Point-to-point buyers in action at Tattersalls Ireland

Tattersalls Ireland staged its two-day August National Hunt Sale of unbroken store horses this week when trainers of point-to-pointers made their presence felt.

Herefordshire-based Tom Lacey, best known these days as a licensed trainer, has retained an attachment with Britain’s point-to-point circuit, a sport in which he rode for a number of years before commencing his training career. He purchased a couple of star lots during Wednesday’s first session, notably when investing €55,000 in a son of Nirvana Du Berlais who he bought in the name of Tom Lacey/UK P2P.

Using the same sign-off he subsequently gained a €45,000 gelding from the first crop of German Derby winner In Swoop, who stands under the Coolmore banner at Beeches Stud.

Of the Nirvana Du Belais Lacey told Tattersalls Ireland: “We’ll get him home and break him in, then see how we go. There’s every option with him but he will probably be produced for resale.

“I just thought he was a lovely individual by a good sire, and he has a lovely recent pedigree update [half-sister Alicious won the fillies’ bumper on debut at Wexford on Saturday].”

Pre-sale inspection of horses a key part of buying for Herefordshire-based Tom Lacey

Lacey said he hoped the coming point-to-point season will provide “a platform to showcase these [young] horses” by staging suitable races at the “right time of year”, an ongoing project which the Point-to-Point Authority and Point-to-Point Secretaries’ Association have been working on. He said: “We do have this GB Bonus Scheme for four- and five-year-old maidens, which is obviously a good incentive and it would be good to build on that.”

Of the In Swoop he purchased Lacey said: “This fellow is going the same route as the Nirvana Du Berlais. He will be for resale at some point. He is the first In Swoop I have bought, and they were obviously well received earlier in the spring. He’s a loose, athletic, good-bodied horse and I think he’s value.”

Cheshire trainer Fred Timmis was in action early and generated the first sale of the opening day when parting with €8,500 for a son of Maxios, a sire also responsible for a €5,000 gelding knocked down to Yorkshire’s Jack Teal of Briardale Equestrian. Teal also gained a son of Vadamos for €2,000 at the second session.

Agent Dan Astbury and Herefordshire trainer Chris Barber waited patiently until the end of the first day before securing the final sold lot of the session, a son of Aizavoski for €11,000, while Tommie O’Brien, a familiar face in changing tents, had earlier hooked up with trainer Max Comley to buy a son of Shirocco for €4,000.

O’Brien was back in action at the second and final session when he teamed up with Devon-based Lisa Jefford to gain a filly by Affinisea for €7,000 and also when he and fellow rider Anna Johnston invested €3,000 in a daughter of Snow Sky.

Jefford’s husband Leslie, who trains near Cullompton in Devon, confirmed the plan is to run the Affinisea filly in point-to-points next season and added: “Tommie is very good at studying families, sire patterns and conformation so hopefully it works out.

“He and Anna are building a team for the future and it’s great to be seeing it happen. Hopefully they can buy and ride a few winners for us too.”

Tommie O’Brien, who was involved in at least three purchases at this week’s sale (Ce)

Timmis added to his string with a €26,000 Getaway gelding who is a half-brother to the Neil King-trained Lookaway, a Gr.2 winner and Gr.1 placed over hurdles and successful in a valuable Gr.3 handicap chase at Kempton in February.

Tattersalls Ireland’s August National Hunt Sale is a tier below the same sales company’s Derby Sale held in June, but it recorded increases in all the key figures. At this week’s auction 305 of 482 offered lots were sold for an average price of €11,185, up 26 per cent.

Full details and results here: https://secure.tattersalls.ie/4DCGI/Sale/Live?site=FH