The first foal to be offered at public auction by Tally-Ho Studs 'Persian Force' (Ire) was the frontrunner at the Tattersalls Ireland Sapphire Sale when it sold to Nigel O'Hare for €50,000 on Thursday. However, a clearance rate of 44% highlights the difficulties smaller growers and shippers are currently facing.
Although the Sapphire Sale was down 42% compared to 12 months ago, most metrics also fell, including the median, which fell 31% to €2,750 and the average fell 3% to €6,567. Understandably, the total fell by 41% to €315,200.
And while the majority of vendors struggled, there was still room for foals from the younger stallion brigade to capture the imagination. In addition to the “Persian Force” colt that went the way of O'Hare for €50,000, Steve Parkin paid €43,000 for a colt from his own stallion Space Traveler (GB).
Supplied by Kildallan Farm, 'Persian Force' was taken over by the owner perhaps best known for his association with the Ado McGuinness-trained two-time Group 1 winning sprinter 'A Case Of You (Ire)'.
O'Hare, who also bought a Time Test (GB) filly that day for just €2,500, commented on the top lot: “He will go to County Armagh and run with another stallion. He has a nice gait, is strongly built, has proven himself well and has a certain size about him. In general, we all enjoy racing our horses and it is tough to buy them as yearlings. We have horses with Natalia Lupini, Gavin Cromwell and Ado McGuinness.”
Amo Racing recently announced that King Of Steel, Bucanero Fuerte (GB) and Go Bears Go (Ire) would take over stallion duties in the novel year, and it was Persian Force that became the first horse from this powerful organization to join the stallion ranks became .
A nimble and precocious son of Mehmas (Ire), Persian Force won the G2 July Stakes at Newmarket before chasing home Little Huge Bear (Ire) and Blackbeard (Ire) in two Group 1 races. All in all, he placed three times at the highest level and was not far behind with a close fourth place finish at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.
Meanwhile, youthful sire Space Traveler's colt met the requirements in the ring when sold to Micheál Orlandi of Compas Stallions on behalf of Parkin's Clipper Logistics. Space Traveler, winner of the Jersey and Boomerang Stakes, was famously moved to the Orlandis County Westmeath farm after Parkin parted ways with his long-time adviser Joe Foley last year.
💬 Michael Orlandi speaks with Robert Hall, who purchased the first Space Traveler foal to pass through the sales ring on behalf of owner Steve Parkin.
The colt comes from a Frankel mare and was delivered by @Castledillon4.#SapphireSale pic.twitter.com/lgZJRer8mf
— Tattersalls Ireland (@Tattersalls_ie) November 14, 2024
Orlandi was on hand to secure the first foal to go under the hammer from the stallion on behalf of the owner and said: “Steve is keen to support the stallion as he has always done with his stallions. The foal will go to Rathbride Stud and then possibly Branton Court Stud. Steve is hoping to buy a number from Dad this winter and I came here looking for the best – and this is it. He is out of a Frankel mare (GB) with a rapid pedigree and comes from Castledillon Stud, the good breeding of Timmy Hillman, and the mare is in foal again by the stallion.”
Orlandi added: “The reports about the foals are very positive. We look forward to purchasing more. He'll probably continue to race, but at the end of the day Steve is a consumer. He’ll definitely have some of the space babies in training.”
It wasn't just the offspring of youthful stallions that captured the imagination at Tattersalls Ireland on Thursday as Katie Walsh was busy doing some last minute shopping in time for the coming season.
The area's leading handler, who operates under the Greenhills Farm banner, admitted that many European yearling sales have been tough this season and described herself as lucky to have a filly and a colt from Lope Y Fernandez (Ireland) ) and Bungle Inthejungle (GB) for a total of €38,000.
Walsh said: “Every seller who does a breeze-up seems to be at a loss with the numbers and I was one or two brief, so I said I would come to this sale and see if I could get something.” I was here last year but didn't buy anything. I bought a handsome filly [for €20,000] from Denise [O’Brien, of Clonbunny Stud]who handles the sale with me. She is a lovely person and I was content to give her a chance. I purchased a handsome Bungle Inthejungle colt from Rathasker Stud [€18,000] from a mare that won a listed race as a half-brother [Aleezdancer (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire})] is rated 91. I thought it would be a good fit to return to the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale next year. Bungle Inthejungle manages to get it and he has a lot of fun doing it. I haven’t had one in a long time, but he looks like a stallion bull and for the money he’s just right.”
Looking back on the whole yearling sale, Walsh said: “We bought 12 or 15 and I'm going to Newmarket for the yearling sale in December to see if I can get my hands on some there too. “I'm very content with the ones we got have. I would like a few more, but I think we did a good purchase overall. It was a very tough market and I was just conscious of buying what we wanted. It's been a tough year overall for consignors who are on the rise, but hopefully I'm content with the volume we have so far. In hindsight, it's a great thing, and perhaps we should have shopped more intensively during some of the earlier sales. But on the other hand, I'm glad we didn't panic and just buy horses. I’m very content with the horses we have and that’s the most vital thing.”
