Moyle Park wins at Leopardstown at Christmas© Photo Healy Racing
David Harry Kelly's Moyle Park, well-touted before delivering in style at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day, grabbed the headlines at Cheltenham's Brightwells' January Sale tonight when selling to Harold Kirk for £250,000.
Kirk, who works with Willie Mullins and acting on behalf of the champion trainer here, got the better of Anthony Bromley, positioned at the time with Paul Nicholls.
The Flemensfirth sale-topper, now a five-year-old, is the first foal out of Lovely Present. That daughter of Presenting was successful on the track and she was also placed at Grade 2 level over fences.
The Kelly-trained Cork bumper winner, Hilltop Tommy was one of the horses to hit the six-figure mark when selling to Conor O'Dwyer for £100,000.
Earlier in the session, Harold Kirk signed at £100,000 for Totally Dominant. The youngster, a son of War Chant, took the runner-up spot in a Naas bumper earlier in January for Pat Martin.
Roger Brookhouse, a prolific buyer at these sales in recent times, gave £120,000 for impressive Dromahane point-to-point winner Wuff.
Trained by David O'Brien then, the Beneficial gelding, a five-year-old, is from a good flat family, including Thunder Gulch, who was crowned champion three-year-old colt in the US after wins in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
It's reported now that Wuff will be trained by Tom George, handler of the Brookhouse-owned Chartreux (also a former Irish 'pointer') victorious in the Somerset National this month.
Jonjo O'Neill struck at £100,000 for Allow Dallow, a six-year-old Gold Well gelding who scored, also at Dromahane, by five lengths last month for Mick Winters.
It's hardly surprising that O'Neill is fond of the Gold Well stock. Here, in the spring, he splashed-out £215,000 on Mr Watson, who has gone on to take two races for the trainer, including the final race at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Prideofthecastle, winner of a Limerick bumper at Christmas for Patrick Cronin, went for £80,000 whilst the same price was achieved by Prunella Dobbs' mare, Our Pollyanna. She landed a Punchestown bumper on New Year's Eve under Pa King.
Meanwhile, post sale, Jonjo O'Neill forked out £75,000 for Flemenstar's half-brother, Cloudingstar. He was third in a Dromahane point-to-point at the turn of the year for Sean Hennessy.
