Derby Sale Graduates Impressing Between The Flags

There was a number of outstanding performances from Tattersalls Ireland graduates throughout the autumn season in the point-to-point field, with names such as NEW RULES, PITCH AND TOSS, THE OLD HEAD and JARDIN DE TUNIS all expected to make their mark on the racecourse.

The John Murphy-trained New Rules impressed with a dominant display in a division of the four-year-old maiden at Ballindenisk last month, and the son of Walk In The Park was described by the trainer’s son George as a “very exciting prospect” in the aftermath of the victory.

John and George Murphy have introduced some exciting four-year-old in recent weeks.

He was a €105,000 purchase at the 2024 Derby Sale from Dick and JJ Frisby’s Glenwood Stud, and is a horse we should be hearing a lot more about in the future.

The Murphy team struck with another son of Walk In The Park called The Old Head at Dromahane. He was sold last year by Durham based Richard Collins under the Park Farm banner, and hails from the family of the 2007 Galway Hurdle winner Farmer Brown.

Cormac Doyle introduced a son of Harzand named Pitch And Toss in the four-year-old maiden at Tattersalls in late October, and the €65,000 Derby Sale purchase stretched away for a four-length victory.

He was sold by Gavin and Sean Howlett’s Rathyork Stud having been purchased as a foal by the pair at the November National Hunt Sale in 2021. The runner-up Landsborough was subsequently sold at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale by Jonathan Fogarty for £80,000, and it is highly likely that Pitch And Toss will develop into an above average performer.

Matthew Flynn O’Connor purchased Jardin De Tunis from John Bleahen’s Lakefield Farm for €110,000 at the 2024 Derby Sale and the grey son of Tunis improved markedly from his debut in the spring.

John Bleahen’s Lakefield Farm sold Jardin De Tunis to Ballycrystal Stables at the 2024 Derby Sale.

He is a half-brother to a Grade 3 runner-up in France, and appears a horse than will relish a test of stamina. Leading UK based trainer Lucinda Russell and her agent Paul McIvor were clearly impressed with his Knockmullen House victory, as the pair purchased him for £220,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale.

The Monbeg Stables team have sourced lots of top-class horses at the Derby Sale, including the recent Grade 1 winner Romeo Coolio, and Maxios Des Champs could well scale greater heights judged on her maiden win at Boulta in November.

The Doyle brothers from Monbeg Stables have enjoyed a successful autumn term with their Derby Sale graduates.

The daughter of Maxios hails from the family of the former high-class chaser Merry Gale. She was purchased at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale by agent Jerry McGrath on behalf of Nicky Henderson for £135,000.

Jonathan Fogarty’s powerful Gaynestown Stud have enjoyed a terrific couple of years with their four-year-olds, and Tendoo confirmed the promise shown on his debut in the spring when making virtually all the running to win at Turtulla. He beat another Derby Sale graduate Order On Time by three lengths, and the runner-up was purchased for £200,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale, and both horses will join the Paul Nicholls team in Ditcheat.

Tendoo is a son of Masked Marvel and was purchased from Denis Cummins’ Rathturtin Stud by Ross Doyle and Fogarty for €60,000, while Order On Time is out of a Grade 2 runner-up and was purchased from Hawthorn Villa Stud by Monbeg Stables.

The Gaynestown team saddled their fourth four-year-old winner of the autumn term with Super Junior running out an impressive five length winner at Dromahane. The son of Getaway is out of a half-sister to the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle winner Quick Grabim, and was purchased at the 2024 Derby Sale from Michael Moore’s Ballincurrig House Stud.

Trainer Michael Goff sourced three of his four-year-old autumn maiden winners at the Tattersalls Ireland Store sales, including Dancing Soldier, who was a €36,000 purchase from Johnny Collins’ Brown Island Stables by Declan Roberts.

The son of Soldier of Fortune is a half-brother to Kerry Lee’s Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase runner-up Demachine. He just touched off another Store sale graduate To Hot Too Trot at Ballindenisk last month, and has been purchased subsequently by agent Dan Astbury and leading Welsh trainer Mickey Bowen.

Wexford based trainer Paul Pierce purchased A Sight To Sea in May last year, and the son of Affinisea impressed on lookers when coming home with six lengths to spare at Lingstown in November. He is out of a full-sister to the nine-time winner Opening Batsman, and has been purchased by Dan Skelton and Ryan Mahon.

Pierce also saddled Derby Sale graduate Midnight In Tokyo to win at Lisronagh in early November. The son of Westerner was purchased from Edmond Ryan’s Weir View Stud by agent Darren O’Dwyer and narrowly held off the Sporting Gerard, a son of Order of St George who was the top priced lot at the 2024 July Store Sale. The runner-up was subsequently purchased by Paul Nicholls and Highflyer Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, and both Midnight In Tokyo and Sporting Gerard are two horses that should develop into nice long-term prospects.

Among the five-year-old maiden winners this autumn, Stuart Crawford saddled Irish Champ to win for owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir at Kirkistown, while Brian Hassett’s Rine Yeats won at Rathcannon on his second start and was subsequently purchased for £55,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale.

Tattersalls Ireland are delighted to offer their continued support to point-to-point fixtures throughout the upcoming spring campaign.

The new season commences on December 30 at Dromahane, and we eagerly await the appearance of our 2025 graduates in four-year-old maidens from early February onwards.

Nominations for the 2026 Derby Sale are now open, and inspections will commence in the new year.