There is money to be made Between the Flags

There is money to be made between the flags if the recent sales results at Brightwells and Goffs are to be believed.

Sterling is an even more attractive currency if you are being paid with it, so take a bow William Codd on consigning Alisier D’Irlande at Brightwells making a whopping £300,000 at the sale at Cheltenham last week.

The 4 year old French bred son of Kapgarde, won his only start at Templemore in a most impressive style for William and Jamie Codd. Owned at the time by William Drew the was knocked down to British based Roger Brookhouse.

This dark bay gelding might well have the scope to go onto further success on the track for his new owner.

Another French bred horse , Adam Du Breteau sold from Tim Hydes Camas Park Stud made £280,000 to the bid of Jonjo O’Neill. A winner at Dromahane under Nina Carberry in late March he had failed to complete the course on two previous occasions, but this shrewd Cork man has a good eye and obviously believes that horse has talent.

Monksgrange on the 30th of March saw a really fascinating finish to the opening 4 year old maiden with Denis Murphys Jeweloftheocean just shading Colin Bowes Potters Point. Interestingly Potters Point by Robin Des Champs and ridden by Barry O’Neill went off favourite on the day but just couldn’t get past Jamie Codd on the Flemensfirth gelding Jeweloftheocean.

Fast forward to Brightwells and Potters Point is again favoured by the weight of money as Willie Mullins forked out £260,000 to take the horse home to his Co Carlow yard. Jeweloftheocean also changed hands at the sale as Jonjo O’Neill again signed the docket on this one when paying £175,000 for Denis Murphys horse.

O’Neill was very active on the evening as he snapped up Roisin Hickeys Champagne Present for £210,000

This 4 year old winning son of Presenting won his point at Kilmallock under Declan Queally and was earmarked as a horse for the future by his winning owner/ trainer.

Given her previous success with Champagne Fever in the past Hickeys track record speaks for itself.

Other point to pointers sold on the evening included Michael Goffs winning pair, Micks Lad and Different Gravey.

With High Chaparral continuing to make a name as a national hunt sire ( Hadrians Approach winning the Grade 3 Betfred 365 Gold Cup at Sandown) his Loughanmore winning 4 year old son Different Gravey made £140,000 to a bid from Highflyer while Henrietta Knight paid £132,000 for the 4 year okd Beneficial gelding Micks Lad.

It being a slightly smaller sale than in 2013, the amazing thing was that the 39 horses made £3.4m nearly as much as 57 horses made in total last year.

So things are looking up!

The sales focus switched to Punchestown on Thursday with a another small select sale this time organised by Goffs.

The sales topper here was Birch Hill, with the Kalanisi 4 year old a winner at Loughbrickland for Ian Ferguson and Willie Thompson last Saturday being purchased for Nicky Henderson for €160,000.

The other big price here was €150,000 for the Ballyarthur winner Aqua Dude. This 4 year old Flemensfirth gelding was offered by Donnchadh Doyle from his Co Wexford yard.

With €1.5 m changing hands here for 17 horses it wasn’t a bad day!

So you see there is money between the flags!