Tattersalls Ireland stuns jumps sector with late postponement of Derby Sale

Just five days before the auction was due to begin, Tattersalls Ireland has postponed the Derby Sale, a centrepiece of the jumps sale calendar, and the May Sale, citing Covid-19 related travel restrictions in Ireland as the driver of the shock decision.

The Derby Sale and the May Sale have been rescheduled to take place in Ratoath on August 11-13, government regulations permitting, though a move to a British venue, as has been widely rumoured, was not ruled out by Tattersalls Ireland.

Tattersalls Ireland chief executive Matt Mitchell said of the decision: "Despite every effort being made to give all the normal participants an opportunity to attend the sales next week it became clear during the course of yesterday that the current obstacles in our way are insurmountable.

"It was reconfirmed that all attendees; be they vendors, purchasers or employees who were due to arrive in Ireland from the UK are required to self-isolate for 14 days without exception and therefore their attendance at the sale would not be possible.

"The extremely difficult decision to postpone the Derby and May Sales has been made in the context of the unprecedented and unpredictable Covid-19 related circumstances and in the best interests of our vendors, purchasers and staff. We are very conscious of the impact that this decision will have on our valued clients, but we are also at all times mindful of our wider social responsibilities and the prevailing government guidelines."

The Tattersalls Ireland sales ring in Ratoath, FairyhouseCredit: Patrick McCann

Some 466 stores had been catalogued to come under the hammer at the two-day Derby Sale, with a further 234 entered for the rearranged May Sale, which had been scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 16.

Past Derby Sale graduates include the likes of Ferny Hollow, Honeysuckle, Monkfish and Shishkin, all of whom struck at this year's Cheltenham Festival. Last year's sale saw 338 lots change hands for turnover of €17,093,500, an average of €50,570 and a median of €42,000, headed by a €220,000 son of Martaline bought by Ronnie O'Leary.

Mitchell added: "Many businesses in Ireland who are dependent on international customers have faced the very same issues and we will continue to explore every avenue that will allow sales to take place in Ireland as soon as the current restrictions have been eased.

"We must all hope that the outlook improves, and at this stage it is our intention to hold our flagship Derby and May Store Sales in Ireland on Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 August as our first preference, or in the UK on those dates if necessary. Revised dates for the August National Hunt Sale will be announced in due course."

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