With approximately 120 lots still to sell, the average for the Tattersalls foal sale was running at 20,490gns, a fall of 25 per on the figure recorded on this day last year.

“It’s like every sale I’ve been to this year,” says Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock.  “It’s very selective – the good lots are makingplenty of money but anything below that is difficult to move on.”

Foals  by Pivotal and Hurricane Run had lit up the early exchanges of the second instalment of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale when selling for 90,000gns apiece.

David Redvers, standing with Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, fought off a host of bidders, including David Powell and Peter Doyle, for the Pivotal filly, who was bred by Fiona Williams out of her Listed-winning mare Cartimandua.

“She’s been bought for a Tweenhills/Rathmore pinhooking syndicate,” said Redvers of the filly who was consigned by Throckmorton Court Stud. “I thought she was a very good example of her sire. Hopefully she will be an exciting filly for next year.”

Trainer Mark Johnston successfully assumed the role of vendor when selling a Hurricane Run half-brother to Cavalryman through Rathasker Stud for 90,000gns to Lodge Park Stud. Peter Kelly’s Emerald Bloodstock signed the ticket.

Johnston purchased his dam, Silversword, for €100,000 at last year’s Arqana December Sale.

“He’s been bought for resale and I should think he’ll either come back here or go to France,” said Ronan Burns. “He’s a half-brother to a Group 1 winner by a stallion who has been getting a good few winners recently.”

John Ferguson made his first purchase of the sale when fighting off Ciaran ‘Flash’ Conroy, standing with Peter Doyle on the back stairs, and David Redvers for a 78,000gns son of record-breaking first-season sire Iffraaj.

“He’s an athletic colt out of a proven producer,” said Ferguson of the half-brother to the Listed-placed Totally Yours.

With approximately 120 lots still to sell, the average is running 25 per cent the figure recorded on this day last year at 20,490gns.