A late addition to this year’s edition of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt November Sale, Grade 1 heroine Laurina took a starring turn in the ring when selling to Ridgewood Stud for €290,000.
The daughter of Spanish Moon, who had been transferred to Paul Nicholls from previous trainer Willie Mullins by owner Jared Sullivan earlier this year, had been retired from racing having bled following her run in last month’s Coral Hurdle at Ascot.
It was under the care of Mullins that Laurina won six races on the spin including the Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse and the Grade 2 Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018.
Consigned by Ballincurrig House Stud, the seven-year-old caught the eye of both Ian Ferguson and Douglas Taylor. Ultimately it was Taylor, best known as the breeder of the talented but mercurial Samcro, who walked away with the Grade 1 winner.
Taylor said: “Mares like her are hard to come by, I was one of the underbidders on Apple’s Jade last week but there were two bigger guys in there.
“Laurina is a Grade 1 winner and was fourth in a Champion Hurdle so she was a top-class performer and it’s difficult to buy mares like her. I had to go a bit deeper to get her than I thought I would but I’m delighted to buy her and looking forward to sending her to Jet Away in the spring.”
Taylor confirmed that Laurina will be covered by Jet Away, who stands at Artic Tack Stud in Ireland in partnership with Eoin Banville, next year.
