Irish Oaks Winner Johanna Walsh to be Offered in Sceptre Sessions at Tattersalls December Mares Sale

JOHANNA WALSH, the outstanding winner of the 2026 Group 1 Irish Oaks, will become only the second winner of the race to be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in the same year as her classic success in more than forty years. The first was the 2024 Irish Oaks winner YOU GOT TO ME, who was sold for 4,800,000 guineas at the 2024 Sceptre Sessions. The lightly raced JOHANNA WALSH is by Champion racehorse and leading European sire SEA THE STARS and in addition to her Group 1 Irish Oaks success, she was beaten only a head into second in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot this year.

JOHANNA WALSH’s emphatic win in the Irish Oaks saw her cross the line four lengths in front of her nearest rival. She recorded the fastest time in the race since 2006, quicker than fellow winners ENABLE, MINNIE HAUK, SEA OF CLASS and SNOWFALL. She earned a Racing Post Rating of 120 for the performance, the highest granted to an Irish Oaks winner since ENABLE, who received a rating of 121.

JOHANNA WALSH is a SEA THE STARS three-parts sister to the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan winner MEKHTAAL, out of the DAWN APPROACH mare MISS AIGLONNE. Her Group winning granddam AIGLONNE is also the dam of the Group 2 Prix Hocquart winner DEMOCRATE, the Group 3 winner and Group 1 placed NORMANDY BRIDGE and the dual Grade 3 winner AIGUE MARINE. SEA THE STARS is the broodmare sire of an outstanding 13 Group 1 winners including this year’s Derby winner CHRISTMAS DAY. 

JOHANNA WALSH’s trainer Joseph O’Brien commented: 

“Johanna Walsh is an immensely talented filly that Carriganóg Racing have the privilege of training on behalf of her owner Wells Watson. She is a beautiful athlete and has been from the first day she entered our yard and should only improve as a four-year-old. She gifted us our first win in the Irish Oaks and should attract plenty of interest from the world’s leading racing and breeding operations.”

Tattersalls Managing Director Matthew Prior added: 

“Tattersalls is immensely proud to be in the rare position of offering a Classic-winning filly in the same year as her triumph. Johanna Walsh was an emphatic winner of the Group 1 Irish Oaks, and we are grateful to Wells Watson for giving Tattersalls the opportunity to present such an exceptional filly to the market.

“The Sceptre Sessions is a fitting stage for a filly of this calibre, and we look forward to showcasing her to the biggest names within the bloodstock world, who descend on Park Paddocks each December. 

“The line-up of quality fillies and mares heading to the Sceptre Sessions continues to gather momentum, and we eagerly anticipate another outstanding renewal of this special sale.”

The Tattersalls December Mares Sale takes place from 30th November to 3rd December, with entries closing this Friday, 18th September.