€120,000 Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series Final Attracts Huge Entry
Thu 14 Sep 2017
Red Persian and Kevin Manning in the centre winning the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Race, Leopardstown Photo: Patrick McCann
53 horses are entered for the final of the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series at Naas Racecourse with total prize-money of €120,000, up from €100,000 in 2016. It is a timely reminder, before the yearling sales start next week, that horses purchased for €72,000 or less will be eligible for the series next year.
The Foran Equine Irish EBF partnership has significantly boosted prize-money and made the auction series a lucrative proposition for trainers and owners. The series is designed to create wide-scale opportunities for horses purchased as a yearling or a two-year-old at public auction for €72,000 or less, with allowances for fillies and horses purchased at a lower auction price.
John O’Connor, Irish EBF Chairman said: “The purpose of the series is to create opportunities for horses bought at auction in the middle to lower tier of the market (€72,000 or less). 50% of the winners this year were bought for €19,000 or less and two of these winners were bought for €2,500; this proves you can get involved and win races for modest investment. Everyone heading to the yearling sales should target the 2018 Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series, which runs from May to October, with 23 races and a minimum prize-fund in each race of €20,000.”
53 horses, trained by 42 different trainers, have been entered to run in the final at Naas Racecourse on Sunday October 15. They include eight winners from the qualifying legs of the series including Patrick Prendergast’s Red Persian. Notably, he was also runner-up in an earlier series qualifier run at the Curragh in May, won by one of Europe’s leading juveniles Beckford, which was probably the best two-year-old maiden run in Ireland this year. Red Persian, would go on to win the €30,000 series race at Leopardstown in June.
Patrick Prendergast, Trainer of Red Persian commented: “Red Persian’s owners are new to ownership, for them to win a two-year-old maiden in Ireland was an incredible experience. There was a return of over €30,000 (prize-money and Plus 10 Bonus) from a €5,000 yearling purchase. The plan is to run Red Persian in the final and the owners, The Persian Red Partnership, are already working on bringing in more people into the partnership, to buy two or three yearlings this year with the 2018 Foran Equine Irish EBF Series as their target.”
Ger Lyons is well-represented with four entrants including the winner of the Bellewstown leg of the series Poetic Light, first time out Curragh winner Would You Believe and Ball Girl.
Ger Lyons, Trainer of Poetic Light, commented: “The €120,000 final of the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series is a great pot to aim for in October for any horse, but you must have a quality one to win on the day. My plan is to target the final with three or four serious horses who I believe have the potential to scoop the big prize. This series is a great bonus for owners that must be supported into the future by reinvesting at the yearling sales in preparation for next year.”
Gareth Connolly, Sale and Marketing Director, Foran Equine said: “The series has been a great success, each of the races have been strongly supported and with four races left before the final, 57 individual trainers have already run a least one horse in one leg of the series. It is hugely important to us that this series creates opportunities for the industry as a whole and gives owners and trainers a valuable target when buying and training their horse. This series has also allowed us to support our customers and we’re looking forward to a great final in Naas on the 15th October and an even bigger serie s in 2018.”