Cheltenham Festival winner Belfast Banter to be offered at ThoroughBid sale

Cheltenham Festival winner and subsequent Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle victor Belfast Banter will be offered for sale at ThoroughBid's online sale next Tuesday.

The six-year-old son of Jeremy won the County Hurdle for trainer Peter Fahey before following up at Aintree last season. A three-time winner over hurdles and a winner of a bumper, Belfast Banter holds an entry for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle later this month.

The bidding for the Seamus Cooney-bred gelding will begin at 5pm on November 23 and end at 7pm. Belfast Banter is the sole lot of the sale.

This is far from the first time Belfast Banter has been offered, having been presented but not sold at the Tattersalls Ireland November and February Mixed Sales in 2015 and 2016. He sold for €10,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale in 2016 before going for €28,000 at the 2018 Goffs Land Rover Sale.

Belfast Banter also sold from Kingsfield Stud to Direct Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale in 2019 for £30,000.

Belfast Banter (right): Grade 1 novice hurdle winner at AintreeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Fahey said: “Belfast Banter has been an absolute star. Any horse that lands you a Grade 1 and a Cheltenham Festival win is very special, and he still looks to have his best days ahead of him.

“Being only a six-year-old, he still has plenty of scope and it’ll be exciting for whoever secures him at the sale, particularly with an entry in the Fighting Fifth. Horses of his calibre don’t come around too often, so I’ll be hoping to continue training him for his new owners.”

Will Kinsey, co-founder of ThoroughBid, added: “We’re delighted to be entrusted with such a high-profile horse, and to reflect the flexibility of ThoroughBid we have decided to offer Belfast Banter in a standalone sale.

“With an already glittering CV and a big season ahead, we can’t wait for the bidding to begin at 5pm on Tuesday, November 23.”

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