Rockymountainbleu has progressed through the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series and Philip Rothwell is hoping that the improvement can continue in Wednesday’s €75,000 Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final at Punchestown.

The Tinahely trainer has been a supporter of the series since its inaugural campaign in 2018/19 and Rockymountainbleu, who won a maiden qualifier for owner, William Yorke at the Kildare racecourse in November, is one of 16 horses being aimed at the €45,000 winner’s pot, with prize money all the way down to sixth.

In all, almost 800 individual horses have run in the series since that maiden season, with 101 participating this term. The average sales price of those horses is €16,514, with the average sales price of the qualifier winners even less, at €14,688.

With €12,000 going to the winners of those qualifying races, their initial cost was almost covered in one fell swoop.

This is confirmation of the opportunities provided by the series, with this year’s prize fund of €395,000 bringing the tally of prize money for seven years of the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series to €2.635m.

It is little wonder that an amazing tally of 73 individual trainers ran horses in the series this season and 13 conditioners will be represented in the final.

This is a highly competitive affair too, with ten of the horses facing the starter on Wednesday having won a series race and Scalpnagoon a two-time winner, after scoring at Thurles and Naas.

“I saw Rockymountainbleu at the sales as a store and I liked him, I thought he looked like an athlete,” said Rothwell.

“I buy some cheap stores every year. We’ve been very lucky with them and he’s just another one of them.

“He picked up a little injury after point-to-pointing and he got a bit of time off. He came back and his hurdling this year has been good. I think the step up and trip in Punchestown again will certainly be a big help to him.

“I’m not so sure if he’s good enough to win it, but I’d hope that he’d run very well in it.

“The Red Mills series is a great incentive, there’s super prize money and it’s lovely to have a horse to run in Punchestown Festival. It’s very, very special. It’s lovely to be there and to be there with a little chances, even better.”

Mags Mullins qualified last year’s Final victor, Backtonormal, with three placed runs at Gowran Park, Naas and Leopardstown, which was enough to attract the attention of Gavin Cromwell, who bought the son of Milan prior to his Punchestown success.

The Kilkenny handler has been a long-time supporter of the series and she bought one of Wednesday’s contestants, A Tipp To Gold for just €25,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale from Brandonview Stud, winning a qualifier at the Listowel Harvest Festival last September before selling him to Declan Queally, who is now attempting to provide Mullins with a unique double.

The Westerner gelding is an undoubted contender too and while he has ground to make up on Scalpnagoon from the Naas qualifier in February, his third in a Grade 3 at the same venue a fortnight later puts him right in the mix.

“It’s a great series,” says Mullins. “Red Mills are only down the road from us. We had Backtonormal, which we got sold to Gavin Cromwell and Gavin went on and duly finished the job and he won the final in Punchestown last year, which was great.

“We had another winner, A Tipp For Gold got him and got him sold earlier on in the year, and hopefully he can go on for the new connections now too.”

Bloodstock agent, Aubrey McMahon hailed the incentive that the series provides at the sales, while also having first-hand knowledge of the high calibre that can emanate from it, having seen one of his purchases, Honesty Policy, graduate from the series to win at Grade 1 level for owner JP McManus and trainer Gordon Elliott at Aintree.

Indeed Honesty Policy will be competing in the Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle, little more than an hour after the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Final takes place.

“I bought Honesty Policy for his owner, Francis Mangan in October time after a nice point run and he ran a lovely race first time out in his maiden hurdle at Naas (when he was second), and then won at Navan. He took advantage of the Red Mill Series programme went to Leopardstown and won his novice hurdle there, which was a fantastic pot.

“And he was sold after that run to JP McManus and won the Grade 1 in in Aintree.

“It was something that was a nice part of the deal when I bought him from Pat Doyle, that you could run in the Red Mills Series races as Red Mills and the Irish EBF have put a lot of money into it and we’re very lucky in Ireland to have a program like it.

“The store sales won’t be long coming around now and if, if I’m buying any store horse for less than I think €45,000, it’s a nice thing to be able to tell the buyer that you have that series there.”

The series was designed to create opportunities for horses bought for €45,000/€30,000 or less at store sales in Ireland and the UK, thereby giving owners and trainers an opportunity to claim some of the €395,000 in prize money on offer throughout the year leading up to Wednesday’s final.

To enter the €75,000 final at the Punchestown Festival, EBF eligible horses must have run in one of the 16 qualifiers and have not won a graded or listed race.

Last year’s winning trainer saddles two in this year’s final, with Bellewstown winner Millforce and Leopardstown runner-up to Honesty Policy, Champagne Jury likely to make bold bids for the red-hot Cromwell yard.

Scalpnagoon and Wexford winner, Kish Bank represent Gordon Elliott, while Henry de Bromhead saddles Down Royal victor, Downmexicoway and Galway winner, Scotcantou.

Nessa Joyce, Irish EBF Manager, said: “The Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series is now in its seventh season and yet again there is a competitive line up for the €75,000 final at the Punchestown Festival on Gold Cup day. Sixteen will go to post, ten of them already winners from within the series and four with impressive placed credentials. In terms of prize money, the series outperforms by putting €395,000 up for grabs with 16 qualifying races each worth €20,000 and the final a mouth watering €75,000. The concept continues to be simple, give valuable opportunities to EBF eligible store horses bought at auction for €45,000 or €30,000 or less. Each year we have watched connections target the series and pick up prize money that returns their auction purchase price or more all while stimulating the middle to lower end of the auction market. The Irish EBF board would like to thank all the connections for supporting the series and special thanks goes to our sponsorship partners Connolly’s RED MILLS for their continuing generous backing.”

Gareth Connolly, CEO Connolly’s RED MILLS, added: “We are proud to sponsor the RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Series for the seventh season and are looking forward to the €75,000 Final at Punchestown this week. This series has provided a platform for horses in the that middle segment of the market to compete for good prize money, with each of the qualifying races worth €20,000, thus supporting the owners and trainer who take part in the series. “The series has contributed greatly to the stimulation of the middle market, and the stats show how it has promoted healthy competition, fostering growth within the industry. As a company dedicated to the wellbeing and nutrition of horses, we recognise the importance of investing in events like this and to promote the industry that supports our business all year round. We want to thank the team at the Irish EBF and Punchestown for being such great partners and thank also all the trainers and owners who have run horses in the series since it was launched in 2019.”