Record-breaking Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale

The Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale once again provided a fitting conclusion to Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival, achieving a new record aggregate of £3,650,000, a record-equalling median price of £150,000, a session-topping price of £400,000, and seven lots sold for £200,000 or more.

The four-year-old gelding CRISTAL D’ESTRUVAL (Lot 12), who had already made a name for himself as the first four-year-old point-to-point winner for the young sire CRYSTAL OCEAN following his debut success at Lisronagh in February, added further distinction to his record when selling for a session-topping £400,000.

Purchased by trainer Harry Derham and agent Ed Bailey, he is the third foal out of the NICKNAME mare AURORE D’ESTRUVAL, who was a Listed winner and Grade 1-placed in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

“He is for an existing client in the yard,” said Derham, who added: “When I am at the sales, I like to be critical of a horse, try and think what I don’t like about them – I could not find anything wrong with him. He is just my kind of horse; I just love him. 

“He is very athletic, and you are not going to see a better four-year-old model than him and one who has gone and done the job already. He is out of a Nickname mare, which is very attractive – being out of a high-class NH mare from a jumping family gives you confidence. 

“I like the fact that he has gone and done it – he has jumped, galloped and stayed, good ones just get on and do it. His winning time was very good on deep ground, and I just think he is a very good horse.”

Reflecting on expectations regarding the likely price in the sale ring, Derham commented: “He was never going to be a secret here! I thought he’d be strong money, and I am very grateful to have a client to buy a horse like him.

CRISTAL D’ESTRUVAL was originally purchased as a €67,000 store by Cametique Horses and Milestone Stables, and consignor Colin Bowe was understandably delighted with the significant return achieved in today’s sale.

“He was always a lovely horse, he has been very easy to train, very straightforward, and gives the sire a good start,” said Bowe. “He has gone to a very good trainer, so hopefully he can kick on now. They don’t all work out, but he has always had a good walk, and he went down well here.”

The preceding four-year-old mares’ maiden on the Lisronagh card in February was won by the debutant CLONDAW PARK (Lot 10), and Derham and Bailey secured the daughter of WALK IN THE PARK for £320,000.

Offered by Mick Goff’s Moate Stables, she is out of a TEOFILO half-sister to the multiple Grade 1 winner NICOLS CANYON.

Derham said: “She has been bought for Nick and Ceri Fell, who are new owners to the sport. They have been breeders of show ponies for a long time and have a nice GALIWAY filly called MATWANA with me this year, who is doing well for them. We wanted to try and add to the team.

“CLONDAW PARK’S winning performance was very good, and her pedigree is smart, so I am delighted to get her. She has been bought as a long-term breeding prospect and that is very much the plan.”

Of the next steps for the pair, Derham outlined: “Both will go to Ed’s now, they will have a load of time and, hopefully, the pair of them will run in a bumper after Christmas.”

The sale has topped a fine week for Goff, who sold this week’s Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Chase winner JANGO BAIE at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale in 2023 for £170,000 to agent Jerry McGrath.

GENEROUS RISK (Lot 19) was sold for £250,000, purchased by Gordon Elliott Racing from Donnachadh Doyle’s Monbeg Stables, who had acquired him as a store horse for €100,000 at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale.

Elliott outbid Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk and, through the evening’s sale, five horses were purchased by Elliott, three in conjunction with bloodstock agent Mouse O’Ryan.

A winner at Belclare on 9th March, the five-year-old son of NO RISK AT ALL is out of a half-sister to VALUE AT RISK, third in the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Bumper, and BATTLECRY, a Grade 2-winning hurdler.

Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales Manager, Shirley Anderson-Jolag, commented: “The Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale has once again delivered, producing the highest-priced point-to-pointer sold in the sale ring this winter season.

“I am delighted our consignors have once again been so well rewarded, and a record aggregate proves that the sale continues to keep pushing forward.

“The Festival Sale is truly unique – staged at the Home Of Jump Racing, during the biggest week in the jumps racing calendar, and held in the Winners’ Enclosure itself.

“My gratitude goes to the team at Cheltenham Racecourse for help and assistance in putting on this sale alongside such a busy racing week.

“Our next sale is the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale, held after racing on 17th April, and entries are now being accepted.”