Inaugural Tattersalls May NH Sale Topped by Ittack Blue at 310,000 Guineas

The inaugural Tattersalls May NH Sale was headed by the sale of ITTACK BLUE for 310,000 guineas, with four further point-to-pointers selling for more than 150,000 guineas. The average stood at 51,509 guineas and the median at 37,500 guineas, with turnover just shy of three million guineas and 21 lots sold for 50,000 guineas or more.

Mahon Secures Ittack Blue for 310,000 Guineas

The top lot of the inaugural Tattersalls May NH Sale was the four-year-old gelding ITTACK BLUE who was knocked down for 310,000 guineas to Ryan Mahon following a protracted bidding duel with Eddie O’Leary. The son of COASTAL PATH made a striking impression when a sixteenth length winner of a Punchestown point-to-point on debut and was offered by Matthew Flynn O’Connor’s Ballycrystal Stables.

"He is a lovely horse, looks to have an enormous engine and goes to an existing client with Dan Skelton," said Mahon. "The vibes from Matty were good and the horse came highly recommended. He was impressive when he won."  

A delighted Matthew Flynn O'Connor commented: "That is it, they are all sold now! We have to restock now, that is the next thing. We've had a great season, thank god. We have had eight or nine four-year-old winners, it’s nice to keep the ball rolling and finish strong – we had a bit of a quieter February to March as they got sick on me.  

"This is a lovely horse, we always liked him at home. He was always good from breaking and through all his work, he just did everything properly from day one. You never expect when they take on fifteen runners that they can win like he did."  

Of the Tattersalls May NH Sale, Flynn O'Connor added: "I think this is a great sale. It is nice to be here, the facilities are great and everyone likes coming here."  

Flynn O'Connor bought the gelding for €30,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland May Store Sale and has enjoyed an exceptional year with his point-to-pointers, topping the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale with the sale of DEEPLY SUPERFICIAL for £385,000. 

Seeyouinmydreams to Malone for 235,000 Guineas

The four-year-old filly SEEYOUINMYDREAMS followed ITTACK BLUE into the sales ring and fetched the third highest price of the day, selling for 235,000 guineas to the bid of Tom Malone who saw off the attentions of persistent underbidder Aiden Murphy.  

The daughter of TELESCOPE won her mares' maiden point-to-point at Largy for trainer Paul Martin Pierce and is the most expensive lot to be sold by her sire so far. She was consigned by Andrew Pierce of Blackhall Stables and was purchased under the banner Rempods for just £10,500 at the 2021 Tattersalls Ascot December Sale.  

Malone was delighted with his purchase and said: "She has come from a very good farm. Andrew said he gave her two bits of work and the gears she showed in them was frightening. But she has the pedigree for that, it is a proper pedigree and she was so impressive in her point. To me she is a 'gelding-type' filly and I have bought her for Paul Nicholls."  

He added: "She has got all the bonuses, which for me is a massive addition - if she is above average, there is £60,000 to £100,000 in bonuses - you are getting some sort of money back. She is for sale and hopefully she is a good one."  

The pedigree enthused over by Malone includes two black-type winning siblings in Grade 2 Champion Hurdle Trial winner SONGE, fourth in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle, and SANDY CAY, twice Listed placed over hurdles in France. SEEYOUINMYDREAMS’ granddam is the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner SILVERMINE, the dam of Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner SILLERY, Listed winner SILVERING and the Listed winning hurdler SKY.  

Malone Strikes for Divilskin at 245,000 Guineas

Tom Malone struck again for Paul Nicholls later in the sale when going to 245,000 guineas for the four-year-old DIVILSKIN, consigned by Colin Bowe's Milestone Stables. The DOYEN gelding was an impressive debut winner of a competitive maiden point-to-point at Largy on 30th April.  

"It is the same story and he is another for Ditcheat," smiled Malone. "I have bought a couple of pointers this year by Doyen and this horse was impressive in his run. I am happy to get this horse and lot 9, they are two nice new recruits for the season."  

DIVILSKIN is a half-brother to the FLEMENSFIRTH mare PUMPED UP KICKS, winner of a Listed chase at Cheltenham, and two further winners. His dam BEAUTY STAR is a half-sister to TIGER CRY, runner up in the Grade 1 Galway Hurdle and the Grade 1 Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle and winner of the Grade 3 Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham. 

Ballycrystal Stables Reinvest in a Son of Youmzain 

The store section of the Tattersalls May NH Sale was topped by a three-year-old son of YOUMZAIN consigned by Peter Nolan Bloodstock and bought by Matthew Flynn O’Connor’s Ballycrystal Stables for 35,000 guineas, wasting no time in restocking following the earlier sale of the top lot ITTACK BLUE.  

The gelding is out of the PRESENTING mare ALL STAR LADY, whose Listed winning granddam AUNTIE DOT was a prolific winner over fences and placed in the Grand National and the Thyestes Chase. It is the family of the prolific winning chaser TOWNLEY STONE.  

End of Sale Statement  

At the conclusion of the Tattersalls May NH Sale, Head of Sales Matthew Prior commented;  

“Tattersalls Park Paddocks in Newmarket has already established itself as a proven venue for selling high quality point-to-pointers and National Hunt horses in training having hosted relocated Tattersalls Cheltenham sales over the last two COVID-disrupted years. Those sales produced record prices as well as numerous top quality racecourse performers, all of which encouraged us to host today’s inaugural May NH Sale in Newmarket.  

“That decision was borne out with a sale that has achieved turnover of just shy of 3 million guineas as well as five point-to-pointers selling for 150,000 guineas or more and a top price of 310,000 guineas. Many of the British and Irish National Hunt fraternity’s most familiar faces were present at Park Paddocks resulting in solid trade and plenty of competition for the most sought after lots.  

“We also took the decision to sell a number of store horses for the first time in Newmarket and whilst a top price of 35,000 guineas and an average of 13,368 guineas are respectable, the clearance rate was less than we would have hoped for. We are very appreciative of the support shown to us by store consignors and will reassess whether combining point-to-pointers and store horses is the optimal format for this fixture.”