Buyers from Australia, America and the Middle East were hard to beat for the top lots at Tattersalls on Tuesday, the second day of the Autumn Horses in Training Sale.

California is calling for I'm A Gambler, who was sold out of Mark and Charlie Johnston's yard for 850,000gns, making him the third-most expensive ever horse sold at this auction.

The winning bid came from Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, sat with agent Alistair Donald. The Saudi Arabian-based Najd Stud was underbidder at 825,000gns.

A three-year-old by No Nay Never out of We Are Ninety, I'm A Gambler has won nine races, including a premier handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend and, most recently, a listed race at Redcar, both over seven furlongs.

Tim Cohen of Red Barons Farm said: "It is hard to find a 'solid' three-year-old and he is one of the highest-rated in the catalogue; physically he is beautiful. Certainly I did not want to go that far, but I didn't come this far not to do something worthwhile!"

Consignor Charlie Johnston said: "It was quite some theatre because bidders that seemed to drop out of the running suddenly came back for more! It just showed what high demand he was in. He’s a phenomenal physical, a beautiful horse, and he’s had no issues all the way through his career. He’s been an easy horse to train as he’s very sound and very tough and he’s really taken off in the last four or five months. It’s a phenomenal result.

“Watching trade I thought he was going to make 400,000gns maybe 500,000gns on a good day, so the end result is quite fantastic.

“Normally you wouldn’t sell good horses like that but the reality is, I spoke to John Brown [owner] a few weeks ago and his dream campaign for next year would involve winning the Lennox Stakes. Well the horse has just earned five, six or maybe even seven times the prize-money of that race for selling the horse. It leaves a huge hole in our yard to sell a 110-rated horse but economically it was a logical decision for the owner."

Hurdling career

The one-time Derby favourite High Definition is to be trained for a hurdling career with Joseph O'Brien,

A four-year-old by Galileo, High Definition was another high-profile sale from Coolmore at the sale on Tuesday.

High Definition made a big impression in winning both his starts as a juvenile, including the Group 2 Futurity Stakes. However, he has failed to win in 12 subsequent starts although he came within a neck of winning at Group 1 level earlier this year.

On Tuesday he was bought by bloodstock agent Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock for 350,000gns. The agent said: “He is a very nice horse, as good a horse as is in this sale, a very, very high class horse, high rated top class form. He is a beautiful individual, he has been very well trained by Aidan O’Brien. It is very rare that a horse of this calibre appears in a sale ring, very happy to get him. He is for an existing, international client and he goes to Joseph O’Brien to go jumping."

Going to Australia

Three of the day's top lots - Kyeema, Earl Of Tyrone and Ruling - are all heading to Australia.

Kyeema, a two-year-old gelding by Siyouni, was trained by William Haggas to win at Catterick and York in August. and finished second in a listed race at York recently.

He was sold today for 360,000gns to an online bid from Domeland, a breeding and racing ownership organisation based in Australia. Horses run under the banner Viribright Racing.

Earl Of Tyrone was trained by Paddy Twomey to win three races this season before finishing a close third in the Ebor at York. He was sold for 300,000gns to Australian Bloodstock.

Also heading to Australia for the same price is Ruling, a four-year-old gelding trained by Joseph O'Brien who finished an eyecatching fourth in the Irish Cesarewitch last month.

Ruling was previously owned by Qatar Racing and it is to Qatar that the day's top two lots, Persian Royal and Inverness, are heading. Both three-year-olds were bought by Wathnan Racing, to be trained by Olly Tait.

Persian Royal, a gelding by Al Kazeem, was trained by Harry and Roger Charlton to win four races over a mile this season and is rated 90. He was sold today for 450,000gns, while Inverness, a three-year-old son of Highland Reel, was bought for 380,000gns.

When trained by Charlie Hills, Inverness won twice, including when successful at Haydock in September in a Class 2 handicap over 14 furlongs off a mark of 90.

"He has very consistent, progressive form, and he will go on firm ground," said Tait. "He is a horse could hopefully be competitive in the Qatar Derby. He is that level of horse, he wasn't inexpensive, but that is what you have to pay for a horse of that quality. He is very willing and his form stands up very well.

"There is a big programme of racing in Qatar, and Wathnan Racing is very ambitious, looking for horse who can win races at different levels. In time, a broader Middle East campaign for the horses could be on the radar."

The sale continues on Wednesday and concludes on Thursday.