EMMET Mullins celebrated Noble Yeats' win in Saturday's Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham by purchasing one of the top lots at the Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale after racing.

Mullins gave £125,000 to acquire Melbourne Shamrock, a five-year-old by Hillstar who recently won a point-to-point at Ballycrystal for handler Matthew Flynn O'Connor.

A €70,000 store when sold at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale from Castledillon Stud, Melbourne Shamrock is a half-brother to Barnaviddaun, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles.

His dam is a half-sister to the Grade 2 hurdler Mossy Fen from the family of immediate family of the talented Sound Man, Master Of The Hall and Pairofbrowneyes.

Mullins said: "He bounced out and made all, he had one or two horses take him on all the way and he batted them away. Mags [Mullins} had a nice horse who finished second [Colonel Nelson], the two of them quickened up like two smart horses and, hopefully, he can go on to bigger and better things.

"I had not had anything by Hillstar before, but this horse put in the performance and happy to get him. Plans are open at the moment and he we have not got an owner as yet."

When asked about Noble Yeats' onward plans he said: "I should imagine it is the Stayers' Hurdle and the Grand National, all being well."

Matthew Flynn O'Connor said: "He is a lovely horse, we bought him as a store last June, we gave him one run and he was a big baby a bit green. We gave him a run last weekend on our own place at Ballycrystal, and he did it well.

"He is tough and hardy, they got racing plenty early but he held the gallop and it was a fast time. He has gone to a good home. Conditions were rough, but we got it done so we are happy."

Of his four-year-old string, he said: "We should get rolling at the end of February, but we have a couple of nice five-year-olds still to run."

Predictably, the top lot on Saturday evening was Old Tom Morris, a five-year-old by Getaway. Trained and ridden by Rob James, he was an impressive three and a half-length winner of his maiden at Turtulla on debut, in a race run in a fast time.

He was bought for £150,000 by agent Hamish Macauley who said: "He is the nicest horse here today and plans are fluid."

In a session which saw 16 horses sell for an average price of £54,750, two other horses broke the six-figure barrier.

Colin Bowe's Tinahely winner Admiral Stewart fetched £130,000, to the bid of agent Tom Malone.

The son of Soldier Of Fortune is a brother to six winners, including the Grade 3 winner and multiple graded placed The Crafty Butcher.

Malone said: "Myself and Jamie Snowden really liked this lad. I had to take on trust from Colin Bowe as in the video [of his win] all you can see is about 40yds because of the fog, but Colin said that he could stand by him."

Malone added: "I have had a big winner today by the stallion Solider Of Fortune in Kerryhill – I don't mind the stallion and he has not let me down. The horse is beautiful, he was an €80,000 store horse. They have not had to do too much with him to get him to win, and we get to find out how good he is.

"He has something of a Flat pedigree, and his half-brother The Crafty Butcher was the most incorrect – he was as crooked as a ram's horn but he still managed to be blacktype.

"Jamie has had an up-and-down day today, but he has had a great season and winning the Grand Military yesterday was a great training performance."

The Eric McNamara-trained Seatoit was bought by Kim Bailey for £120,000. By Affinisea, Seatoit finished second to the highly-regarded Kish Bank in a Punchestown bumper in December.