Derham Dominates Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale By Securing 400k Top Lot

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainer Harry Derham and bloodstock agent Ed Bailey made the biggest splash at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale on Thursday by snapping up two of the most expensive horses on the evening for a combined sum of £720,000.

The spend was headed by the Colin Bowe-consigned top lot, Cristal d'Estruval (Ire) (Crystal Ocean {GB}), at £400,000, while the pair went to £320,000 to secure Lisronagh point-to-point winner Clondaw Park (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}).

Cristal d'Estruval was one of the big talking horses coming into the sale following his victory in a four-year-old maiden also at Listonagh last month. 

Commenting on the sale, Bowe said, “He was always a lovely horse and very easy and straightforward to train. It's a great start for Crystal Ocean so I am delighted he has sold so well and is going to a very good trainer in Harry.

“I would have been happy with £200,000. He had a nice dam and he walked really well the day we bought him, it doesn't always work out but this time it did.”

The headline lots capped what was solid trade at Cheltenham that saw turnover climb by 2% to £3,650,000. Meanwhile, the median climbed by 25% to £150,000 and the average was up 20% to £158,696. However, the clearance rate was down by 12% to 82%–which translated to 23 of the 30 lots selling. 

While Bailey and Derham concentrated on the top end of the market, at least five of the horses who went through the ring on Thursday will be making their way into training with Gordon Elliott.

The Cullentra House handler signed for two lots under his own name to the tune of £470,000 and, alongside agent Aidan 'Mouse O'Ryan', secured a further three horses for £565,000 bringing the total spend to just over £1 million.

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