Image © Healy Racing
Cormac Doyle enjoyed a remarkable evening at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale, with the Monbeg handler responsible for two of the standout results during a record-breaking session at Prestbury Park.
His recent Lingstown winner Monster Truck topped the sale at £530,000, setting a new benchmark for the Festival Sale, while stablemate Palinca also realised £400,000 following her impressive debut success.
“It was brilliant. You never think they’re going to make that sort of money.”
Trade reached unprecedented levels throughout the evening, with four lots breaking the £400,000 mark, contributing to a record turnover of £4,425,000 and a new average of £175,192, underlining the continued strength of demand for Irish point-to-point graduates.
Monster Truck had advertised his ability when making a winning debut in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden at Lingstown, a performance that ensured he came under strong scrutiny from leading buyers. Purchased as a store for €90,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, the son of Goliath Du Berlais had caught Doyle’s eye from an early stage.
“He was lovely. I thought he was one of the picks of the Derby Sale.”
The eventual purchase did not come without hesitation.
“I was very cautious, but Sean went in with me and we bought him together.”
That initial impression was quickly confirmed once the gelding returned home, with his work leaving little doubt as to his potential.
“The first piece of work about six weeks ago, you sort of knew then. Around Christmas, when they were schooling, both of them started to stand out.”
The decision to run both Monster Truck and Palinca at Lingstown proved a key one, with confidence high beforehand.
“We were very happy with both of them going down there. That’s why we brought the two of them there on the same day.”
That confidence was rewarded both on the track and in the sales ring, although the scale of the returns still came as a surprise.
“You’re relieved when they hit the reserve and you know they’re sold. Everything just worked out – the timing was right, the stallion was right, the track was right, and the sale was right.”
Palinca had set the tone for the evening, selling as Lot 5 for £400,000 before Monster Truck later took centre stage. She had also struck first on the track at Lingstown, landing her mares’ maiden half an hour before her stablemate, and did so in taking fashion, travelling smoothly before quickening clear to score by ten lengths.
Bought for €32,000 as a store, the daughter of Goliath Du Berlais had generated plenty of interest prior to the sale and duly justified that confidence when selling for £400,000.
Both horses are by Goliath Du Berlais, whose growing influence was again underlined by the results.
“He must be a very good stallion. They’re the only two I’ve had, and to have a mare that good and a horse that good, he must be doing something right.”
Together, the results highlight the importance of both sourcing and production within the Monbeg operation, summed up in typically straightforward fashion:
“The day you buy them is the day you sell them if they’re good enough.”
Operating in an increasingly competitive marketplace, Doyle acknowledged the challenge of sourcing the right type of horse as demand continues to intensify.
“The market is very strong. If you like one, there’s always someone else that likes them too.”
Behind the scenes, Doyle was keen to emphasise the role played by the wider team at home, with the smooth running of the operation allowing success to continue even during a busy week away.
“It all happens at home with the staff. We were away at Cheltenham and came back to a winner on Sunday, and it was all done without us.”
With a strong team of youngsters still to come this spring, there looks to be more to follow in the coming weeks.
“I have about 20 there still to run.”
Among them is Casino Chip, a four-year-old by Nathaniel out of the Grade 1-winning mare Limini, who could yet provide another headline moment.
“He’s a lovely horse. He’s working very well at the minute and I think he’s as nice as anything we have.”
Doyle’s latest results at the Festival Sale further cement his position as one of the leading consignors in the point-to-point sphere, and with a strong team of youngsters still to be unveiled, there may be more to follow.
