'Standout colt' by Soldier Of Fortune steals the show at €72,000

A Soldier Of Fortune colt drew plenty of interested onlookers into a packed sales auditorium during the opening session of the Goffs December National Hunt Sale on Wednesday.

Auctioneer George Stanners called for an opening bid of €40,000 for the well-bred youngster from Garryrichard Stud before getting the ball rolling at €10,000, and following an intense round of bidding, Adrian Costello of Park Farm had the final say at €72,000.

"He was a standout foal and as you could see there were a lot of people on him," noted Costello, from his position by the back wall opposite the rostrum. "He's by an exciting sire and has a lovely pedigree."

The April foal was bred by Michael Murphy from Clongeen in County Wexford and is the first offspring of Brog Beanri, a daughter of the Hatton's Grace Hurdle third Brogella, whose other progeny include the Lartigue Hurdle winner Swamp Fox and the smartly performed chase mare Rene's Girl.

Beeches Stud resident was named the busiest sire in Britain and Ireland for the fourth consecutive year in 2019 with a book of 275 mares, a figure matched only by newcomer and fellow Coolmore National Hunt stallion Order Of St George.

Costello was again active later in the session when zoning in on a Walk In The Park colt from the Peria Stud draft, going to €49,000.

The April foal is out of a half-sister to the black-type jumpers Miles To Memphis and Duel At Dawn.

View December Sale catalogue and results

The first lot to fetch over €50,000 was Ballyshannon Stud's Mastercraftsman colt out of the exceptional jumps producer Village Queen, whose first three foals, all by Shantou, have achieved black type.

Shantou Village was an impressive winner of a Grade 2 novices' hurdle at the 2015 Cheltenham November meeting; Portrush Ted defied long odds to win a Grade 2 bumper at last year's Aintree festival; while Bun Doran was a close second to Croco Bay in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

"Nick Nugent mentioned on the rostrum that he's got the pedigree to top a Land Rover Sale," said leading jumps vendor Peter Nolan, who signalled the winning bid of €68,000 from his secluded position on the top balcony.

"He's been bought for a client and will return for sale in three year's time. He very well bred and from a good family, so hopefully we'll do well with him."

The April foal was bred by Mary Griffin out of the unraced King's Theatre mare Village Queen, produced one other foal by Shantou in the four-year-old gelding Il Courra, who was third on debut in a Lingstown maiden since the catalogue was published.

The mare paid a return visit to Mastercraftsman earlier this year.

The Mastercraftsman colt out of Village Queen who went the way of Peter Nolan for €68,000Credit: Goffs

Glen's melody

Marie Harding's Glen Stables in County Cork has quickly risen to prominence as one of the leading National Hunt consignors, and enjoyed a red-letter day when selling a pair of colts in quick succession for a combined €97,000.

The most expensive of the pair was a Westerner half-brother to the talented novice hurdler Stand Up And Fight, who went the way of Peter Molony's Rathmore Stables for €52,000 - the highest auction price achieved for a foal to date by Glen Stables.

"He was a smashing colt with a fantastic walk," said Harding, whose brothers Brian and Richie have both ridden winners at the Cheltenham Festival.

"There was huge interest in him and his full-brother Anything Will Do won his fourth race over hurdles at Punchestown on Sunday. The colt sold himself though as he was such a lovely individual."

Glen Stables also realised €45,000 for a Walk In The Park colt out of the Oscar mare Autumn Clouds, a full-sister to The Tullow Tank and half-sister to the Grand National hero Many Clouds, with Kieran Shields the successful bidder.

'A beautifully bred filly'

Among the priciest fillies on the day was a daughter of Saint Des Saints who found favour with Champ's breeders Philip and Jane Myerscough at €42,000.

The filly, foaled in Ireland in May, was offered by Ballincurrig House Stud on behalf of Quill Farm and is the first offspring of the Listed bumper third Appy Days.

"She's a beautifully bred filly by a top sire," said Philip Myerscough. "The dam is by King's Theatre [sire of Champ], which is lovely, and we'll make a plan for the filly."

Appy Days is a full-sister to Royal Alphabet, a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner who placed twice in Grade 1 company at the Punchestown festival.

Champ, a seven-year-old King's Theatre gelding, has won eight of his 11 starts under rules for trainer Nicky Henderson, including a Grade 2 novice chase at Newbury on his most recent start in late November.

Figures

Of the 262 lots offered during Wednesday's session, 178 changed hands for a 68 per cent clearance rate and total receipts of €2,424,600 - up 15 per cent year on year.

The average climbed by four per cent to €13,620, while the median rose by 11 per cent to €10,000.

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