SALES REPORT - IRISH DERBY SALES

Ella Herbert looks back at the recent Tattersall Irish Derby Sales and gives her breakdown on all the biggest sales. The Tattersalls Ireland sales complex was once again teeming with potential athletes last week, when it played host to the 2025 Tattersalls Derby Sale.

Given the strength of the trade at the Arkle Sale, Tattersalls would have been hoping for similar action in Ratoath, which by all accounts, they got. At €17,698,000, the turnover was as good as it has been since 2022, and thirty-eight individuals realised €100,000 or north of that.

The top three lots all managed to economically eclipse Sparky May’s two-year-old colt by Walk In The Park, the talk of the Arkle Sale. Ballyreddin and Busherstown Stud consigned a gelding by the stallion that was knocked down to Dan Skelton and agent Ryan Mahon for €285,000, thus earning the top lot honours. The gelding is out of the Stowaway mare Posh Trish, an early Irish point-to-point winner herself who also struck thrice in black-type company. Joey Logan gave €85,000 for the horse as a foal.

Not far behind him was Moanmore Stables’ Tunis filly, named Moscovite. Tunis’ stock are proving to be very popular with the British and Irish markets at the moment, and this filly was clearly in demand. Originally a €43,000 foal purchase from the Arqana Autumn Sale, Tom Malone and Gavin Cromwell had to spend €260,000 to leave with her. The price was a testament to her quality as an individual – Moscovite made more than the two most expensive fillies at the Arkle Sale combined.

For additional context, the second highest price realised by a filly at the Derby Sale was €150,000. This was paid for a Masked Marvel store consigned by Oak Tree Farm called Miss Mam. She was knocked down to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins.

Closutton’s inimitable duo secured nine lots overall, including Fontaine L’Abbe, a Goliath du Berlais gelding from Sluggara Farm, who realised €160,000. This individual is out of a Grade 3-winning hurdler by Martaline, Martalette. They also gave €180,000 for a Nathaniel gelding consigned by Castledillon Stud, an individual out of a daughter of Poliglote called Floressa, a Listed-winning hurdler closely related to the black-type mare Polygona.

There were twenty-two lots offered by Walk In The Park, whose stores cumulated the most money – they sold for total amount of €1,788,000, with a healthy average of just over €81,000. The recent exploits of Nick Rockett and Inothewayurthinkin have only bolstered appetite for his stock. written by Gabriella Herbert