Group III-placed 4-year-old Park Romance, a 200,000 guineas yearling when sold by Lodge Park Stud in 2003, will return to the vendor after Ronan Burns -- whose father Seamus Burns owns the Irish farm -- paid 200,000gns for the Elms Stud offering, one of group I Epsom Derby winner Motivator's first book.Croom House Stud manager Paul McCartan had been underbidder on Park Romance but had more luck when paying 200,000 guineas for Lucina, a half-sister to this season's group III winner Blue Monday in foal to Bertolini.
A buoyant day one of Tattersalls' mixed July Sale was topped by 3-year-old Mermaid Island -- a half sister to group I One Irish Thousand Guineas winner Nightime -- who made 290,000 guineas when sold to Irish agent Hugo Merry, acting for Dean Fleming's Tyreel Stud in Australia.Charlie Gordon-Watson was underbidder on the filly, who had made 110,000 euros when going through Goffs' February Sale this year."She'll be coming to my Kilshannig Stud and has been bought as a commercial mare to breed from. Dean is planning to start a broodmare band in Europe, mainly selling but maybe keeping the odd filly to race. This was a lovely scopey mare to go with the pedigree," said Merry.
