Footstepsinthesand Colt Brings Six Figure Sum

A son of Footstepsinthesand proved a highlight on the opening day of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when selling to John Lavery for €100,000.

Offered by Coole House Farm, the handsome colt benefitted from an important update when his progressive half-brother Erosandpsyche finished second in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes, having already counted three-time Listed winner Some Respect (Gleneagles) as a sibling.

Tuesday’s offering was an impressive individual in his own right, as trainer Sheila Lavery explained, “He really was the standout horse here for us and I thought he would make a lot more than that. We loved his attitude from the start. He's alert and intelligent, and he looks to be a lovely, straightforward horse.”

The result continued a longstanding success story for Barbara Fonzo and Mark Dreeling with Castlehyde Stud sire Footstepsinthesand. “We're big fans of Footstepsinthesand and the cross with Danehill is a proven one,” Dreeling said. “We have been extremely lucky with him and have sold four six-figure yearlings by him. This will help pay the bills and keeps the operation going.”

At the sale’s 2015 renewal, Coole House Farm sold another Footstepsinthesand colt to Peter and Ross Doyle for €110,000. Subsequently named Larchmont Lad, the bay went on to win the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes and Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes.

Footstepsinthesand’s current crop of yearlings was bred off the back of a fantastic 2019 season, led by dual Group 2 winner Threat and the 116-rated Mums Tipple.