The two-day Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale is in the books and records were met or exceeded all around. An overall average of €47,535 represented an increase of 11% on last year's mark of €42,847, while 300 sold for a gross of €14,260,50. The clearance rate was 81.7%, while the median equaled the joint-record figure of €36,000 reached in 2015. Throughout the two-day run, a total of 32 lots reached the six-figure mark, another new record for the Derby Sale. Tattersalls Ireland managing director Roger Casey was understandably pleased Thursday afternoon.
“The voracious demand for horses from the start of the sale on Wednesday morning right through to Thursday evening has been remarkable and we must sincerely thank both our ever-loyal vendors who continue to send their best stock to the Derby Sale on an annual basis and the industrious broad bench of purchasers from right across Ireland and the UK, with UK purchasers again accounting for more than a third of the overall turnover,” said Casey.
Young trainer Joseph O'Brien purchased Thursday's topper for €185,000, a gelding (lot 312) by Presenting (GB) consigned by Rathbarry Stud. His unraced dam is a half-sister to MGSW and twice Grade 1 placed Rocky Creek (Ire) (Dr Massini {Ire}), as well as MGSW Tell Massini (Ire) (Dr Massini {Ire}).
Lakefield Farm, who consigned Wednesday's top lot and overall sale topper for €255,000, enjoyed another successful sale Thursday, with a Robin des Champs (GB) gelding (lot 275) snapped up by conditioner Gordon Elliott for €175,000. The gelding hails from the same family as Grade 2 winner Violin Davis (Fr) (Turgeon).
The single-day Derby Sale Part II begins at 10:30 a.m. local time Friday. For complete results or more information, go to www.tattersalls.ie.
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