Image © Healy Racing
Tattersalls Ireland concluded it’s final store sale of the season with the second session of the July Store Sale. Over the two days 296 were sold with a turnover of €2,617,650 with an average price of €8,843 an a media of €6,000. There were 13 horses that realised over €30,000 which was an increase on 2024.
Wexford based rider and handler Rob James stayed late in day and followed in Lot 546 Milton A La Motte by Born To Sea for €42,000, consigned by Rathturtin Stud.
James remarked afterwards: ‘I had a filly by Born To Sea last year and I was lucky with her. Denis Cummins took me took to look at this horse and I liked him. Hopefully, this lad will be as lucky as the filly – they are both solid sorts. He is a great walker, a hardy looking sort his Dam was a two-time winner and her two runners are both winners.’
That wasn’t the only horse James bought on the day, he also followed in Lot 393 a gelding by Poet’s Word for €35,000 from Peter Nolan Bloodstock.
He said afterwards:’ He is the nicest walker all day, and I have been waiting for him since yesterday. He will go point-to-pointing and has come from a good home with Peter and the owner. I have not had any by the sire, but have bought two by him this spring. He had a great time of it last winter, and is an up and coming sire and he is stamping his stock, they are great walkers.’
Jim O’Neill and Sean Doyle secured a nice prospect in lot 307 by Kilbarry Lodge Stud based Success Days, who had a good season with his first crop of four-year-old point-to-pointers.
He was signed for by Jim O’Neill of Cametigue Stables, he said afterwards; ‘He will go point-to-pointing for myself and Sean Doyle. We remember Red Devil Boys [half-brother] when he was with Colin Bowe and he was a lovely horse. We will get him home, broken and head point-to-pointing. He has a nice pedigree and the sire has had a couple of winners this year.’
‘We didn’t think we’d have to give that for him, it was enough for this type of sale. We thought we might have got him for a little bit cheaper!’
The gelding is also a half brother to Clondaw Castle, who won multiple graded races.
Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins commented: “The Store season concluded with this week’s July Sale, which remains an important final opportunity in the National Hunt Store calendar. It follows a month after a hugely successful renewal of our Derby Sale. This week’s sale does however illustrate the challenges faced by vendors and whilst a significant number of Store horses have already gone through the sales ring this year, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the challenges that face vendors at this level of the market as witnessed by this sale’s clearance rate. We will review all aspects of our Store sales at the end of the year.
"This summer’s Store sale season has delivered standout results with the Derby Sale being a particular high point. It produced the highest-priced Store sold in Ireland this year, and across every key metric it significantly surpassed last year’s strong figures. A record-breaking 38 lots sold for €100,000 or more, while a spend of €10 million on day two, was a record for a single session at the Derby Sale.
“Irish point-to-points play a crucial role as the grass roots of National Hunt racing, and this week’s sale has seen good support from handlers. The sale produced some smart four-year-old winners during the spring, and it was encouraging to hear purchasers immediately earmark spring targets between the flags.
“I look forward to seeing this group of graduates build on the success of past graduates of this sale."
All horses catalogued and offered in the July Store Sale are eligible for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland MSL Mercedes-Benz Sales Bumper at Leopardstown on 28th December 2026.
