'We were not leaving without him' - Macauley and O'Connor swoop for €55,000 Rock On Ruby relation at July Store Sale

The wildcard selection assembled for the Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale was most definitely not of the last of the summer wine variety, but more a sparkling vintage which had an effervescent appeal to buyers shopping at the higher end of the market yesterday.

As selling went on late into the misty evening, Hamish Macauley and Matthew Flynn O'Connor's €55,000 gamble on lightning striking twice was one of the highpoints of a long day's trading. The pair bought an impeccably bred son of the late Shantou, out of a full-sister to a Champion Hurdle winner bred on the same cross as last season's Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Stay Away Fay.

They picked up the grandson of Oscar for £39,000 as a store with Flynn O'Connor preparing the gelding to make a winning debut in a four-year-old maiden at Lingstown in December 2021 before selling him for £305,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale. A similar strike with this gelding, consigned by Railstown Stud on behalf of Garranlea Bloodstock, is the aim.

"He was the one horse we wanted to buy," said Macauley. "We were not leaving here without him. We saw him yesterday and really liked him. He is a lovely model, bred on the same cross as Stay Away Fay and from a very good family so hopefully we can do the same again."

That fine family's most illustrious member is Rock On Ruby, a full-brother to The Princetonian who won over hurdles and was fourth in the Listed Pat Walsh Memorial Mares' Hurdle for Jessica Harrington and the Heaney family.

Hamish Macauley signs the docket for Railstown Stud's well-related Shantou geldingCredit: www.healyracing.ie

She is also a full-sister to Alpine Glade who was retained by their breeder John O'Dwyer and trained by Willie McCreery to earn black type in the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle and the Grade 3 mares' hurdle at the Punchestown festival.

Another full-sister, Misty Heather, did not earn any success on the track but as a broodmare has produced the 2022 Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase winner Donkey Years trained by Eric McNamara, and Simon Squirrel who was third in the Grade 2 Sharp Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls, trainer of Stay Away Fay.

Tom Malone, who bought Stay Away Fay from Flynn O'Connor's Ballycrystal Stables, was also in action at the top end of the market yesterday, going to €42,000 for a Hillstar gelding consigned by Graigue Stables. A €16,000 foal purchase, he is the third foal out of Annamatopoeia who was third in the Grade 3 Cork Stayers' Novice Hurdle and the Grade 3 Lombardstown Mares' Novice Chase. The family goes back to Moorcroft Boy and Lord Of The River.

Kow Boy worth the wait

John McConnell is developing quite the power base at his Stamullen yard, with a milestone spring of successes at the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown festivals the latest stepping stone to even greater success in his training career.

The veterinary surgeon was one of the busiest buyers at Tattersalls Ireland during the opening session of the July Store Sale with the trainer of Fennor Cross and Seddon purchasing five youngsters, including the second horse to make €55,000 on the day.

Niall Bleahen, who sold the two most expensive horses at the May Store Sale, consigned a Noroit full-brother to Venetia Williams' dual Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase winner Funambule Sivola and the grandson of Montjeu and Monsun was expected to provide sparks. Named Kow Boy Sivola, he duly obliged.

Kow Boy Sivola: "What he lacks in size he makes up for with the quality of his movement and his athleticism"Credit: www.healyracing.ie

McConnell has the for sale sign around Kow Boy Sivola's neck as the full-brother to three winners was bought without an owner in place but the trainer will not struggle for willing candidates, given his own record and that of Funambule Sivola who has been second in the Grade 1 Champion Chase to Energumene and to Shishkin in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase.

"His pedigree speaks for itself, he is a lovely horse and a full-brother to a top-notcher," said McConnell of the handsome dark bay gelding. 

"He is a lovely horse and what he lacks in size he makes up for with the quality of his movement and his athleticism. If he was an inch or two taller he probably would have made six figures but that doesn't concern me. I would be as happy to win a Champion Hurdle as I would to win a Gold Cup," smiled the trainer.

Niall Bleahen was involved in the sales of the last two winners of the €100,000 George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper, a race for which graduates of this sale are eligible and the purchaser of this latest sale topper from the Bleahen brothers' production line could target that race.

"He comes from a very good home and is recommended highly by the vendors who promise me he is one for the George Mernagh!"

€50,000 sales match 2022 total

The growth of the July Store Sale last year was aided by four lots to make at least €50,000 and that was matched on Wednesday with the Crawford brothers' purchase of a Shirocco gelding from Galbertstown Stables, another from the wildcard catalogue.

Offered as a foal at the November National Hunt Sale by the same consignor when he was unsold at €10,000, he is a year-younger full-brother to Mount Washington who is in training with Evan Williams and Steven Crawford consulted with the trainer prior to bidding on the gelding.

The Crawford brothers went to €50,000 for this Shirocco geldingCredit: www.healyracing.ie

"I spoke to Evan a few minutes ago and he told me loves Mount Washington and highly-recommended the full-brother so that gave me a bit of confidence to push on again with the bids, even though the page is slightly light for the money and we had to go a wee bit more than we had planned although it is hard to get quality without having to spend a bit of money," Crawford said. "The right boys were bidding against me and if the right people like him at this end, hopefully the right people will like him at the next stage."

That page lacks black type under the first two dams although his second dam, the Strong Gale mare Hamshire Gale who was successful in a point-to-point is a half-sister to the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle runner-up Strontium. His own dam, Kayf Hampshire by Kayf Tara, won a bumper on debut for Liam Burke and Crawford reported that bumpers and point-to-pointing were both under consideration for her second son.

"Hopefully he will show me enough that I will have a big decision to make, whether to go for bumpers with him or down the pointing route. He is a lovely horse, very correct and a big walker."

Crawford has kept his powder dry for much of the store sales season with trade earlier in the year a little too strong. Refraining from jumping into the fray allowed him to have the budget to stretch for this horse and potentially into Thursday's final day of the 2023 Irish store sale season.

"I have been fairly quiet this year as I thought trade was too strong and you have to have a cut-off point. That allowed me to be a wee bit stronger today so it is swings and roundabouts really. I might do a bit more business tomorrow; I know that it is supposed to be Part 2 of the sale but I have seen a few horses for tomorrow that I like," he added.

Buck's booms for Brown Island

French-bred horses continue to sell like the proverbial hotcakes at store sales and a pair of geldings by Buck's Boum consigned by Johnny Collins' Brown Island Stables were two of the sought-after wildcard entries.

Speaking after congratulating David Phelan on purchasing the second of the geldings through the ring, Collins commented: "I bought him as a foal in France. He was due to go to an earlier store sale but he pulled a muscle and wasn't able to go. I entered him in this sale as soon as I knew he'd be ready."

It paid off as Phelan had to go to €54,000 for the grey gelding whose striking looks were noted by the successful agent.

"He is a fine horse and stands out with his grey coat. He is a great mover and came well recommended. He has been bought for a client to go racing and he will stay in Ireland to be trained although no trainer has been decided for him yet. He is by a very good sire and comes from a good family, Alan King trained a good horse from it."

Krishna Bellevue: Brown Island Stables' Buck's Boum gelding sold to David Phelan for €54,000Credit: www.healyracing.ie

That good horse is Oh Crick who is a half-brother to the second dam of the March-foaled gelding, another from the wildcard selection. Oh Crick, by Nikos, won the Grand Annual and the Red Rum Handicap Chase for King and is a half-brother to Othermix who won the Grade 2 Prix Amadou at Auteuil and was runner-up in the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres at the home of French jump racing. 

Othermix is a Linamix full-brother to the second dam of this gelding, who has been named Krishna Bellevue and is the fourth foal out of his Poliglote dam Summer Du Berlais.

Collins' other gelding by Haras d'Enki's full-brother to Big Buck's will be going point-to-pointing after Colin Bowe's Milestone Stables went to €33,000 for him. Another from the wildcard section, he is a half-brother to Xyle Enki, a winning daughter of Network, and their dam So Cute is a Laveron half-sister to Dolcita, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Irish Grand National behind stable companion I Am Maximus. The daughter of Saint Des Saints is a dual Listed winner over fences and following her Fairyhouse exploits was sold for €240,000.

Richards another to return to a familiar source

Ger Hannon's decision to target this sale for his Wings Of Eagles gelding paid off handsomely as Nicky Richards was up early to purchase the gelding from the first Irish-bred crop of the Derby winner, who was one of the first horses in the ring on Wednesday morning.

Richards was returning to a familiar source and family as he purchased the gelding's year-older half-sister by Milan 12 months ago from Hannon's Ralahine Stud.

"I am delighted Nicky bought him," said the successful vendor of the €37,000 gelding who he purchased privately as a foal. "He bought the half-sister from us last year and she is a very promising filly so hopefully they will both be lucky for him and their owners."

Trainer Nicky Richards follows proceedings at the July Store SaleCredit: www.healyracing.ie

Among the horses Richards has previously sourced from the Clare stud is this year's unbeaten Grade 2 Aintree bumper winner Florida Dream, bought as a store two years ago.

Despite being catalogued so early in the sale, viewers were drawn to the son of the Grade 3 Lombardstown Mares Novice Chase second Perfect Woman. His family is that of another Aintree winner - Identity Thief who was successful in the Grade 1 Stayers' Hurdle at the Grand National meeting - and a Cheltenham Festival winner in Paul Nicholls' RSA Novices' Chase victor Topofthegame.

"He went down very well with viewers yesterday and we were hopeful that he would sell well as he is a really nice horse. This sale, and previously the August National Hunt Sale, has been one we have targeted with horses who have gone on to be successful including Baywing who won the Towton Novices' Chase and the Eider for Nicky Richards," Hannon added.

New face on the rostrum

There was a new voice filling the Tattersalls Ireland auditorium on Wednesday as Darac O'Neill made his debut on the roster but the chartered surveyor was not breaking new ground as he is an accomplished auctioneer particularly in the sport horse sphere, where he is a familiar voice and face including at the renowned Go For Gold sale of elite young eventers.

"Simon [Kerins, CEO of Tattersalls Ireland] rang me and asked if I would be interested in auctioning at this sale," explained O'Neill, who had stepped off the plinth following his second stint of the session.

"It's a different situation selling stores from eventers but it's great to get the opportunity and I've been enjoying it immensely."

The first day of the Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale took place on WednesdayCredit: www.healyracing.ie

It was a successful debut at the July Store Sale where those who came under O'Neill's hammer included one of the session's most expensive lots; the Buck's Boum gelding bought by David Phelan from Johnny Collins' Brown Island Stables for €54,000.

O'Neill's eponymous firm of chartered surveyors, based in Naas, are longstanding sponsors of racing and coincidentally while the founder was busying himself with future equine stars, his firm sponsored both divisions of the apprentice handicap at their local track on Wednesday evening.

O'Neill's family is steeped in racing and breeding; he is a brother of Royal Ascot-winning trainer Eoghan who recently relocated to the Curragh after a successful training career in France and Padraic of Knocklong House Stud, breeder of Sweet Cecily, On Her Toes and Royal Ascot winner Bless Him to name just a few. O'Neill's wife, Sarah Sands, was formerly of the Racing Post and is a well-respected marketing consultant within the industry.

And as for O'Neill's own future as an auctioneer of thoroughbred youngstock?

"We will see what happens, and if I get another call from Simon asking me back," he remarked. "I've enjoyed today and I'm looking forward to returning tomorrow."

End of session stats

A marathon session drew to a close after 9.30pm on Wednesday night with 192 of the 268 horses offered for sale finding new owners at a clearance rate of 72 per cent, up from last year's 70 per cent rate.

Those horses generated turnover of €2,610,300 which was a dip of eight per cent year-on-year while the average declined by nine points from €14,953 to €13,595. The median came in at €11,000 which represented a drop of six points from last year's figure.

Part Two of the Tattersalls Ireland July Store Sale commences at 10am on Thursday.

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