Starman filly heads Tatts Ireland trade as Tally-Ho breezers continue to shine on the track

Starman was to the fore again on Friday thanks to our homebred filly out of Asrafairy who topped the Tattersalls Ireland Breeze-Up Sale when sold for €360,000 to Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock.

The filly was the highlight of a breeze-up draft for us that also featured the €300,000 sale of our Dubawi Legend colt out of Breedj to Hill Of Allen Stud.

We were delighted to end the sale as leading vendor and wish everyone the best of luck with their purchases - namely Blandford Bloodstock, Jordi Perez, Martul CB, Omar Ghrgar, Robson Aguiar, Adrian Keatley, Valfredo Valiano, Paddy Twomey, Noel Meade, Peter Trainor, Bellomo Rosita and Fidel Castro Mendez.

'STARMAN IS GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH'

On the sale-topping filly, Stuart Boman said: "It slightly surprised me that we were pushed that far, but she is the one filly who really got my imagination going. We work very hard as a team and certain horses really capture your attention, and she was one from the moment I saw her in the pre-breeze.

"She is just a lovely filly – she is pretty hard to miss due to her colour and has those lovely big ears. She is quality filly, she had a good look at everything, takes it all in, has a massive stride, from great vendors and breeders, bought Dream Ahead [in the pedigree] before, the mare has done a very good job, and unlucky not to have a stakes winner, Starman is going from strength to strength and the Tally-Ho stallion machine is flying!

"Her owner is to be decided, but Joseph O'Brien will train her."

Overall, six by Starman sold for an average of €131,333. Other highlights include a colt out of Offering who was sold by Rockfield Farm for €200,000 to Stephen Hillen.

Mehmas was represented by a colt out of Champagne Or Water who was sold by Bansha House Stables for €140,000 to Osborne Lodge Racing while his son Persian Force had six sell for an average of €61,727; they included three to sell for €70,000 or more led by Davis Bloodstock's filly out of Strike A Light, who made €90,000 to Larry Rodgers and Fick Farms.

TALLY-HO BREEZERS SHINE ON THE TRACK

It has also been a great run for Tally-Ho breezers on the track. The Mehmas filly Wild Blossom got the ball rolling when the ten-length winner of her debut at Carlisle to earn TDN Rising Star status for Wathnan Racing and Karl Burke. She was sold by us at the Tattersalls Craven Sale as was Ruler's Pride, another by Mehmas who won his debut at Ayr for the same connections - at the expense of fellow Tally-Ho breezer Crystal Queen, who ran a good second.

Then on Friday, Flight Signal, also by Mehmas, ran out the impressive winner of his debut at Bath - the same race won in recent years by Mehmas' G2 winners Aesterius and Caturra. He was another bought by Richard Brown on behalf of Wathnan Racing, but out of the Goffs Doncaster Breeze-Up Sale. He is trained by Archie Watson.