MAY SALE ATTRACTS QUALITY 28-STRONG CATALOGUE
Apr 27, 2022
Tuesday 26th April 2022 – The Henry de Bromhead-trained Atlantic Fairy, winner of a Listed novice hurdle at Navan and sixth in a Fairyhouse Grade 1 behind Skyace, is one of 28 lots set to go through ThoroughBid’s online ring at 6pm this Sunday 1st May.
The full catalogue offers eight pointers, who all qualify for ThoroughBid’s Point2Rules Bonus, black-type broodmares, and horses in training, ranging from two-year-old colts to Gavin Cromwell’s exciting bumper runner-up, Ahead Of The Posse, who finished second by a short head when splitting Gordon Elliot’s and Willie Mullins’ charges earlier this month at Ballinrobe.
Cromwell, who saddles Albert Bartlett winner Vanillier and Arkle second Gabynako at Punchestown this week, said: “Ahead Of The Posse is a lovely, loose-moving horse and a progressive type who I think will win his bumper the next day.
“He’ll be a nice horse to go hurdling with and then I think he’ll develop into a good staying chaser.”
Commandingpresence, a second representative of de Bromhead in the sale, is a Punchestown maiden hurdle winner with a career high rating of 137, the mark he ran under in last year’s Martin Pipe at Cheltenham.
There will be no less than eight lots going under the online hammer aiming to replicate Grandero Bello’s success in securing ThoroughBid’s Point2Rules bonus. Among them, and hoping to claim the full £15,000 available to British p2p graduates, is Maurice Linehan’s Far From Over. The gelding was a comfortable winner in a ten-runner Larkhill maiden on debut in February and shares the same sire (Valirann) as recent Sandown winner Knappers Hill.
Sprucefrontiers is another that will have bonus hopes in his sights, having made a promising debut at Dromahane to earn a rating of 82+ and Who’s Houdini, who looked like a winner in waiting at Monksgrange on Sunday before falling at the last. Both of his raced siblings are black-type performers over obstacles, including full-sister Roseys Hollow, who defeated Royal Kahala when landing a Grade 3 novice hurdle last year. Old Folk Tale was second on his most recent Point-to-Point and has a rating of 85+, and the winner of that race has subsequently sold for £200,000.
Of the exciting broodmares on offer alongside black-type performer Atlantic Fairy is Moyode Gold, who is a half-sister to the 140-rated, Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed Hollow Games, currently in training with Gordon Elliott. Moyode Gold is a winner herself and is offered in foal to the exciting new stallion Fifty Stars.
Racing’s first dedicated online auction house has seen wide success since its launch in September, with highlights including selling the Grade One and Cheltenham Festival-winning Belfast Banter for £130,000, completing six auctions, and securing an average sale price of £17,000 while facilitating sales to the UK, Ireland, USA, and Kuwait.
James Richardson, CEO of ThoroughBid, said: “We’re delighted to be able offer such a varied and exciting catalogue for the May Sale, and are particularly pleased to have no less than 28 lots entered.
“It’s great to be receiving lots from some of the biggest and most respected names in Jump racing, and we look forward to selling the likes of Ahead Of The Posse, Commandingpresence and Atlantic Fairy for Gavin Cromwell and Henry de Bromhead, along with following the progress of some of the exciting pointers in their quest for our bonus.
“To be able to offer two-year-old colts in May is also quite refreshing, and to do that alongside some really exciting Jumps prospects that’ll be chasing after our Point2Rules Bonus, as well as well-established black-type mares, is quite unique.
“There looks a real opportunity to pick out a superstar in this catalogue, and we can’t wait to see the bidding begin on Sunday 1st May at 6pm.”