From the Racing Post site:
A YEARLING half-brother to the 2010 Champion Hurdle winner Binocular from the first crop of the iconic stayer Yeats carried all before him when making €100,000 to top the Tattersalls Ireland February National Hunt Sale yesterday.
With his half-brother having amassed three other top flight wins to go with that championship success at Cheltenham two years ago the Yellowford Farm-consigned colt was widely expected to play a starring role at the one day auction.
He entered an expectant auditorium and he certainly delivered on his billing as the bidding for him quickly swept past €50,000. Richard Rohan and Tom Rudd were two that ultimately did battle for the colt and when he brought the price to six figures Rudd was able to carry the day.
“He’s just a lovely sort and I’ve bought him for a very good client,” said Rudd. “He’ll be kept to race now and hopefully he’ll turn out be as good as his half-brother. There’s a lot to like about him and he ticks all the right boxes.”
After producing its highest price for 18 years the sale concluded with a turnover of €873,950 which was up 69 percent on last year. The average of €7,406 was a seven per cent improvement although the median fell by a quarter to €3,750. The clearance rate of 57 percent was a ten per cent improvement on last year.
John O’Byrne picked upa number of other very popular yearlings and the most expensive of these, at €35,000, was a Presenting colt from Rathbarry Stud. He is out of a winning half-sister to Paul Nolan’s Galway Hurdle hero Cloone River.
O’Byrne also paid €33,000 for a son of Presenting belonging to Gareth Metcalfe whose relations include the multiple Grade 2 scorer Sir Oj and he went to €31,000 for a Presenting half-sister to the Cheltenham Festival winner Massini’s Maguire and this is a family that O’Byrne is already quite familiar with.
“The filly is a lovely sort and a half-sister to a very good horse on his day. I actually bought Massini’s Maguire as a young horse before he went into training with Mags Mullins,” stated O’Byrne.
Flemensfirth who is responsible for one of the most exciting novice chasers of the season in Flemenstar, was responsible for a relation to the triple Cheltenham winner Albertas Run who was bought by Phonsie and Ann O’Brien’s Landscape Stud for €32,000.
Earlier Gerry Merrigan spent €30,000 on a Presenting half-brother to the Group 2 scorer Lochbuie while Ian Ferguson, who sent out Zemsky to win at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, was busy trying to source future talent. Ferguson spent €25,000 on a son of Westerner and €20,000 on a colt by the late King’s Theatre.
Several minutes before missing out on the sale topper Richard Rohan was able to secure a well related Presenting colt from Trench Hill Farm for €25,000.Rohan’s purchase is out of a half-sister to the dam of Big Buck’s.
