Soldier Of Fortune marches on as buyers battle it out for offspring

Days after Soldier Of Fortune was confirmed as the busiest covering sire in Europe for the third year in a row, a pair of colts by the Beeches Stud resident took centre stage during the first foal session of the Tattersalls Ireland November Sale.

Edmond Mahony had little trouble enticing bids for a February-born colt with what he described as a "happening page", and only Mark Dwyer and Tim Hyde jnr had not folded once the bidding soared past the €60,000 mark.

Eventually Dwyer of Oaks Farm Stables, standing by the rope, emerged on top with a €63,000 bid.

"For me he was one of the best on offer here today," said Dwyer, the former jockey who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Forgive 'N Forget and Jodami and Champion Hurdle on the mare Flakey Dove. "I've been watching the sire quite a bit. The colt should develop nicely and will come back for resale."

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Offered by Chancery Stables, the colt was bred by Robert O'Callaghan out of his winning bumper mare Bell Walks Day, a Flemensfirth sister to the Ladbrokes World Hurdle runner-up Time For Rupert and Noel Meade's Grade 1 novice chase entry Minella Fair.

Bell Walks Day also has a yearling Fame And Glory filly and returned to Soldier Of Fortune in the spring.

Minella Fair: Grade 1 novice chase entry could soon add further black type to the pageCredit: Alain Barr

Soldier's call

The sire was also responsible for the second priciest lot, with Mahony introducing the April-born chestnut colt as a "cracking, good-looking Soldier Of Fortune".

Offered by Limekiln Stud, the colt is out of a Presenting sister to last year's JLT Novices' Chase scorer and three-time Grade 1 novice hurdle winner Yorkhill, whose own dam Lightning Breeze is an unraced daughter of legendary jumps blue hen Park Breeze, dam of such talents as The Listener and Distant Thunder.

The bids rolled in quickly and it was Adrian Costello who emerged victorious from his position in front of the buyer's bench, with a €52,000 bid enough to see off the competition.

"He'll return for the Derby Sale," said Costello. "I've seen a lot of the sire's youngstock in France and was very impressed. He gets real nice foals and they have good temperaments."

The colt was bred by Patrick Keating, also the breeder of Yorkhill, while the mare paid a return visit to Soldier Of Fortune in the spring.

Soldier Of Fortune's runners dialed it up a notch last season, with Flying Tiger, Mercenaire and Early Doors all placing in Grade 1 company.

The sire, who relocated from France to the Beeches Stud in County Waterford in 2016, commanded an €8,000 fee this year with his oldest Irish-bred offspring now yearlings.

Vendors of his progeny saw healthy returns on Monday, with five colts and a filly selling for a total of €159,000 and average of €26,500.

Sire in demand

The progeny of Mount Nelson - responsible for this year's Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle scorer Penhill - also proved popular among buyers, with four colts selling for €30,000 or more in quick succession early in the piece.

The choicest offering was a Mount Nelson half-brother to Grade 3 handicap hurdle winner Party Rock, who was also offered by Chancery and preceded the session-topping Soldier Of Fortune colt into the ring.

Alastair Pim was quick to note how the April-foaled colt "walks for fun", and an affirmative nod from John Dwan on the buyers' bench sealed the deal at €45,000.

The Mount Nelson colt with four white socks, just like the sire's Stayers Hurdle winner PenhillCredit: Pat Healy / Tattersalls Ireland

"He was a good-walking colt and will be offered for resale," said Dwan, who notably bred last year's Grand National hero One For Arthur.

The mare returned this spring to Mount Nelson, who also sired last year's British Champions Sprint Stakes hero Librisa Breeze from his time at Newsells Park Stud. Mount Nelson stood his second season at Boardsmill Stud this year at a €5,000 fee.

Hillman digs deep

After picking up a Great Pretender yearling colt for €30,000 on Sunday, Timmy Hillman was again in action on Monday with his purchases including a Mount Nelson colt and Kayf Tara filly, both snapped up for €32,000 by the Tattersalls Ireland representative.

The son of Mount Nelson is out of an unraced half-sister to Listed handicap hurdle winner The Culdee and shares his Listed-placed granddam with last year's Thyestes Chase scorer Champagne West.

The daughter of Kayf Tara, meanwhile, is out of the smart novice hurdler Golden Gael, a half-sister to Bitofapuzzle, who landed a Grade 1 mares novice hurdle across the road at Fairyhouse.

"I just thought she was a star," said Hillman. "I wouldn't always buy a filly, but she is lovely, has a great walk and is by the right sire. She will be offered for resale."

Figures

Last year's overall sale and foal section set a new benchmark for the average and median, and Monday's session saw declines in all the key market indicators compared to the same day last year.

Total receipts fell 30 per cent to €1,677,050, with 143 of the 247 lots on offer changing hands for a 58 per cent clearance rate, down 20 points compared to last year. The average fell marginally to €11,728, while the median dropped 23 per cent to €8,500.

Star lot

Tuesday's session is set to see a flurry of foal trade, and among the standout lots is a Sir Percy brother to this year's seven-length RSA Insurance Novices' Chase winner Presenting Percy, who heads the market with Might Bite and Native River for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

He will be offered by agent Mill House Stud as lot 658 on behalf of his breeder Johnny Weatherby of Preston Lodge Stud.

Weatherby said: "He is a classy and very athletic foal who shows many of the same attributes as his full brother Presenting Percy, who has given us a wonderful thrill winning at the last two Cheltenham Festivals and is vying for Gold Cup favouritism this season."

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Five superb November Sale graduates who continue to make headlines

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Ballylinch Stud weighs in with support as New Bay pair sell well