Kopek Des Bordes All Class With Bumper Success

Tattersalls Ireland graduates delivered some high-quality performances across a packed Easter weekend schedule, headlined by the Fairyhouse Easter Festival.

Derby Sale graduate Kopek Des Bordes ran out a 13-length winner of the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Sales Bumper, and the son of No Risk At All looks to have a bright future based on this impressive display.

The four-year-old was purchased for €130,000 at the 2023 Derby Sale from Walter Connor’s Sluggara Farm by Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins. He is a tenth foal out of the unraced Miss Berry, and is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Utopie Des Bordes.

Owned by Monabeg Investments Limited, for whom well-known Cork based Insurance broker Charles McCarthy is a member, Kopek Des Bordes led home fellow Derby Sale graduates Clap Of Thunder and Doctor Steinberg in second and third.

Derby Sale graduate Asterion Forlonge landed the featured Grade 3 Chase at Cork. It was a third win over fences for the Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned grey, who is a former Grade 1 winning novice hurdler. He is also a graduate of the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale where he was purchased by current connections from Pat Doyle’s Suirview Stables.

Mirazur West delivered a dominant display to take the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle in the colours of owner JP McManus. A full-brother to fellow Derby Sale graduate Ferny Hollow, he bowled along in his customary front running style and picked up in fine style when challenged in the straight.

The son of Westerner was purchased for €160,000 at the 2021 Derby Sale from Castletown Quarry Stud by Paul Holden and Michael Shefflin. The six-year-old was adding to his course and distance win in January, and he had four-and-a-half lengths to spare at the line.

Captain Cody landed the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles. The July Store Sale graduate was adding to his maiden hurdle win at Gowran earlier in the season. The six-year-old son of Arctic Cosmos was purchased in 2021 from Churchland Stables by Templeburn Stables for €7,500.

The Henry De Bromhead trained Air Of Entitlement made a successful racecourse debut at Cork on Easter Monday. The daughter of Westerner was purchased for €90,000 at the 2022 Derby Sale from Rathkenty Stud by Margaret O’Toole. She hails from the family of Irish Grand National winner Rogue Angel, and had almost five lengths to spare at the business end.

She had previously won between the flags at Lingstown for trainer Colin Bowe in December of last year, and looks a nice prospect for hurdling next season.

Robcour and Henry De Bromhead also combined to land the Grade 2 chase on Easter Monday at Fairyhouse with Journey With Me. The eight-year-old was purchased as a foal at the November NH Sale from Con O’Keeffe’s Kilbarry Lodge Stud by Woodview House, and was adding to a Grade 3 success as a novice last season.

Derby Sale graduate Lucky Lyreen made a successful handicap debut for the Lyreen Syndicate. He has shown steady progression this season and this win represented a career best effort from the six-year-old who was purchased from Boardsmill Stud by Aidan O’Ryan and Gordon Elliott for €70,000.

There was a memorable win for trainer Dermot McLoughlin and owner Alan Smith as their seven-year-old mare Mousey Brown was produced late to land the valuable listed handicap hurdle on Saturday. Mousey Brown is a graduate of the 2020 May Store Sale where she was purchased from Moyfinn Stud by her owner Alan Smith and JD Moore.

The Philip Rothwell-trained Captain’s Nephew showed good battling qualities to win the listed handicap chase on Sunday. The seven-year-old is a dual Tattersalls Ireland graduate where he most recently was purchased at the 2020 Derby Sale from Broad Meadow Stables by Monbeg Stables for €26,000.

He was bought as foal at the November NH Sale by Nina Carberry from Peter Nolan Bloodstock, and Sunday’s win was a second win for fences for the seven-year-old who runs in the colours of Tom Doran.

Across in the UK, other graduates to make their mark were 2020 Derby Sale graduate Concetto who made it four wins over fences for trainers Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero.

The Kim Bailey-trained Magical Escape broke his maiden tag over hurdles where he seemed to relish the step up in distance from his previous starts. He was purchased at the November NH Sale from Ennel Bloodstock by William Bryan.