Cavan Premier three-year-old Sale

Despite efforts to upgrade the quality and reduce the numbers, last week’s Premier three-year-old Sale at Cavan had to be disappointing.

The top price of €18,000 was a distance below the €34,000 of 12 months ago, while also showing a deficit, the clearance dipped to 38%.

Just 19 of the 50 lots forward changed hands, with the top price of €18,000 falling to Stephen Reilly’s Creevyquin Diamanta, a filly by Diamant de Semilly out of the good mare Ballintogher Evidence by Cavalier Royale.

Sporting a solid black type pedigree, and an immediate maternal relation to Shannondale Ard Ri (1.50m), the homebred filly was knocked down to Co Limerick show jumping producer Carl Dore.

Sale topper aside, another nine lots realised five figures, among which were a further two by the popular Diamant de Semilly.

First up was Pat McDonnell’s gelding out of Kilmanac Stiletto (Lux Z) who, as a sibling to two 1.40m level performers and from the family of the Olympic event horse Electric Cruise, was secured remotely by Kyrgyzstan based bidder Islam Akhmetov.

The second of the duo was Bulimba Sport Horses’ Creevyquinn Amber, a chestnut filly out of Inea VDL by Tinka’s Boy. Another bred by sale topping vendor Stephen Reilly, she was secured by an Irish cash customer at €13,500.

Selling for the same figure and knocked down to busy buyer Carl Dore was Lisa Cawley’s gelding by Aganix de Seigneur out of the useful 1.40m mare Glimmering (Loughehoe Guy).

Hailing from a stout traditional dam’s line, the second dam Cruise Leaf bred Ballypatrick Flamenco (1.60m), and is from the family of Cruise On Clover (1.60m). Dore, whose sons Jack and Kian are top show jumping pony riders, plans to produce these youngsters under saddle with the view to eventually selling on.

French buyer Helene Hormiere accounted for two lots on the night, one of which was Rory Finnerty’s Smart Action, a filly by the recently deceased Vivant Van’t de Heffinck out of Diamond Society by the thoroughbred sire Nigrasine.

Hormiere paid €14,000 for this good sort, while at €13,200 the cash purchase of a filly by Tyson (dam by Chacoa) is believed to be bound for America.

Top returns

Wednesday’s Performance Sale fared much better in terms of clearance (69%) but once again, the top returns were notably less than last year’s equivalent edition.

That said, three individuals realised the bench mark five figure sum, the best of which was Joey Pietrusa’s five-year-old palomino mare by the Irish Sport horse sire Coolfin Dynamite out of Frioda For Diamonds (Carrick Diamond Lad) who was knocked down to Mary Browning for €10,100.

Making just €100 less at €10,000, Kieran Morrin’s well warranted five-year-old gelding Stormzy (no recorded breeding) was secured by trade customer Michael Kelly, while selling for the same amount Ciara O’Reilly’s potential event horse Ballyv Blake, a six-year-old by Luidam out ILMS Paris (Windine) was knocked down to a Cash buyer.

Trade customers were prominent throughout and contributed strongly to the average of €5,000 as well as several of the better returns.

Overall, business peaked for the well ridden older stock, but selling well to top the four-year-old division at €9,000 was Keith Wilson’s full Irish Draught gelding Boston, a typical type by Castle Crest (dam by Allys Bridge).

With prices ranging upwards from €1,500, the market for three-year-olds was very patchy and selective.

Bucking the trend however, to head the sector at €9,600 was Alan O’Brien’s well related OSH Tycoon, a son of Tyson out of the jumping mare OSH Embrace by Glasgow Van’t Merelsnest.

While the pony trade was not as strong as usual at the venue, three ponies made in excess of €6,000, the best of which at €6,900 went to the Fairview Stud’s six-year-old, 148cms jumping Miss Poppy.

Top returns