Tynagh Express, a well-related son of Kannan (KWPN), headed the 22 lots sold at the Elite foal sale at Cavan last Thursday. Although his €7,500 price tag fell short of last year’s equivalent (€10,000), it played a part in producing a healthy clearance rate of 85% (92% in 2013) and an average of €4,550 (€4,782).

Bred by Marshall Jenkinson, the well-related sale topper is out of Tynagh Lily (Parco), a half-sister to the two grand prix show jumpers Consul Royale and I Cost A Lot. He is also from the immediate family of Tynagh Echo (Womanizer), who was the most expensive three-year-old (€21,500) to sell at auction in Ireland last year.

Highly rated by his owner/breeder, the colt was initially led out unsold at €6,000, but was later snapped up by Rathcoole-based show jumping owner Michael Hayden.

“For me, he was the best lot by far,” stated Hayden, who has horses with the American-based show jumper Paul O’Shea.

“We store them and then they go on to Francis Connors to produce, and, if good enough, they move to America.”

Best of the rest at €6,600 was Donal Cadden’s Kilbracken Blue Jay, a colt by Plot Blue out of the Spanish-based 1.30m performer Guga by Cruising. After a lengthy tussle, the hammer fell in favour of British-based show jumper Brian Cassidy, who was acting on behalf of British stud owner Nina Barbour.

Last year’s hugely successful sale was never going to be easy to match but, high prices aside, Thursday’s renewal delivered a very solid and consistent trade.

The remaining foals all realised between €2,900 and €5,700, and included Anna Dillon’s well-grown colt AKD Sandeman by last year’s sale topping stallion, Sandro Boy.

Kildare breeder and rider Julianne Gaffney secured this one at €5,700, before going on to buy Stephen Reilly’s top-priced filly, Creevyquin Stella (by Cardento), at €5,200 and the same vendor’s Creevyquin Blue (by Zirocco Blue VDL) for €5,100.

Among the other well-sold foals were Tom Magee’s filly by Ustinov out of the good mare Nellie (Urco Mena) at €5,100, Donal Cadden’s loose-moving colt foal by Connor (dam by Cassini I) looked attractive at €5,000, while selling for the same figure was the America-bound colt by Bubalu VDL (dam by Darco).

“A good sale, a good clearance and a good average,” summed up Stuart Clarke. “It was a little slower and stickier than last year, but we had a great crowd, and overall I have to be pleased. The live streaming worked well, and looking forward to next year we may look into the possibility of introducing live bidding.”