Santiago Sibling to Grade 1 Second Tops Winter Sale

After two fabulous days at the Dublin Racing Festival with three Grade 1 feature races won by Derby Sale graduates, the Santiago yearling half-brother to Kazansky, runner-up in Grade 1 company yesterday, topped the one-day Winter Flat & National Hunt Sale.

Gerry Aherne oversaw the bidding on behalf of his family’s Prospect Stables, and he had to go to €42,000 to secure the Monroe Stables-consigned colt (Lot 72).

“He will be re-offered as a three-year-old, I really loved him; he has a great pedigree, and he is by a stallion who we think is going to be very exciting,” said Aherne. “Hopefully, when we resell, the pedigree will have done a bit more again, and the stallion will have done what we are expecting him to do.”

The colt’s Presenting dam Regal Empress is an own-sister to the talented black-type winners Thunder And Roses, Shirley Casper and a half-sister to Wrath Of Titans and Oligarch Society.

Aherne added: “He comes from good breeders, we have bought out of the pedigree before and it is a family that just keeps on giving. This colt was due to be sold at the November National Hunt Sale, but was injured at the last minute and had to be withdrawn – we saw him and liked him then.”

Adam Potts of BBA Ireland went to €36,000 for Lot 25, a Jeu St Eloi colt out of the two-time-winning Innisfree Beauty (Yeats), a half-sister to the Grade 1 chase winner Galvin, a winner of 13 races. The colt was sold by the session’s leading consignor Galbertstown Stables.

Potts, recently back from a sale trip to the southern hemisphere, said: “I am not too sure what his plan will be, but if he were to be reoffered as a store at the Derby Sale, I am sure he would stack up very well.

“I saw all the colts this morning, and he was the one who stood out for me; I thought he was one of the nicest models – he has plenty of size and is light on his feet.”

He added: “He has a good pedigree being out of a half-sister to Galvin and by Jeu St Eloi, who is producing the goods, and he is the first by the sire that I have bought.”

Galbertstown Stables also sold the already-named Nirvana Du Berlais filly Luna Of Glain (Lot 97) for €30,000, Timmy Hillman being the successful purchaser.

The filly is the second foal out of the two-time hurdle winner Spirit Of Rome (Mastercraftsman), a half-sister to the Grade 3 Swinton Hurdle winner Joe Jo Star and closely related to Venturi, a Group 3 winner on the Flat.

“She is by a top stallion, has a pedigree with a bit of class and she is a good sort,” said Hillman after purchase.

Tattersalls Ireland’s CEO Simon Kerins said: “The sales calendar got underway today with the Winter Flat & National Hunt Sale. Trade was selective as was evident with the clearance rate, however there was good demand for particular types. It was pleasing to see some Eastern European presence, purchasing at least six lots, however it would be remiss to say it wasn’t challenging at a certain level of the market.

“Attention now turns to inspections for the Derby Sale, with our aim to assemble the strongest possible catalogue in June. The Tattersalls Ireland bloodstock team look forward to meeting Store vendors over the coming weeks.”