WHILE James Hanly sold the top lot in Book 2 for his friend Trevor Stewart, on his own account he received a tasty 310,000gns for a son of Kodiac out of a winning mare by the champion broodmare sire Pivotal.

The colt was bought for resale – and Tattersalls can expect to see him again at the Craven Sale in 2020.

William Haggas made a bold play to secure the colt but had to give best to Grove Stud’s Brendan Holland. The buyer is a man looking forward with confidence to the future, and has approaching 20 lots for the breeze up sales next spring.

He explained his rationale. “We’ve had a good run of it recently at the breeze up sales – please God that will continue. But I need to line up as good a draft of horses as I can, keep on improving. Buyers come to Grove Stud and expect to see nice horses.”

Holland was especially taken with his most expensive purchase this year. “I thought he was as good a physical as you will see and he has a great walk. He is by Kodiac and the mare has bred two winners by lesser sires. He was expensive, but you have to buy what you like and he is my pick of the three days. He is from a good breeder in James Hanly – I love buying off good breeders.”