More Ballincurrig bounty up for grabs as Goffs Land Rover Sale kicks into gear

Grade 1-winning graduates are nothing new at Ballincurrig House Stud; think the likes of Sizing John, Somersby, Hi Cloy and Captain Chris. However, some notable additions were made to the farm's already lengthy roll of honour during the latest round of major National Hunt festivals.

Michael Moore's Cork-based operation consigned one of the season's genuine stars in Paisley Park, who claimed the second Grade 1 of his career at the Cheltenham Festival with a demolition job in the Sun Racing Stayers' Hurdle after he'd been pinhooked as a foal by Moore's brother-in-law Richard Rohan for €12,500.

Arguably even better was to come at Aintree, where Kalashnikov – selected by Moore for owner Paul Murphy, father of rising star trainer Amy – fulfilled his early promise to win the Manifesto Novices' Chase; Reserve Tank continued his rapid rise through the ranks in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle (before he duly followed up at Punchestown); and If The Cap Fits emerged victorious from a pulsating finish to the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle.

View full Goffs Land Rover Sale catalogue and previous sale data

As if all that wasn't enough, the redoubtable William Henry added to the Ballincurrig House Cheltenham haul when he bounced back to form in the Coral Cup and The Glancing Queen took home the Grade 2 mares bumper prize on Merseyside.

Two of those star names were sourced by connections from Ballincurrig House at the Goffs Land Rover Sale, the latest renewal of which kicks off on Tuesday at 10am.

Paisley Park was bought for Andrew Gemmell by Gerry Hogan for €60,000 in 2015, while Peter and Ross Doyle secured Reserve Tank for €35,000 two years later.

"Paisley Park was bought by my brother-in-law, Richard Rohan, as a foal and was just an athlete all the way through," recalls Moore. "Oscar mightn't be the sort of stallion whose progeny always command a premium price for one reason or another, even if he's definitely a sire who produces a lot of good racehorses.

"But a lot of people liked Paisley Park when he was sold at the Land Rover as he was just so athletic-looking.

Aidan Coleman celebrates on Paisley Park after landing the Sun Racing Stayers' HurdleCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Moore continues: "We consigned Reserve Tank for John Coffey and I loved him the minute he came to us – you could tell he was very decent. His pedigree mightn't have struck people as being out and out National Hunt as Jeremy hadn't really taken off at the time, yet he's ended up being a proper staying type."

Reflecting on the level of success enjoyed by so many Ballincurrig House graduates already this year, Moore says: "It was fantastic to have two winners in Cheltenham and then to have four at Aintree, it takes a bit of doing. Numerically that would be our best year by a long way.

"Obviously we had Sizing John win the Gold Cup a couple of years back and we've had lots of other good horses, but to have that number of Grade 1 winners in one year, well, I doubt we'll repeat that for a while."

However, a quick glance through the pedigrees of this year's Land Rover Sale offerings might make you question whether Moore is being somewhat modest, as the Ballincurrig House team will send 31 stores through the Kildare Paddocks sales ring over the coming days, including some notably well-related individuals.

There is a son of Milan out of a half-sister to Simonsig (lot 6); a Califet gelding out of a half-sister to Morning Assembly (24); a Sholokhov half-brother to No More Heroes (46); and the first foal, a gelding by Shantou, out of the prolific Glens Melody (144), to name but a few.

With a strong-looking draft on paper, and not to mention the National Hunt market seeming in fine fettle at present, it would be easy to lose the run of yourself in the lead up to the Land Rover. However, Moore is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"I've always taken the same view, and that's whatever the level of pessimism is or isn't, nice horses always make money and they always will," he says when asked about his expectations ahead of this week's trade.

"There's always a top lot in every sale regardless of where the market is at. A certain number will stand out more than others and that's just how it is."

Reserve Tank (blue) en route to victory in the Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle on Grand National Day at AintreeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Moore has first-hand experience of preparing such a standout for auction, as 12 months ago he consigned the Flemensfirth gelding out of Keep Face who smashed the Land Rover record when bought by Paul Nicholls for €325,000.

"He was a once in a lifetime job," Moore says of the youngster, who is out of a half-sister to Master Minded and was sold on behalf of Patrick McCann.

"He cost €110,000 as a foal and just had that wow factor, he moved incredibly well. The good horses walk into the sales ring and ask people to look at them from the point of view that they have so much presence."

This year's draft contains a three-parts brother to last year's sales-topper, with Moore due to offer the Flemensfirth gelding out of Hotline, a full-sister to Keep Face, as lot 162.

"From what we've seen of his work he just seems to have the right mentality," says Moore. "You can tell right from the start whether they have an appetite for work and he does, without a doubt.

"I don't know whether we have any sales-toppers, but having spoken to the lads in the yard we probably have more racehorses in this year's Land Rover draft than we've had for quite a while. The lads have been very impressed with the attitude they've been showing."

There can be a sizeable difference between the thoroughbreds who sell well and the ones who run fast, and having been so closely associated with so many major talents down the years Moore has a rare level of insight into what separates the good ones from the rest.

"Attitude to work is the biggest thing," he says when asked if his Grade 1-winning graduates share any common traits. "When you take a horse into the lunge ring and he's willing to do what you ask, that's a big thing. Some are more athletic than others but the good horse wants to work and enjoys galloping, basically.

"If you go and look at the real good horses, be that on the Flat or in National Hunt, you can see that hardiness in their eyes. It's a bit like with any top sportsmen or women, when they're performing you can see their will to win."

Whether the Ballincurrig House team can repeat the monumental sales ring success of 12 months ago remains to be seen. However, with some well-credentialed offerings due to come under the hammer over the coming days, it seems entirely possible that new names will be joining the likes of Paisley Park and Reserve Tank on the stud's roll of honour in the not too distant future.

GOFFS LAND ROVER SALE FACT-FILE

Where Goffs sales complex, Kildare Paddocks, County Kildare
When Two-day sale begins on Tuesday, with sessions starting at 10am
Last year's stats From 500 offered, 396 lots sold (79 per cent) for turnover of €13,605,000 (up 11 per cent); an average of €34,356 (up six per cent); and a median of €25,000 (down ten per cent)
Notable graduatesAltior (sold by Kilmoney Cottage Stud, bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €60,000); Felix Desjy (Moanmore Stables, Margaret O'Toole, €29,000); Ornua (Brett Merry, Joe Casey, €16,000); Topofthegame (Parkdota Stud, Monbeg Stables, €26,000)

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