Stroud, who was bidding from outside, was taken to the seven-figure sum by Coolmore, MV Magnier bidding from the bidders' area in the sale ring.

Magnier took the price to a million, but when Stroud kept responding, Magnier reached for the phone and ended up shaking his head when auctioneer John O'Kelly asked if he would like to top the winning bid.

Consignor Michael Swinburn was standing just below the Coolmore team, leaning on the rail, looking down at the ground throughout much of the bidding. Visibly emotional, after shaking hands with his underbidder, and then the successful buyer, Swinburn explained just why the sale had such personal ties to Genesis Green and the Swinburn family.

"I just wish Walter was here to see this, he owned the mare, and had her in training. I Can Fly [ 2015, Fastnet Rock filly Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed] was the last one he knew and he was absolutely over the moon with her," he said of his late brother, who rode won eight British Classics in his career as a hugely successful jockey and who died in 2016.

Swimburn continued: "She is a mare that I always thought would suit Dubawi, the shape of her. When I Can Fly came up I approached Liam O'Rourke at Darley and asked what was the chances of a foal share to Dubawi, and he said he would be delighted to have her.

"She is just a pure vessel of a mare, anything she has produced has been a good version of the stallion. She hasn't had any foal the same as the other one – she has just throws to the stallion and a good version of him."

He added: "It is so hard to get one that is nice, to get it through x-rays, through scopes, I just hope he comes up so lucky for Sheikh Mohammed. I have loved the stallion even since in his early days. I am happy for everyone at the farm, the lads are so loyal, and it is a big effort. We came to sell as a foal because otherwise you have got to keep them safe until a yearling, and if they are hot to sell...."

Recalling the investment into the family, it didn't get off on the best footing at home.

"I bought the grand-dam Sabria at a September Sale here years ago with Oliver St Lawrence, I went home and I went into the kitchen and Mum and Dad must have got wind of it that I had bought a mare, it caused an outcry, 'What the hell have you done that for?'

"Walter bailed me out at 25,000gns and we have had the family ever since and it has been fantastic for us – it has probably built Genesis Green."

Sabria became the dam of Landseer – winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1), the Coventry Stakes (G3) and runner-up in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1), and Ikhtyar, a Listed winner and Group 1 placed.

Swinburn updated the news on Madonna Dell'Orto: "The mare is in-foal to Fastnet Rock, carrying a filly, thank god, I wonder if Liam would be up for another foal share?!"

Standing outside Stroud said: "I didn't think we'd have to go that far, but he is a lovely horse, he is well bred and from a great farm.

"He is by Dubawi, who had such a wonderful Breeders' Cup, and the Boss said go for it. Huge respect to the underbidders, and we are very lucky to have the horse. As long as he is a good racehorse, that is all that matters."

In 1997, the Caerleon colt out of Doff The Derby, the full-brother to Generous, sold for 2,500,000gns, and in 2002 the Giant's Causeway out of Urban Sea, the subsequent Group 1 winner My Typhoon, fetched 1,800,000gns. (17:41)

The colt's second dam is the wonderful mare Cassandra Go, the dam of the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Halfway To Heaven, dam of Magical, Rhododendron and Flying The Flag.

"I have not had that many by Lope De Vega, but one filly is now a graded filly in the US. She was not that big, and nor is this chap. He has quite a bit of quality. I would have liked to have spent less, but that is the way of it!" said Stauffenberg. (16:39)

Breeder Clarecastle Stud offered the colt today as part of the Norelands Stud draft, and he made 210,000gns, bought outside by Jamie McCalmont Bloodstock.

Twitch's first foal, Tadita Twitch, a filly by Siyouni, has been placed three times as a juvenile this year, while the mare's 2020 colt by Kingman made 190,000gns in Book 2 bought by SackvilleDonald.

The family features the dual champion older horse in Hong Kong, twice a winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes II Cup at Sha Tin, and Laughing, winner of the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1). (16:17)

"I can't say who she is for, absolutely gorgeous filly, I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her, she is an absolute queen, a belter. The sire is a first-crop sire and won't have any runners for two years, I have followed Indie Angel very closely.

"I just thought that she is a really lovely, beautiful athletic, racey filly and will definitely make a two-year-old. She is very much a racing prospect, she is not coming back!

Of the hopes for the sire Blue Point, Goff said: "He wasn't just an older sprinter, he won the Gimcrack, he was the real deal. I think he has got a fantastic chance, and he is by Shamardal. I have seen all of those by him who have been offered, and a lot on the farms, this was by far and away the best. "

Of the new sires, Goff said: "Magna Grecia's stock is very nice, and the Too Darn Hots are very nice, there are some exciting young sires coming along."

The filly was bred by Ringfort Stud and Melina Hancock, and sold by Ringfort Stud. The farm sold her Dark Angel half-sister for 600,000gns as a foal in 2017 for 600,000gns to Capital Bloodstock. She is owned in training by Cheveley Park Stud.

She is the highest-priced foal sold so far this week by a sire with first-crop foals (15:59)

"He is a new client to me, he is an end user," said Donohoe. "The foal will going back to Norelands Stud from here, we will get him broke and put him into training and decide then as regards plans.

"The sire has been lucky for me, this is a beautiful colt, he is from an excellent breeder and with a great pedigree, it made sense."

Explaining why it makes sense to buy a racing prospect as a foal rather than yearling, Donohoe said: "We are following some of these nice foals through and if we think they represent value then we will go in, if not we let them off, we are not chasing them. Compared to what some of the Lope De Vegas were making, I thought as a yearling this lad would make more."

Racing ambitions for the client? Nothing less than to win the 2,000 Guineas and produce a stallion! (15:36)

Clique (Bated Breath) was a winner at three and this is her second foal having produced an Oasis Dream colt in 2020.

She is out the Listed winner Insinuate (Mr. Prospector), dam of the Supreme Stakes (G20 winner Stronghold and the Group 3 winner Convey.

The third dam is All At Sea, winner of the Prix du Moulin (G1), (15:27)

BBA Ireland, Gay O'Callaghan were amongst the early bidders, but the bidding developed into a fight-out between MV Magnier and Juddmonte Farms, Magnier, standing in the doorway, entering the bidding at 400,000gns.

The Juddmonte team of Simon Mockridge and Barry Mahon were sat in the seats and batted back the bids with enthusiasm, but in the end had to shake their heads at the final Irish bid.

"He's a very nice horse who's very good looking and a brother to a good horse as well. David and Trish Brown are very good breeders and we've known them a very long time so I'm delighted to be able to buy this horse from them. Sadly, David couldn't be here today but hopefully he'll be happy with that result," said MV Magnier.

"It is fantastic, worth all the sleepless nights," smiled Trish Brown, who watched the sale by the acorn. "He has been brilliant all the way through, a lovely horse, it was lovely to see him making that money.

"We bought the mare here as a three-year-old, I think she is 16 now. She was 25,000gns from New England Stud and she has been a star.

"We bred Juan Elcano by Frankel, and it was obvious to go back to him again. We felt the mare deserved a chance with him. We have her two-year-filly by Oasis Dream with us and she is in-foal to Sea The Moon. We have had three by Frankel, they have all had the most wonderful temperaments, wonderful horses to deal with."

Husband David Brown, a former cricketer who played 26 Test matches for England between 1965 and 1969 before establishing Furnace Mill, near Kidderminster in 1976, was not at Tattersalls today, and his wife explained: "He has not been good on his legs of late, and finds it difficult up here. He is holding the fort at home, I am sure he was watching – he can just about manage to operate the Tattersalls site!"

Grand-daughter Emily Brown was in charge of leading up duties.

Dam Whatami (Daylami) has produced the Group 3 winner Nkosikazi (Cape Cross) and Juan Elcano (Frankel), a Listed winner and three-time Group 2 placed. She is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Whazzis, dam of Listed winner Whazzat, dam of James Garfield, winner of the Mill Reef Stakes (G2).

It is the further family of Invincible Spirit. (15:10)

"The client I bought him for is very into Sunday Silence and really liked the inbreeding to Galileo. He has been bought as a racing prospect and will go eventually into training with Ralph Beckett," said McCalmont.

Gerry Ross, stud manager at Kenilworth House Stud, said: "La Collina throws smashing stock, they all have her action. Let's hope he is a racehorse, he will get every chance at Ralph's."

Asked why Saxon Warrior was selected as a suitor for La Collina, Ross outlined: "There has been two that have gone to Japan out of the mare – her 2017 Oasis Dream colt Maitre Meneur and he won first time out in Japan, the Deep Impact link connects in Japan. Saxon Warrior is a good sized rangy horse and I thought he would suit her well as she is quite compact.

"She is back in-foal to Saxon Warrior – when this foal was a week or fortnight old, I thought that because he was such a nice foal it would make sense to go again.'" (14:14)

It has been good autumn for the farm – at this year's Book 2 the farm sold a Kingman filly out of Midnight Thoughts to Blandford Bloodstock for 300,000gns, the best price the farm has enjoyed in the sale ring.

This filly is now the farm's second-best sale, and stud manager Robert "Chocolate" Thornton said: "We are delighted, it is good money for a foal. He has been bought by Anthony Stroud, which is fantastic. It is great for the mare – she is back in-foal to Too Darn Hot, we went back to him on. the strength of this filly.

"It has been a fantastic autumn, we have had one or two miss, but two very good ones, which have made up for it. We have made a bit of money, but we also have a couple of racehorses for later on!"

Of the decision to sell this filly as a foal rather than wait a year to offer her as a yearling, Thornton explained: "We were considering keeping her as a yearling, we entered everything up here with a view to see what sold and what didn't. Her Dark Angel half-sister missed in Book 1, so then we were definitely coming with this one as we now have a filly out of the mare. She is broken in and will go into training with Archie Watson."

The team decided to use the champion two-year-old and three-year-old Too Darn Hot, a three-time Group 1 winner, on the mare Astonished, who is by Galileo and dam of the Group-placed Gold Maze and the Listed-placed Surprise Exhibit, as he is a son of Dubawi.

"It is the Dubawi-Galileo cross, you can't go wrong with that!," smiled Thornton. "We couldn't get to Dubawi so went to his best son with a proven mare." (13:28)

"The plan is to reoffer her next year in Book 1, we loved her, she was our pick of the sale," said Mimi Wadham. "She is an incredible first foal and by a stallion who is just going up and up. She is the one we had to have, so we are thrilled.

"We had to push quite hard to get her. She comes back to us now and we will wrap her in cotton wool, hopefully she will be as nice a yearling as she is a foal. She has got a lot of residual value with that pedigree, as long as she stays in one piece she should keep that value."

Of the trade both here and at this autumn's earlier yearling sales, Wadham said: "We have bought three here, it has been very competitive, we have had to really push for the ones we want. We have got to have the numbers next year – and you have to be brave.

"The strength of the yearling sale gave us some confidence – the middle market has really thickened out, which is really encouraging, the top maybe not so much."

Chrysocolla was bought by Meridian International from Watership Down Stud in Book 1 in 2016 for 340,000gns. She won once in France and was placed five times. (13:09)

Ighraa, who was bought by Blandford Bloodstock for 34,000gns at the Horses In Training Sale in 2012 from Shadwell, is the dam of two winners from four runners. Her 2018 filly by Sea The Stars, named Surimar, has been placed in two career starts to date in France.

Ighraa is carrying to Ulysses. (12:02)

The March-born filly is out of Champagne Or Water (Captain Rio), rated 98 and the winner of four races, including the Listowel Stakes (L). She has had two previous foals – Champagne Please, a 2019 filly by Australia, who is yet to run, and a 2020 colt by Kodiac, bought by Mike Ryan at October Book 1 this autumn for 180,000gns. (11:56)

The mare is the dam of two winners, both her runners to date, with Rising Star (Fast Company) rated 92, and the winner of three.

She is the last by the Tally-Ho Stud sire through the ring this week – the son of Acclamation has had five sell for an aggregate of 258,000gns, an average price of 51,600gns, a median of 62,000gns and a top-price of 75,000gns. (11:50)

Lot 812, a Saxon Warrior colt out of Love And Laughter, goes to Camas Park Stud. She is a half-sister to the dual Grade 1 winner Wigmore Hall, to the Listed winner Lady Liberty, and to Ocean Road, reported as a Listed placed in the catalogue but third-placed in the Pride Stakes (G3) since the catalogue was published.

Lot 813, the Ten Sovereigns first foal out of Sundiata (Showcasing), is also the recipient of a pedigree update – under the young second dam Dawn Of Empire (Empire Maker), Delorean (Time Test) has been placed once at two years, 2021, his only start to date.

Sundiata was bought here by Emerald Bloodstock for 26,000gns at the December Mares' Sale in 2019 from the Juddmonte draft.

Both mares are now in-foal to Australia. (11:40)

The filly, out of the Charm Spirit mare Requirement, a half-sister to Robins Hood Bay, winner of the Winter Derby (G3) at Lingfield, was bred by Mickley in partnership with Tim and Miranda Johnson.

"The Johnson's are a very nice couple, we keep around half a dozen mares together and they race jumping horses," outlined Richard Kent of Mickley, standing outside the ring with son Fraser. "They live in Derbyshire and they have been great friends for 20 years.

"We have the grand-dam Bijou A Moi, and we bred Requirement, we sold her as a foal for 85,000gns, she went into training with Karl Burke. Finbar and I bought her back her last year for 45,000gns, she had a lot of ability but met with an accident in training.

"This is a gorgeous foal, she has a fantastic temperament and she has gone to a great home. It is great to get a result like that off a young mare," said Kent, adding: "Bijou A Moi is now in-foal to Ardad, and Requirement is in-foal to Mohaather."

Of this week's work, Kent said: "We have sold 17 foals so far, we are delighted with the sales."

The farm's consignment so far has produced an aggregate of 476,500gns, an average price of 28,029gns and a median of 20,000gns.

Mickley has another two to offer today (Lot 841 and Lot 907), and a further 20 due through the ring on Saturday. (10:56)

He is a half-brother to Connect, a Roderic O'Connor Listed winner, and to Atlantic Sun, also by Roderic O'Connor, placed at Listed class.

The mare Robema is a daughter of Cadeaux Genereux, was the winner of three races and has bred four winners from six foals. She is a half-sister to Lucky Chappy, third in the Hollywood Derby (G1). (10:35)

Geoffrey Howson, honorary president of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, presented the award to Brown in the Tattersalls sale ring.

This year has been a particularly successful one for Brown, and he earned the award following his breeze-up purchase of the Royal Ascot and dual Group 1-winning two-year-old Perfect Power, by Overbury Stud's first-season stallion whom he bought as a yearling and now manages and promotes.

Brown’s other successes on the track this year include the Group-winning two-year-old Caturra (Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes), Light Infantry (Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes) and the Listed winners With Thanks (October Stakes), Ad Infinitum and Nymphadora.

Howson said: “I first met Richard when he was being tutored by my friend, the late and great bloodstock agent, Joss Collins. I have always thought that Richard shows the same work ethic and professionalism as Joss, who must have been a wonderful mentor. Richard has a very similar modus operandi at the sales, including the same favoured bidding position at Tattersalls. I know that in his turn Richard now helps many young people aspiring to enter the industry.”

Brown recalled his path to life as a bloodstock agent.

"It is 20 years this year that I became an agent, and this is a great honour," he said. "I got kicked out of school when I was 16, you have limited options when that happens! Believe it or not, I then messed around riding in point-to-points, but I knew David Minton as I am originally from Shropshire and said to him that I wanted to get into the business.

"Minty got me jobs on studs and then through being at the BBA I met Joss and we hit it off straight away. He was like a second father to me, he was a mentor, he was amazing.

"In 2001 I was working at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand, but the BBA was bought out by, essentially, asset strippers. Luckily, Joss and Tom [Goff] took a chance and offered me a job. Joss died in 2004, but we went on and we have since been joined by Stuart Boman and Tom Biggs."

Of the work that the Blandford Bloodstock agency does, Brown above all recognises the team ethos at the company.

"It is a huge team effort, every sale, we work as a team and I am just the one receiving this, but it is such a big team effort with us," he acknowledged, adding: "We are very lucky in that we have got an amazing group of clients, many of whom have been with us a very long time – they are very loyal and trust us to invest their money. I am just very fortunate that my hobby is my job."

For Brown achieving success for his clients and friends is the most satisfying aspect of the job.

"Most of our clients, in fact the vast majority, also become great friends – this is their hobby, they enjoy it, so seeing them achieve success is great. A client topped the sale on Wednesday and then yesterday too. The most satisfying aspect is definitely success for the client – in the sale ring for the commercial clients I work for, and also those we are buying racehorses for."

He continued: "Our clients put a lot of trust in us, we are spending extraordinary amounts of money for them – if you brought someone here who was not in the racing industry they would think you were absolutely bonkers, you are spending the equivalent of the price of a house on a little fluffy thing!

"So when those things come off, and it goes right, that is the pinnacle, I am very lucky to do what I do for a living."

Of this year's highlight, the success achieved by Perfect Power has understandably been a pinnacle of the year for Brown.

"This year's highlight has to be Perfect Power – I bought Ardad, manage Ardad, the horse is by Ardad, owner Sheikh Rashid has been a very big supporter of mine, as have his brothers, particularly at the breeze-ups they really back my judgement. When we bought Perfect Power he was the colt we were very high on that day.

"It is an amazing story, really – I will probably never get that ever again, it is the double whammy that I have bought a good horse, by a young stallion I am managing."

And of the future?

"I genuinely can't believe it is 20 years! I used to sit in this ring for day after day watching and watching, and then I led up a lot of horses around the ring. I just can't believe it has been so long. So, I guess, hopefully, the future is another 20!" (10:00)

766,  786,  798,  799,  802,  804,  805,  808,  816,  819,  822,  830,  843,  844,  845,  846,  849,  855,  860,  861,  863,  864,  873,  880,  893,  897,  900,  903,  908,  914,  930,  941,  943,  951,  967,  972,  973,  982,  983,  984,  985,  992,  993,  994,  995,  999,  1010,  1012,  1014,  1019,  1022 (09:59)

Lots catalogued: 328 (286)

Lots offered: 283 (247)

Lots sold: 235 (207)

Aggregate: 9,225,000gns (+32%)

Median: 30,000gns (+20%)

Average: 39,255gns (+16%)

% sold: 83% (84%)

Leading consignors (cumulative): 1. Whitsbury Manor Stud, 2. Trickledown Stud, 3. The National Stud

Leading purchasers (cumulative): 1. Tally-Ho Stud, 2. Yeomanstown Stud, 3. BBA Ireland

Leading sires (aggregate, cumulative): 1. Showcasing, 2. Land Force, 3. Advertise

Leading sires (average, 2+ sold): 1. Sea The Stars, 2. Wootton Bassett, 3. Night Of Thunder

Day 2's top 5 lots

1. Lot 691 Sea The Stars-Careful Thought, b,f., Whatton Manor Stud, Blandford Bloodstock >> 225,000gns

2. Lot 706 Ten Sovereigns-Fashion Darling, b/br,c., The National Stud Ltd., Yeomanstown Stud >> 130,000gns

3. Lot 591 Night of Thunder-Pacifica Highway, b,f., Overbury Stud, JC Bloodstock >> 130,000gns

4. Lot 740 Acclamation-Winter Snow, b,f., Riversfield Stud, Ireland, Peter & Ross Doyle Bloodstock >> 115,000gns

5. Lot 595 Magna Grecia-She's So Flawless, b,f., Petches Farm, Arthur Hoyeau Agent >> 110,000gns (21:10)

She was bred by the Molan family of Riversfield Stud, breeder of the Group 2 Richmond Stakes winner Harbour Watch. He was also by Acclamation, and was also bought by the Doyles, purchased at the December Yearling Sale in 2010 by Peter Doyle Bloodstock for 58,000gns.

The filly is out of Winter Snow (Raven's Pass), a half-sister to the British Champions Stakes (G1) winner and two-time Group 1 runner-up Glen Shiel (Pivotal). She was bought by this sale in 2016 by Riversfield from the Godolphin draft for 60,000gns. (20:35)

He was consigned by The National Stud, and manager Tim Lane said: "We met him here, he has been very popular with a lot of vets. He was bred by Andrew Rosen and has been reared at Kilshannig Stud."

Fashion Darling, who had a 2020 colt by Saxon Warrior and was covered in the spring by Belardo, is a half-sister to Majestic Queen, winner of the Chartwell Fillies Stakes (G3). (20:21)

The family is well known to Brown – he bought the dam Careful Thought (Brazen Beau) for Peter and Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud, breeder and consignor of this filly.

Ed Player explains the story.

"We are absolutely over the moon, flabbergasted," said Player Jnr. "She'd been very popular, vetted a lot of times, we hoped she'd make up to the 200,000gns mark, but to actually get it, we couldn't be happier.

"It is quite a good story. We had had a good yearling sale a couple of years ago, and we always say to Richard Brown that if he sees a future broodmare prospect anywhere that we are always in the market. He found this lovely filly in Book 3 from Newsells and he immediately thought 'I'll have some of that money back off the Players!'

"We bought her for 20,000gns, sent her to Mark Johnston and he thought she was quite useful, but she got injured after one run. We retired her and it has now all come full circle.

"We sent her to Sea The Stars on a foal share – the pedigree was very very current, as soon as we bought the filly, Star Terms [Sea The Stars] and Fresh Terms [New Approach] came up in the pedigree as well as Fambrus [Oasis Dream]. Things were happening in the family so we thought we had better give her the best chance we could – it is a proper pedigree and she is a lovely individual and we wanted to give her a chance to be a success.

"Obviously, the Sea The Stars out of Best Terms topped Book 1 when selling for 1,500,000gns so other people are thinking the family is pretty nice as well.

"Sadly, the mare is not in-foal, but we will enjoy the moment, it has been a good day."

The filly is the most expensive foal sold by Whatton Manor – the farm's previous best was the subsequently twice Group 1-placed colt Nando Parrado, recently retired to the Irish National Stud. He was sold by the farm for 165,000gns.

"Hopefully, this filly can be as good," smiled Player.

Purchaser Richard Brown took up the story, and it is something of a case of deja vu – buying a young unraced filly as a broodmare prospect.

"She's been bought for Andrew Stone of St Alban's Bloodstock," he said. "Andrew had a phenomenal Book 1 sale, he sold a Frankel for 925,000gns and a Lope De Vega for 725,000gns, and he's had a great year on the racecourse too.

"We're always looking for opportunities and she's been bought to race before hopefully being a broodmare for the future. He's trying to build a boutique, high-quality broodmare band and she'd be a great addition to that.

"I manage quite a few horses at Whatton Manor, we do quite a bit together, so I've seen this filly all the way along. In the summer she was a bit first foal-like, she probably lacked a little bit of muscle, but she's just improved and improved and turned into a very nice filly.

"She's on a very steep upward trajectory, although I had a bit of an advantage having seen where she's come from. She's got a load of class and is by a top-class stallion. This is the first foal we've bought as a racing prospect." (18:56)

"Ladyswood is looking for some fillies to race, and we loved this filly, she has great action," said Fowler. "The mare was fourth in a Group 2 in Ireland, she was class, and she was early type – she won on her race debut in the May of her two-year-old season. Alex is looking for a couple of fillies to go back and join the broodmare band, if they are good enough."

The February-born filly was sold by Alexandra Whitehead's Altenbach Bloodstock.

Dam Lorlei Rock was originally purchased as a yearling by the Whitehead's Powerstown Stud in 2018 for €40,000. Retained by the couple after an unsuccessful breeze-up sale, the faith has certainly paid off today – the foal was conceived off Wootton Bassett's 2020 fee of €40,000.

The back pedigree features such horses as the Group 2 winner Regime, the Group 2 runner-up Salut D'Armour, the 1,000 Guineas runner-up Jacqueline Quest, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Line Of Duty and the Listed winner Onassis. (18:14)

"Safeenah is a queen of a mare, her first foal [2020, Invincible Spirit, 150,000gns December Foal Sale] is a very good sort. Hopefully, he is a good horse for Shadwell next year, the stud is retaining him. Joe Foley is an absolute gentleman to deal with, and of two of the stallions he has there at the moment were with me, too – Prince Of Lir and Sands Of Mali."

Marnane added: "I am absolutely delighted with this result, I told Joe after this foal was born that I thought he was special – Joe obviously thought so too! The stallion is getting gorgeous, gorgeous stock. I sent him two mares – I should have bought a share in him!"

Marnane bought the Safeenah, who hails from the family of Muhaarar, the champion sprinter of 2015, for just €7,500 at the Tattersalls Ireland November Flat Foal & Breeding Stock Sale in 2018. (17:53)

"I am just acting on behalf of Megan Nicholls," said Malone. "She picked out his colt but had to leave. He has been bought for client Roger Peel, will board at Branton Court Stud, and will be reconsigned next year by Hillwood."

The colt's second dam Russian Countess (Nureyev) was a Listed-placed runner and dam of the Oaks third-placed Crown Of Light, dam of the Lonsdale Cup (G2) runner-up Balkan Knight. She is also ancestress of Racing Post Trophy runner-up Charlie Farnsbarns. (17:33)

"We have had the family a long time, it has been very good to us," said Ed Player of Whatton Manor. "This mare has done nothing wrong, and she has already had a very good horse by Dark Angel already, who made 150,000gns as a yearling.

"This horse walks very well, he is still a bit immature but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he comes back next year and makes a lot more money for Yeomanstown and I hope he does."

Of the decision to sell this colt as a foal rather than wait a year and offer him as a yearling, Player said: "Of course we were tempted to keep for another year, but you bring a horse to a sale you should try and sell them – it is a strong trade and the market has valued him at that.

"We would have loved to have had him for next year, but you have to keep the wheels rolling, and we are delighted where he has gone – it is a great home. let's hope he is a good money spinner for them next year."

This spring, the mare was covered by the highly commercial Tally-Ho Stud sire Mehmas, Whatton Manor maintaining the speed influence. (17:14)

Lot 595, a filly by Magna Grecia out of the Fastnet Rock mare She's So Flawless, and Lot 597, a Calyx filly out of a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Bahia Breeze, were both purchased by Arthur Hoyeau agent, while Fairway Partners picked up Lot 596.

Hoyeau said of the filly by Magna Grecia: "She is to race, she is going to France and to the owner's farm. We were looking for fillies, it has been tough to buy yearlings this year so trying to buy a bit of value and buy foals and get them into the system. They may eventually be bred from – we will have to see how good they are, but buying as foals is really a response to the yearling market than anything else.

"The Magna Grecia filly is just a lovely scopey filly, a good mover, strong a good mix of Invincible Spirit and Fastnet Rock. The mare is young, and Fastnet Rock is a good broodmare sire, but it was more her physical that attracted us."

Simon Venner, son of Paul Venner of Petches Farm, was understandably delighted with the trio of sales.

"She has been stunning since day one, knockout, very straightforward," he said. " We got her into prep and she just marched around and never put a foot wrong so we have been very happy with her."

Of the decision to use Magna Grecia in his first year at stud, Venner said: "A Guineas-winning miler by Invincible Spirit suits us down to the ground!"

Running through the three lots, he added: "We got the Magna Grecia filly here and every time she came out of the box she just marched, we had lots of vets and we are very happy.

"The Masar colt [a half-brother to the dam of Sir Ron Priestley and Subjectivist ] is a different type, a good mover, and he looks like he should from the family, that was the thing, a bit more rangy and a bit lighter than the fillies, but he has been very popular. I was slightly surprised at how busy he has been and was a little unsure how popular he would be as a foal, but, as he is out of one of the Petches farm's own mares, he was always going to be sold as a foal.

"The Calyx filly was very straightforward, she has a lovely temperament, again she just came out and walked, stood when you need her to stand, just lovely and relaxed."

He concluded: "They have been prepped very well by the new team under Ollie [Costello], so it is very well done to the them, they have done a great job, it is a great team effort – it is hard work up here for them and the foals." (15:45)

"She has been bought off a good farm, and hopefully there will be a good few updates next year," said Michael Fitzpatrick. "We have had foals by Night Of Thunder before, but no stand outs but he is a good sire."

Of buying a filly to pinhook, he said: "It is very difficult to get a filly by a proven stallion and with a pedigree – this filly has a champion mare on the page [Kostroma, 1990 champion older mare in Ireland and a three-time Grade 1 winner in the US], and she is out of a young mare, who has two winners from four foals."

He added: "I would only really pinhook a filly who is likely to get into Book 1."

The possible "updates" mentioned by Fitzpatrick could come courtesy of Spanish Baroque (2019, Lope De Vega), a winner in France last year as a two-year-old in training with Jean-Claude Rouget and owned by White Birch Farm, East Coast Road (2018, Iffraaj), who has been placed as a two and three-year-old, and a 2020 colt by Showcasing bought by Stroud Coleman at Book 2 this autumn for 200,000gns.

The filly was bred and sold by Overbury Stud. (15:40)

This colt is out of the Listed-placed Oasis Dream mare Loaves And Fishes, a daughter of Miracle Seeker, bought by Plantation Stud here in 2017 for 125,000gns.

Wootton Bassett is the sire of 43 stakes performers (16 Group winners, 11 Listed winners) and five Group 1 winners. This year he sired had two new winners at the highest level – Incarville, successful in the Prix Saint-Alary (G1), and Zellie, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac (G1), the sire's first two-year-old Group 1 winner.

He is due to stand his second season in Ireland in 2022 and his new €150,000 fee is to be the highest yet for the son of Iffraaj. He has three further lots to sell this week, two fillies (Lot 668, Lot 847) and a colt (Lot 838). (14:51)

Keep Dancing is a half-sister to Alhebayeb, winner of the July Stakes (G3). She was covered by Ardad this spring.

GHS Bloodstock yesterday spent 50,000gns on Lot 234, a Territories colt out of Desert Liaison. (14:30)

"He is a very nice straightforward colt," said Roberts. "He has a good walk and is a strong type – let's hope he stays like that. He will go to Germany now but will come back here for resale."

Scarborough Fair is a daughter of the Prix de l'Opera winner Kinnaird, and a half-sister to Berkshire, winner of the Royal Lodge Stakes (G2). She was covered this spring by Without Parole. (14:07)

Calyx, by Kingman, has nine lots due through the ring this week – he has thad three sell so far for an average price of 46,667gns.

This foal was conceived off a fee of €22,500, and the sire, who was unbeaten as a two-year-old and won the Coventry Stakes (G2) on his second career start, stood at a fee of €16,000 this spring. His fee for 2022 is €12,500. (14:00)

A grey colt by Sea The Moon, bred by Miss Yvonne Jacques out of the four-time winner Contrive (Masterscraftsman), he was sold by Carisbrooke Stud.

Yesterday the team spent 66,000gns on the Time Test colt out of Sweet As Honey (Lot 433). (13:55)

"A few I have seen by Advertise have caught the eye," said David Cox. "He is a son of Showcasing and should be popular next year. The mare had ability, too."

Indignant (Gold Away), a Theakston Stud homebred, was a three-time winner, successful in the Listed Cathedral Stakes and third in the Oak Tree Stakes (G3). She has had three runners from three foals of racing age and all three have won two races apiece. She was covered by Havana Gold this spring.

Advertise, a three-time Group 1-winning sprinter, won the Phoenix Stakes as a juvenile, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Commonwealth Cup at three. He has stood at a fee of £25,000 for his two years at stud so far, a price which is being maintained for 2022. He stands at The National Stud.

He has 17 lots catalogued this week. (13:54)

The colt is the fourth foal out of Ramone (Marju), winner of the Park Express Stakes (G3) and rated 105. She was bought here by Rathbarry for 350,000gns in 2015 from Eyrefield Stud.

Acclamation has crossed well with Marju before – the two-time Group 1 winner Marsha, who was sold at the end of her racing career as a four-year-old at the December Mares' Sale in 2017 for a record-breaking 6,000,000gns, as well as the Group 3 winner Talwar, were both by Acclamation and out of mares by Marju. (12:21)

"He will be coming back next year, he can go to any sale," reported Yeomanstown's Robert O'Callaghan. "He is a very simple colt, big strong horse with a great walk, he kinda has everything. He has a good page and we have had luck with Sea The Moon already, we were mad to get him. Sea The Moon is getting better year on year, and with better crops to come. His own sire Sea The Stars is doing phenomenal things.

Of the price, O'Callaghan said: "We were hoping he was going to stay under the100 mark, but for the good ones you have to stretch but we are glad to get him. Hopefully, he will come back here heathy next year and leave us a bit of profit.

"Trade has been strong, everyone wants to the nice ones, but you have to pick and choose your battles and not get too carried away."

And looking ahead to purchasing plans for the week: "We bought 20 last week between ourselves and Grangemore, and we will be looking to buy about the same again. That is two bought now so it is time to get stuck in and stock up for next year!"

Pearly Spirit was bought in 2018 from Saint Pair by Blandford Bloodstock for €52,000. She has had two previous foals and is yet to have a runner. Third dam is the Group 1 Prix Vermeille winner Pearly Shells.

Richard Brown how helps with the farm's bloodstock, said: "Clive is brilliant, he gives me a budget and then tells me to call him when we have bought. Pearly Spirit is a beautiful, gorgeous filly. The Sea The Moon is a smashing colt, the sire really is in the ascendancy at the moment. This foal came here looking superb – it is only a small team at the farm, but he looked great. The mare goes to Ardad next spring." (12:10)

The colt is out of Parliament House, a Slade Power daughter of Embassy (Cadeaux Genereux), the champion two-year-old filly of 1997, winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) and the Princess Margaret Stakes (G3).

The foal was bred and sold by Natton House Thoroughbreds Ltd, who bought Parliament House at the 2019 Tattersalls February Sale from the Godolphin draft for 22,000gns. She had been placed once as a juvenile. (12:00)

Paul Cafferty was bidding for Level Par Bloodstock and stood at the top of the stairs.

He outlined the ongoing plans for the colt.

"We will either bring him back to the yearling sales, Book 2 hopefully, or breeze him,"he said. "He has size and scope and a page – the page has a bit of depth to it. We are based in Hertfordshire and we operate under Silver Hill Stables. We did three last year and we are hoping to do the same again this time. Bated Breath is proven and commercial."

The colt is a full-brother to Landshark (2015), who finished second in the Round Tower Stakes (G3), while the dam Tremelo Pointe (Trempolino) is a half-sister to Dream Eater (Night Shift), a Listed winner and a Group 1 and Group 2-placed miler. She also had a colt in 2019 by Bated Breath and is back in-foal to him.

This colt was sold by Norris Bloodstock and bred by Lord Margadale at Fonthill Farms; Tremelo Pointe bought as a yearling by the breeder's brother trainer Hughie Morrison and raced in a small syndicate of three that included Lord Margadale.

He said: "In the very beginning for the pregnancy that produced Landshark I thought Bated Breath suited the mare physically and on paper.

"We only got 5,000gns for him in Book 2, but he breezed at the Goresbridge Sale and made €210,000. The 2019 full-brother we sold as a foal for 67,000gns, and Shadwell bought him in Book 2 for 290,000gns. He is with Roger Varian. The mare is back in-foal to Bated Breath."

Lord Magardale also updated the latest Fonthill Farms news: "We have rented out Fonthill to Matt Bowen and Natalie Folland, and we are keeping mares with them. We are selling one or two next week, but we have put two fillies in training – it is onwards and upwards!" (11:36)

She is out of Rockme Cockney (Cockney Rebel), the winner of one race as a three-year-old, the dam of two winners from three runners and a half-sister to Botantic Garden (Royal Applause), who was twice Listed placed.

Time Test was sire of yesterday's top lot, Lot 362, the son of Wild Mimosa who fetched 75,000gns, as well the day's third-best price –Lot 433, the colt of Sweet As Honey, who was bought by Good Will Bloodstock for 66,000gns. (10:48)

445,  459,  483,  497,  498,  500,  501,  544,  547,  564,  565,  567,  569,  571,  581,  592,  617,  618,  619,  628,  647,  650,  658,  661,  677,  680,  681,  683,  690,  692,  697,  698,  699,  729,  737,  753,  763 (09:18)

Selling due to start at 10am. (09:18)

Lots catalogued: 238 (228)

Lots offered: 204 (201)

Lots sold: 171 (135)

Aggregate: 2,624,800gns (+66%) (second-best for an opening session of the December Foal Sale)

Median: 10,000gns (+25%)

Average: 15,350gns (+31%)*

% sold: 84% (67%)*

*RECORD for an opening session of the December Foal Sale

Leading consignors: 1. Highclere Stud, 2. Overbury Stud, 3. The National Stud

Leading purchasers: 1. Tally-Ho Stud, 2. Kelly Equine, 3. Jamie Railton Sales Agency

Leading sires (aggregate): 1. Time Test, 2. Land Force, 3. Havana Grey

Leading sires (average, 2+ sold): 1. Kodiac, 2. Ulysses, 3. Dandy Man (17:32)

"This is the first by Time Test I have bought, the stallion is a son of Dubawi and they are doing well. It is a trend that is becoming apparent. I'd like to have a Time Test to sell next year as I think his first crop as three-year-olds will go on again. This colt would be an October Book 2 type," said Fitzpatrick.

The colt is out of the Duke Of Marmalade mare Sweet As Honey, who was placed as a two-year-old. She is dam of the nine-time winner Militia (Equiano), who has run 42 times and added to his winning total twice this year. The mare is a half-sister to Tactician (Motivator), winner of the Listed Silver Cup Stakes. The colt was bred by Philip Mitchell Bloodstock. (17:25)

"He is for clients Daniel Macauliffe & Anoj Don, who owned by Fighting Irish. He has been bought to race and they were very keen to buy one by the sire," reported Coleman. "From here he will probably go to Culworth Grounds and will race in Britain."

Sold by Stauffenberg Bloodstock, bred by Graf und Grafin Stauffenberg, the colt is out of the Shirocco mare Zegna, the dam of three winners including the US Listed-placed filly by Nayef, Zahara.

Zarak, by Dubawi, is sire of the Group 3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Lizaid, the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac runner-upTimes Square, and Purplepay, who finished third in Criterium International (G1).

He is the sire of 17 winners of 22 races from 33 starters. He stands at Haras de Bonneval and he retired to stud at a fee of €12,000. He has remained at that fee throughout his career, but it is due to rise to €25,000 for 2022. (16:35)

Marnane said: "This is a lovely quality colt, I love the stallion, think he could have some quality yearlings next year, and this lad looks a real runner. We had to go an extra bid to get him, and it is the third foal we have bought this autumn. I have seen a few by the stallion, they are very nice, he was a very good racehorse."

Land Force covered 119 mares this spring, including 57 winning mares. (15:37)

“He has been bought for resale," said Houldsworth. "He’s just a really quality individual, a very good moving horse. I haven’t seen many by the stallion, but I just think he was a very racehorse. I know he is standing as a jumps sire, but that’s not to say he won’t be a good sire of Flat horses. He’s been bought for resale and hopefully for something like Book 2 here. He’ll go to Aughamore Stud.”

He is a half-brother to three winners and out of Guenea (Sinndar). She is a half-sister to seven winners, including the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) winner Guignol (Cape Cross) and Guiliani (Tertullian), winner of the Grosser Dallmayr Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (G1).

It is the further family of the German champion older horse of 2010, Getaway, also a winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) and of the Deutschland Preis (G1).

Guenea was bought for just €13,000 in 2018 by the Renello Bloodstock Agency. (15:30)

The bay colt is out of Wild Mimosa, a daughter of Dynaformer bought by Overbury Stud with Blandford Bloodstock in 2017. Although she has been a successful investment for Overbury, as the farm's manager Simon Sweeting explained, she takes a bit of managing.

"She has been a huge success for us, she has been wonderful she has been very lucky for us, but she is a mare we have to take the foals off her straight away as she savages them," he rued. "She has done it twice, so we were told not to let her see the foals, so we raise them on foster mares and have one organised every time now."

The mare's current two-year-old Love Interest, by Time Test, won on her racecourse debut in October for trainer David O'Meara and owner Clipper Logistics. She was sold as a foal by Overbury for 32,000gns to Larry Stratton / Church View Stables, who sold her to Joe Foley in the October Book 1 Sale for 72,000gns.

"The two-year-old looks like she might be ok," said Sweeting. "She will go back to Time Test, she was in-foal to Ardad, but sadly lost it at 42 days. That's life! We can't grumble, we have done well."

Of Time Test, who could be seen as a competitor in the stallion ranks to Overbury's Ardad, Sweeting enthused: "I have got a breeding right in Time Test, he is a fabulous stallion, he has got a lot further to go and we are very excited abut him. It is great for The National Stud that it has got such a good horse, I am thrilled about that."

With a smile, he added: "He is a very different stallion to Ardad, and almost as good as him as well!"

Buyer Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud said: "“He’s a nice-looking horse by a promising young sire. I’ve never had one by Time Test before, but this is a well-made horse so will hope for the best. There is a bit going on in the pedigree. I thought less than that would buy him, but you have to keep bidding if you want one." (15:30)