Report from Tatts Ireland August Store sale

Three days in Ireland, mid August, coincided with probably the worst weather of the summer, either side of the Irish Sea.

It all started so well, meeting up at Edinburgh Airport for the early morning flight to Dublin. Five slightly bleary-eyed travellers from assorted racing backgrounds - trainer, jockey, top work rider, owner and hanger-on cum driver. Swift flight, pick up the car in double quick time and arrive at the sales just the back of 10 am - sorted!. Blue skies, youngsters discarding jackets, jerseys and we set off in search of selections from the inspection list.

Come midday, grey clouds set in, the wind freshened and clothing was redeemed as the sun disappeared for a couple of days, with drizzling rain becoming the norm. Nevertheless, this didn't hamper enthusiasm and with around 660 catalogued lots with an anticipated median of around e5,000 putting around 75% of the horses in reach of our budget for the duration of the sale.
Now, if it hadn't been for that damned Brexit playing havoc with the exchange rate, life would have been perfect............

As always at our level, competition was fierce from the Irish point-to-point field, where the proven path to wealth lies in winning a 4 yr old maiden and offering a star to the English via the monthly Ascot sales. For our own hopes, these would lie in selecting a couple of horses at reasonable prices, and aiming to impress in a bumper but with slightly more backward types being trained to go down the handicap route.

We ended up bidding on several youngsters, and were successful with 3 in the end. (Click on lot number for catalogue page)

• 3yr old bay gelding by Scorpion - lot 101
  Good looking sort by the Coolmore sire, whose oldest progeny at 7, he may need a bit of time to furnish into his frame
• 3yr old bay filly by Oscar - lot 157
  She's not overbig, but is a typical Oscar, tough and racey
• 4yr old chesnut filly by Gamut - lot 372
  Couldn't leave her behind, a no-brainer to bring home this year younger full sister to our promising bumper mare Paper Roses

'Sting' - the Scorpion gelding in his box at Tatts

'Reeva', the Oscar filly, pictured at one of the few rain-free moments

We thought we'd crack on straight away with the 2 fillies, but when we phoned Tim Reed he said he could take all three to complete their education. The trio have not been as well prepared as if they had been offered at any of the 3 big Spring/Summer NH Store Sales, but they will have been lunged, maybe long-reined and backed.
The gelding may take a wee bit longer but we're quite excited by these new additions to the yard, although it will be the Spring of 2017 before we can expect them to be ready for racecourse debuts.