Local horses in demand

SOME WEXFORD point-to-point horses that were in successful action over the previous two weekends were in demand at the Tattersalls Ascot Sale on Thursday, achieving six of the top ten prices, ranging from £70,000 down to £30,000.

This was a slightly lower-key affair than some of the recent dramatic sales, but was considered very satisfactory with some of the smaller stables in the county doing some nice business.

Sales topper was Treasure Dillon, a four-year-old gelding, first produce of sire San Frontiers; an impressive winner at Durrow under Seán O’Keeffe, he was sold by owner/trainer Pierce Power, The Hook, to Evan Williams for £70,000. He was previously bought at the Goffs Landrover sale for £10,000.

Financial Outcome, a fiveyear-old gelding and first points winner by Financial Reward, scored his second win from five runs in impressive style at Ballyraggett under Jamie Codd and was sold by James and John Paul Brennan, Camolin, to Welsh trainer Rebecca Curtis for £50,000.

Aclassagold, five-year-old bay gelding from the Crossgales, Murrintown stables of Jenny Roche and Benny Walsh, owned by R.J. Cleary and Mark Stafford, won at Tyrella, Co. Down and sold for £43,000; Jenny also sold On Raglan Road, a six-year-old by Walk in the Park, for £11,000.

Donnchadh Doyle of the Monbeg Stables made his mark as usual, selling three. Diger Daudaie, a five-year-old by Tiger Groom, which won on debut at Kildorrery last month, went to Charlie Longsdon for £48,000; Ballybreen, a five-year-old bay gelding by Goldwell, which won at Ballyarthur three weeks ago, went to trainer Evan Williams for £30,000, and Sheila Tanist, a five-year-old mare by Court Cave, won at the same meeting and went for £20,000.

Redbridge Gold, a five-yearold mare by Gold Well, gave young Seán Staples his first-ever winner at Lingstown on March 11; trained by Ashleigh Murphy and owned by Michael Murphy at Duncormick, she went for £30,000 to Jamie Snowden; they also sold Gold Runner, a six-yearold by the same sire, for £6,000.

Denis Murphy, Ballyboy, The Ballagh, won with Bright Side of Life, a five-year-old mare by Doyen, at Belclare in Galway three weeks ago, under Luke Murphy from Inch, and she was bought by Donald McCain for £23,000.

The Boom is Back, a six-yearold maiden winner on his second outing at Durrow five days before the sale for Vincent and James Devereux from Rostoonstown, was sold to Christian Williams for £13,000.