Old Park Star sibling is top priced lot on opening day of August National Hunt Sale

The strength of the Irish National Hunt market existent through the summer, continued at the two-day Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale, with strong and selective trade producing a top price of €70,000, given by Tom Malone and Paul Nicholls for the Rich History half-brother to this year’s Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Old Park Star (Lot 218). It is the highest price given at the August National Hunt Sale since 2019.

The single session saw three lots sell for €50,000 and above, and nine sold for €40,000 or more – the highest number to reach those levels at the Tattersalls Ireland August National Hunt Sale since 2022.

Jimmy Kelly was acting for Malone and Nicholls, and the buying team had good reason to be attracted to this gelding having purchased Old Park Star as a three-year-old store.

“Tom couldn’t be here today, but he was all over this horse when he knew he was coming here,” said Kelly, who bid from the balcony and was taking instructions over the telephone. “Paul was keen to get back in with the family again. The horse deserved to make that as he’s a quality horse with a very good pedigree with two of his half-brothers both very good horses.”

Hillview Stud consigned the three-year-old as a wildcard entry, a bout of coughing having caused the horse to be withdrawn from the Derby Sale.

The gelding is also a half-brother to the 2020 Grand Annual winner Chosen Mate, and an emotional consignor David Fenton, a recent winner of a Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder Award, said: “I am happy with that, though he was entitled to make it. He is going to a good home, and hopefully he will be another star for the mare.”

British trainer Tom Lacey is busy restocking his point-to-point division and went to €55,000 for a Nirvana Du Berlais gelding sold by Creighmore Stables (Lot 131) and to €45,000 for an In Swoop gelding consigned by Moanmore Stables (Lot 145).

“We’ll get them home and break them in,” said Lacey, who signed as Tom Lacey / UK P2P. “There’s a bit of sorting out to do, but they will probably be produced to go pointing, will be for resale and have been bought for a group of owners.”

The Nirvana Du Berlais gelding is out of the winning, black-type-placed Linda’s Lad mare Larabelle, the dam of three winners, including the French Listed-placed hurdler Magic Flight and Alicious (Pastorius), who won a fillies bumper on her racecourse debut at Wexford just four days ago for trainer Willie Mullins.

“He is a lovely individual by a good sire,” said Lacey. “He has that lovely recent pedigree update. I’m very happy to get him and thought he was one of the standouts here today. We haven’t had any by the sire, but he is pretty good, isn’t he?”

Of the In Swoop gelding, he said: “He is the first by the sire I have bought, and they were obviously well received earlier in the spring. He’s a loose, athletic, good-bodied horse and I think he’s value. I loved him when I saw him in the barns, and wanted to follow him in.”

Of the In Swoop gelding, he said: “He is the first by the sire I have bought, and they were obviously well received earlier in the spring. He’s a loose, athletic, good-bodied horse and I think he’s value. I loved him when I saw him in the barns, and wanted to follow him in.”

Lacey has previously found the August National Hunt Sale to be a happy hunting ground for quality horses and added: “As the Derby Sale was just so strong we were a bit short on numbers, so we’ve come here today to buy three or four.”

Fellow British trainer Toby Bulgin went to €50,000 for the Soldier Of Fortune gelding sold as a wildcard entry by Walshtown Stables for Gavin Coleman (Lot 181).

“I think he is one of the nicest horses of the day, and my heart was set on him,” said Bulgin. “He’ll probably run in a bumper and then we’ll look to resell. I hope he’ll run in the spring. He will do plenty of work and then he’ll have a couple of easy gallops around Kempton and we’ll take it from there – that’s our usual plan.”

The chestnut gelding is out of Miss Buck’s, a Presenting own-sister to the seven-time winner Slate House, winner of the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.

All horses catalogued and offered at the August National Hunt Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland MSL Mercedes-Benz Sales Bumper, run the 2027 Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

The second day of the August National Hunt Sale begins at 10:00am tomorrow.