August National Hunt Sale Concludes With Strong Figures

The curtain fell on the 2026 store horse sale season with a set of highly satisfactory results posted across the two-day Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale.

Demand at all levels from domestic and British point-to-point buyers, as well as trainers and owners based in Ireland, Britain and Europe, produced an aggregate of €3,411,400, the highest turnover at a Tattersalls Ireland July or August National Hunt Sale since 2019 and an increase of 30 per cent on last year’s equivalent July Store Sale.

The average price of €11,185 is a substantial increase of 26 per cent on the 2025 figure and the third highest in the July or August sale history, while there was a 25 per cent increase in the median price of €7,500.

A total of 27 horses made €30,000 or more over the two days – the highest number at the July or August National Hunt Sale since 2014 and the second-best ever, and representing a sharp rise from the 13 sold last year.

Through the second day session nine horses fetched €30,000 and above with the top-price of €36,000 paid by Kevin Ross Bloodstock for a son of Poet’s Word (Lot 413), a wildcard entry from Lisroan Farm.

“He is for a client in England and has been bought as a racing prospect,” said Ross. “He is out of a Westerner mare and has a good dam line. He missed his date at an earlier store sale.”

The gelding’s dam West Asleep is a half-sister to three black-type horses.

“He is one that we found yesterday,” reported Matthew Flynn O’Connor after spending €34,000 on the Lakefield Farm-consigned son of Roman Candle (Lot 392) already named New Ace.

“Roman Candle is getting some winners in France, so hopefully he can keep moving forward,” added the buyer. “This gelding has a very good half-brother who was with Willie Mullins, and we’re just happy to have this horse – he made plenty!”

Three lots from the August National Hunt Sale are set to join Flynn O’Connor’s string of point-to-pointers at Ballycrystal Stables and he added: “This horse looks as though he is one we can get on with; hopefully we can get to a spring sale at Tattersalls Cheltenham with him.”

The sole lot in the sale by Doha Dream, a son of Shamardal who stands at Haras du Hoguenet in France, was bought by Gary Murphy for €32,000 (Lot 444).

“He’s probably the best-moving horse in the place, so I was happy to get him,” said Murphy, who signed under the banner of Cudgley Stables, the sale’s leading buyer numerically.

He added: “When he trotted up yesterday, I said, ‘He’d do me!’ We’ve had to dig deep to get him, and we’ll try to turn him into a nice four-year-old somewhere along the line. He is a real sales’ horse – a great mover, has a lovely head, and is plenty big enough. He is a good representative of the sire and has a good dam line, too.”

Sold by Clonbonny Stud, the gelding is out of the Great Pretender mare Almaviva, a half-sister to The Reader, a Grade 3-winning chaser in France, and the French Listed-winning hurdler Vintage.
Doha Dream, who has had six winners in France from a handful of runners, won the Prix Chaudenay (G2). He is out of Shadline (Septieme Ciel), a half-sister to the Juddmonte-bred pair of National Hunt stallions Coastal Path and Reefscape.

“I thought I might get him for around €20,000!” smiled Tom Keating, who signed as Glennconnor Stud after spending €31,000 on this son of Maxios offered as a wildcard entry by Moyfinn Stud for Pigeon Park Stud (Lot 351).

He added: “I like Maxios, I have been lucky with them, and this is a fine-looking horse. He will go point-to-pointing and looks like one we can get moving on with.”

Maxios’ progeny had a fantastic 2025-26 racing season, headlined by his son Gaelic Warrior, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup (G1), the Punchestown Gold Cup (G1) and the John Durkan Memorial Chase (G1).

Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins commented:

“The National Hunt store market has been extremely buoyant this year, with record trade at the Derby Sale, and there was strong anticipation ahead of this week’s sale. Following the change in sale date from July to August, we were very pleased with the continued support from our vendors, as well as the strong participation from buyers, and to see increases across the board.

“Buyers were particularly focused on horses with commercial appeal. We had a strong presence of clients looking to prepare, race and trade horses, which contributed to healthy competition for horses with the right profile, however it would be remiss not to acknowledge that it was selective for those horses that did not meet with the exacting requirements of the market.

“Most of Ireland’s leading point-to-point handlers were on site over the two days, and we look forward to following the progress of our graduates in the point-to-point fields next spring. It was also encouraging to see a strong UK presence, with owners and trainers from across the water featuring prominently on the buyers’ table.

“From a National Hunt perspective, our attention now turns to the November National Hunt Sale, with our inspectors currently carrying out visits nationwide with entries closing over the coming weeks.”

All horses catalogued and offered in the August National Hunt Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland MSL Mercedes-Benz Sales Bumper at Leopardstown on 28th December 2027.