THE selectivity in parts of the yearling market, referred to by Henry Beeby in his post-sale comment on Book 1 of the Orby Sale, was evident during Book 2 on Thursday and Friday.

Just 74% of yearlings found buyers and the median price of €15,000 was noticeably lower than last year’s €18,000 median.

Last year’s sale had a high of €160,000, three six-figure lots, and a turnover of €8 million. This year the top bid was €135,000, just one six-figure lot, and turnover was just over €6.5 million.

However, buyers will tell you there was plenty of competition for the better lots, while those at the lower end found it tough.

The top lot over the two days was a Sioux Nation colt from Pa Doyle’s Galbertstown Stables. He was bought by Tally-Ho Stud’s Roger O’Callaghan, who said: “We’re breezing him, it’s our favourite game. We like selling fast ones so we hope he’s quick. He looks nice.”

A half-brother to a pair of juvenile winners, the colt’s current two-year-old sibling is Mehmas’s son Diego Venture, a graduate of last year’s Orby Sale. He won first time out for Gavin Cromwell, was sold to Wathnan Racing, and transferred to Hamad Al Jehani. He won at Ascot first time out for his new connections, and on his only other start was second in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket.

Earlier on the day, Tally-Ho combined with Valfredo Valiani to buy another breeze-up candidate, and this was Jossestown Farm’s Cotai Glory colt for €60,000. He is out of a winning Galileo mare.

Two lots on Thursday fetched €80,000. Johnny Murtagh paid that sum for an Acclamation colt jointly owned by Scarlett Mullion, granddaughter of Lady Clague.

Also fetching €80,000 was a filly of first-season sire Supremacy who was acquired by US-based Legion Bloodstock.

Natalia Lupini Racing spent €65,000 on Kilcarn Stud’s Saxon Warrior colt offered through The Castlebridge Consignment. Now a half-brother to three winners, the colt is from a deep family. His dam is a stakes-placed Invincible Spirit half-sister to the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Banimpire, and to the dam of Group 1 Melbourne Cup hero Twilight Agenda.

Conor Quirke combined with DMCL Racing to spend €55,000 on Ballyhimikin Stud’s son of Ten Sovereigns, the second foal out of an own-sister to stakes winner Middle Park Stakes second Fleet Review. This is the immediate family of Rip Van Winkle. The Irish Field journalist Amy Lynam made an outlay of €52,000 for Ballygallon Stud’s Acclamation filly out of a placed half-sister to the multiple Australian Group 1 winner Zaaki.