Headed by a healthy return of €9,100, last week’s young stock sale at Cavan was otherwise mixed and closed with a rather low-key set of returns.

Predictably two tier, Wednesday’s renewal saw 47 lots change hands leading to a modest clearance of 42% (54% in 2023) together with an average of €3,276 (€3,934).

As expected, the foals from the ‘winter premier selection’ fared the best with the top return of €9,100 falling to Cliodhna Breen’s colt by Balou Du Rouet out of Eurgetta (Cantos).

Well related, the dam jumped to 1.20m with the vendor and is a half-sister to Argita (1.45m) and from the family of Dargita Z (1.50m).

A flashy chestnut with three white legs, he was knocked down to Carl Dore, father of international rider Cian Dore, who was a prominent buyer at the recent Elite Foal sale at the venue.

He also parted with €5,000 for Teresa Walsh’s colt by Carrera VDL out of the stoutly bred jumping mare Plot de Fernhill (Plot Blue) who in turn is a sibling to MHS Attraction (1.60m), MHS Gabhran (1.60m) and several further top performers.

Next in line at €8,500 was Patrick Connolly’s CSF Chacoon, a colt foal by Chacoon Blue out of CSF Kayla (Kannan). A catalogue pick on paper, this colt hails from an extremely solid Quick Star/Voltaire maternal line which is headed by the dam who is a half-sister to the eight-year-old CSF Whipper Snapper (1.50m) and many other graded performers.

As a previous owner of Whipper Snapper, it was unsurprising to see Kylemore Stud’s Ivor Broderick at ringside to sign for this classy colt, whose dam CSF Kayla is back in foal to Chacoon Blue again.

The same sire was also responsible for Isabelle Kenny’s filly out of the Berlin sired Berlina, who sold well to Annie Courtnay Cadnam for €8,200.

These premier foals aside, trade was tricky for the remainder. A further five lots respectively realised between €5,000-€5,500, but the average was let down by too many making less than their production costs.

Irish Draughts

The eight-year-old mare Dolly Herself was sold for €9,800 at the Cavan Irish Draught sale.

Always a popular sale in terms of crowd footfall, Thursday’s session of Irish Draught stock followed a similar pattern. Just 33 of the 77 lots forward changed hands illustrating a significant dip in clearance to 43% (65% in 2023) but accompanied by a similar average of €2,803 (€2,994 in 2023).

There were however a few stand outs, among which was Vincent Burns’s well produced Dolly Herself, an eight-year-old mare by Fintan Himself out of Springvale Dawn Rose by Castana.

Having already bred four foals, she was beautifully prepped for the owners at the Drumhowan Stud and was sold in foal to the Stud’s new Class 1 stallion WGS Rajah. Co Fermanagh’s Brendan Keown paid the day’s top price of €9,800 for this good sort.

A little earlier in the day British buyer Chloe Taylor parted with €7,500 for Martin Connolly’s Ballymena Sue, a three-year-old filly by Castleview Inishfree Farmer out of the Grosvenor Lad sired Shanwar Dawn.

Just three lots – and all mares, realised in excess of €5,000 while in contrast, demand was weak for foals.

Having sold the overall sale topper, Vincent Burns also sold the top foal when receiving €3,100 for a colt foal by Dunsandle Diamond. Similarly prepped and marketed by the team at Drumhowan and demonstrating the selling power of correct production, she was out of Fuertys Legacy (Moyglough Legacy). The best return for a filly foal was €2,600 paid for a bay by Touch of the Emperor.

Two-year-olds were better supported. This was illustrated by the €4,700 purchase of Martina Coyle’s homebred Ashfield Dubh Cash by Heigh Ho Dubh (dam by Scrapman) and the €4,000 sale of Rachel Sweeney’s British bound two-year-old by Beechmore Silver Crest out of Lough Star Katie (Millhollow Real MacCoy).

The top yearling return at €3,000 fell to George Ormiston’s homebred gelding by Dernahatten Vision out of the notable brood mare Cherrymount Star (Drumri).