Drama played out early on the second day of the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale which was the stage for an electrifying battle between training’s old guard and rising stars over a son of Walk In The Park who became the most expensive three-year-old store sold so far this sale season at €210,000.
The main protagonists were stationed at various vantage points around the ring as the gangway filled up with eager onlookers straining to catch a glimpse of the gelding who was a bold pinhook by Ciaran ‘Flash’ Conroy of Glenvale Stud who paid €100,000 for him in this ring at the November National Hunt Sale where he was sold by breeder Frank Motherway’s Yellowford Farm.
Bloodstock agent Jerry McGrath alongside Nicky Henderson on the bridge made the early running and a strong play for the bay who is out of a Presenting half-sister to Listed Henrietta Knight Mares’ Bumper winner Vegas Blue.
Harold Kirk was in his usual location in the corridor, while Aiden Murphy was almost directly diagonally opposite but on the upper level, outside his office.
Like the proverbial tennis match the ball flew across the net as the gelding’s price pushed ever skywards and McGrath was forced to bow out leaving Kirk, who acts on behalf of Willie Mullins, and Murphy to fight it out like a final set Grand Slam tie-break.
Murphy brought the bidding to the €200,000 mark and Kirk’s bid of €205,000 brought this summer’s store sales into uncharted waters, but Murphy was not to be denied and hit a winner down the line at €210,000.
Aiden Murphy said: “This is the nicest Walk In The Park at the sale, I loved him and he is for a new partnership of owners in the yard who decided to join forces to improve their prospects at the sales.”
The father and son duo were among the most prolific purchasers on the opening day of the Derby Sale, signing for five horses and continued in that vein on Thursday morning going to €85,000 for the first horse in the ring – a Yeats half-sister to Grade 2-placed hurdler Game On For Glory and Jeune Belle, who was second in a Listed mares’ bumper at Cheltenham.
Their half-sister was offered by Galbertstown Stables and was bred by leading jockey and now MEP Nina Carberry, who sold the filly as a foal for €25,000 to Gerry Hogan.
On Wednesday Murphy outlined the process they have put in place for the development of their young horses which begins in Ireland and the yard of brothers Paddy and Jack Kennedy, the stable jockey to Gordon Elliott for whom Olly was assistant trainer before going solo.
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Skelton snaps up well-related juvenile by Ectot for €100,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale