely family, we bought her at [Tattersalls] Ascot last year and everything has been good so far."

Telescope's progeny have not been far from the headlines of late, both under rules and in the point-to-point sphere, and Pierce is a committed fan of the Galileo 13-year-old.

"We love them, they seem to have plenty of pace, they jump, and are very genuine," he says. "We're very happy with what we've seen of them so far - and a lot of the point yards over here seem to think the same."

On the Punchestown sale, which takes place after racing on Thursday, he adds: "There seems to be plenty of nice horses in it, I see Colin Bowe's mare [Qualimita] is in there, she won very impressively at the weekend. 

"A lot of winners usually come out of the sale so hopefully this year is no different."

Qualimita (14), a daughter of Muhtathir and the unraced Mount Nelson mare Fliegend, looks one of the catalogue highlights, having bolted up at Fairyhouse on her debut last Friday. 

Bowe's four-year-old, owned by master pinhooker Walter Connors, holds a quality pedigree too, as her dam is a half-sister to Colonel Mustard, who was second in last weekend's Scottish Champion Hurdle, having also been placed in Grade 1 novice hurdles at Punchestown and Leopardstown. 

Bowe and Connors famously combined with another son of Muhtathir in Envoi Allen, whose star was back in the ascendancy after winning the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month.

Fliegend, who is also related to the black type-placed Flat performer Waldblumchen, is a grand-daughter of the outstanding Wurftaube, the dam of Waldmark and Waldpark, the former herself the dam of St Leger hero and Grade 1 sire Masked Marvel, and Waldlerche, the dam of Arc winner Waldgeist. 

Dolcita, most recently fourth in the Irish Grand National and a Listed-winning chaser, is the first lot into the ring. The Willie Mullins-trained daughter of Saint Des Saints, who was also Grade 2-placed when second to stablemate Concertista in the 2020 Daylesford Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, is being offered as a breeding prospect.

The runner-up at Dromahane, referenced by Pierce, is the Garrett Murphy-trained True Testimony (18), who is also among the lots set to go through the ring. There are two wildcards in the form of Punchestown Festival participants Milo Lises (22) and Williethebuilder (23), who occupied the runner-up positions in the two bumpers on Tuesday.

Gordon Elliott topped last year's sale with Absolute Notions, who won the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown and changed ownership to Brian Acheson's Robcour two days later for €370,000. The trainer consigns another of last week's Fairyhouse winners in the Hillstar gelding Lough Owel (5).

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