Saxon Warrior Filly Smashes Records At Tattersalls Ireland

A daughter of Saxon Warrior became the most expensive sale in the history of Tattersalls Ireland when knocked down for €520,000 at the venue’s Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale.

Bred by James Hanly, the imposing chesnut was prepped and consigned by Katie Walsh’s Greenhills Farm and impressed with one of the fastest breeze’s on Wednesday. Bidders and onlookers filled the sales ring as she took the stage, and after seeing off multiple admirers, Stephen Hillen successfully secured his prize, with Alex Elliott providing the strongest opposition.

Hillen previously signed for a Greenhills-consigned sales topper at the sale, which turned out to be Group 3 winner and Group 1 performer East, and like her predecessor, the Saxon Warrior filly will be trained by Kevin Ryan. On Wednesday, the agent said, “She is a completely different shape to East, but she kind of reminded me of her breeze, it was almost freakish. This filly is bred to go a mile plus or ten furlongs. She is a big, raw filly and should not be able to do what she is doing. I am hoping she is a freak and when she is able to go a mile her speed could be massive.”

“I knew coming here that she was going to clock well,” Katie Walsh added. “All she had done is please me since I have had her. She has always been a straightforward filly with a great, galloping stride and a great attitude. With those sort of fillies it just comes so naturally to them.”