THE decision by Bradley Gibbs to retain point-to-point winner Saunton Turf on behalf of her owners at last month’s Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale when bidding failed to reach £100,000 was justified in spades when the daughter of Sea Moon, offered through Millstone Stables, sold this time for £175,000 to Warren Greatrex and Highflyer Bloodstock.

Bought at the Goffs Land Rover Sale last year for €45,000 by Gibbs, who partnered Premier Magic to a Cheltenham Festival victory in March, Saunton Turf won a four-runner point-to-point that same month, but the lack of opposition was likely a deterrent for purchasers when she came up for sale in March. Last week, Gibbs saddled the filly to win a point-to-point bumper at Aintree in impressive style, and this led to a more positive attitude from potential buyers.

A full-sister to a point-to-point winner, and out of a Fame And Glory daughter of the smart King’s Theatre hurdler Sesenta, Saunton Turf’s price surpassed the record set last year for a mare graduating from the British point-to-point circuit.

Three other fillies or mares realised six-figure sums, and two of them were signed for by Highflyer Bloodstock. Rob James saddled three runners in a mares’ maiden at Bartlemy earlier this month and won the race with the four-year-old Realta Liath, a daughter of Kingston Hill bred by Davy Russell.

The filly won by three lengths on the day in the hands of Derek O’Connor.

Dream Shadow caught the eye of racecourse commentator and Ralahine Stud boss Ger Hannon when she won on her debut at Stowlin for Ciaran Murphy, and he signed for the four-year-old daughter of My Dream Boat at €100,000. The four-year-old possesses an exceptional pedigree, is a half-sister to a pair of Grade 2 winners, and will now be trained for the Doocey family by Fergal O’Brien.

The final six-figure price for a mare was achieved on Thursday when the Grade 2-placed winning hurdler Great Snow, a daughter of Great Pretender, sold to Highflyer and Opulence Thoroughbreds for £100,000. She was part of the Dai Walters dispersal.