TATTERSALLS IRELAND SALES NEWS - Collins Secures Top Lot On The First Day Of The July Store Sale
24th JULY
TATTERSALLS IRELAND SALES NEWS
Collins Secures Top Lot On The First Day Of The July Store Sale
The Tattersalls Ireland mid-summer Store sales have been a lucky venue for trainer Cian Collins and the County Meath-based handler is hoping the good fortune will continue, after purchasing the opening day top lot, a gelding by Valirann (Lot 118) for €36,000, at the July Store Sale.
Sold by A.C. Bloodstock, the gelding is out of the Brian Boru mare Blanaid Of Ossory, a half-sister to Major Malarkey, a seven-time winner and placed in the Midlands Grand National (G3), and to the dam of the two-time Grade 1-winning chaser Banbridge.
Cian Collins purchased the son of Valirann from A.C. Bloodstock for €36,000.
“He was the one we wanted and we were not going home without him,” said Collins, adding: "He has the physique and the pedigree, Banbridge is a good horse. He has been bought for an owner in the yard, and we will get him home, break him in and see then where we might head with him – either go pointing or look at the bumper route.”
At the 2021 August National Hunt Sale, Collins purchased the subsequent four-time hurdle winner Fiveonefive as a three-year-old for just €1,500. The gelding, who has collected prize-money earnings over €68,000, is entered in next week’s Grade 3 Galway Hurdle, one of five entries at the meeting for Collins.
A speculative trip to July Store Sale proved to be a worthwhile mission for British trainer Jeremy Scott.
Killeen Glebe consigned a son of Malinas that was purchased by Jeremy Scott.
"I came here not necessarily expecting to buy a horse for an owner," said the West Country-based handler. "I have not had an order all year for a three-year-old store, but as I arrived one of my owners phoned me and said she was interested in getting a horse – she has retired one horse and wants a replacement.
“This is a lovely-looking horse and he has a good consistent pedigree. He will go to Martin Collins to be broken, then possibly back to the owner for a break and then to us for the spring."
The Malinas three-year-old, a wildcard entry catalogued as Lot 154A, is a half-brother to the Grade 3 Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase winner Cloth Cap, from the family of Strath Royal, Niche Market and Artifice. He was sold by Chris Jones' Killeen Glebe and cost his new connections €32,000.
"I have not had anything by Wings Of Eagles before, but I liked what I saw of them running this spring," said Ballyboy Stables’ Denis Murphy after he spent €31,000 on a three-year-old gelding by the 2017 Derby winner and Coolmore sire (Lot 220).
Ballyboy Stables purchased a son of Wings of Eagles from Sladoo Farm.
He continued: "This horse is light on his feet, and I only saw him when he came up to the ring. He has a good staying pedigree, and he goes pointing."
His dam Finisk Mist (Mahler) is an own-sister to The Big Dog, winner of the 2022 Munster National, and a half-sister to Saddlers Encore (Presenting), winner of a Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.
Unlike its previous three editions, the catalogue format for this year’s July Store Sale was set alphabetically by dam rather than a select day one, with wildcards placed across both days.
Today’s opening session produced a turnover of €1,204,500 for 144 horses sold at an average price of €8,365 and a median price of €6,000.
All horses catalogued for the July Store Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper 2025.
The second day of the July Store Sale begins at 10:00am tomorrow.