Katie Walsh sold the top lot at the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when her New Bay colt, already named Anno Domini, was bought by Godolphin for 525,000gns.

The colt was bred by the late Sir Robert Ogden and sold to Walsh at Book 1 of last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 125,000gns.

Bidding on the March-born grey colt opened up at 100,000gns, quickly jumped up to 200,000gns, before settling to a battle between Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, standing on the stairs by the bidders' area and on the telephone, and Godolphin representative Anthony Stroud, standing below in the gangway, and he eventually emerged as the successful purchaser.

"This is a very nice horse, he did a very good breeze, Katie Walsh does a fantastic job, and he has a great pedigree, being by New Bay and out of a Galileo mare," said Stroud. "I saw him as yearling, liked him and should have bought then!"

After the sale, Walsh said: "Physically, I always thought he could come back here as I thought he was sharp enough, and his breeze yesterday matched up to that.

"I can't believe it really, but I guess I did dream a little bit as he had cost 125,000gns and he has the pedigree – the people who are into pedigrees couldn't knock him on it. He made sense on paper, and then when he breezed well and vetted well I knew we had a chance of getting a touch.

"The paperwork matched with the physical, not often it all comes together like that. I always had faith in him, that if the whole worked out, he could do that."

She added of the feeling after selling for such a sum: "In the moment after it is a bit of whirlwind as the phone is ringing from home, and you want to ring everyone, but it is brilliant, it is great for everyone.

"We are a family-run business with my sister Jennifer, my mum and dad and my husband [Ross O'Sullivan], we are all in it together - as well as all the lads at home. We couldn't do it without the lads at home, and that's the truth. This is due to the work they put in at home all year – we have a good team at home and it is a win-win for everybody."

She added: "I had a More Than Ready filly a few years ago who made 500,000gns – she wasn't mine and I have a good piece of this colt so that makes it all a bit sweeter!"

Anno Domini's dam Alegra (by Galileo) has produced five winners, including the listed race winners Pythagoras and Blue Gardenia. His third dam is Alouette, dam of the champions Albanova and Alborada, ancestress of numerous blacktype winners, headed up by the Prix de Arc de Triomphe winner Alpinista, the European champion older mare of 2022.

He was sold here last year as part of the Lady Ogden dispersal and was consigned by Barton Stud.

Irish buyers

Early in the day Curragh trainer Michael O'Callaghan spent 300,000gns on a Mehmas colt from Willie Browne's Mocklershill Stables. Agent Ross Doyle and trainer Richard Hannon were the underbidders.

"He was very professional in his breeze, he comes from a very good hotel," said O'Callaghan. "He has a great pedigree, he is a half-brother to River Tiber and it is a very good cross – Mehmas out of an Arcano mare. Supremacy is the very same. I have bought him for an existing client.

"He is a Royal Ascot mould, he is by that type of sire, hopefully if that happens, that happens. He was up early in his breeze - he was very professional and I am delighted to get him."

Paddy Twomey is set to train a first crop son of Pinatubo who was sold by Johnny Collins' Brown Island Stables to agent Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock for 220,000gns. He was a 68,000gns yearling purchase at the Tattersalls October Book 2 Sale.

McStay said: "He has been purchased for a very good client based in Dubai called Mohammed Al Suboosi who already owns some nice horses with Paddy – Procrastinate, another breeze-up horse, and Noche Magica, who’ll come back for a sprinting campaign after being a group horse last year.

"We had a very select list and combined all our thoughts and this was the horse we hit on. I think the sire could be very promising and the mare’s already done it by breeding Mrs Gallagher. The colt came recommended by Johnny Collins, who I’ve known for a long time. His recommendation counts for a lot so I’m delighted to get this colt."

On a day when eight lots sold for 200,000gns or more, the average price came in at over 105,000gns (down 4% on last year) and the median price for the session was 77,000gns, exactly the same as last year. The clearance rate of 71% was up from 69% for this session 12 months ago.

The sale continues after racing on Wednesday.