The 4,359,100gns turnover and 22,354gns average both came within a fraction of last year's record-breaking figures although the median of 15,500gns dropped by 2,500gns.

A first-crop son of Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Johannesburg (Hennessy) and US stakes winner La Martina (GB) (Atraf {GB}) topped the day when bought by father and son pinhookers John and Andrew Ellis, who trade as Bolton Grange, for 200,000gns.

Andrew Ellis outbid first Shadwell's Angus Gold and finally Irish pinhooker Timmy Hyde to get the colt, consigned from Tim Cooper's Nuthurst Farm Stud.

John Ferguson was busy recruiting future racing prospects for Sheikh Mohammed, paying 140,000gns and 110,000gns for colts by Darley stallion Cape Cross and 140,000gns for a son of Pivotal sold by Silfield Bloodstock.

Norfolk-based Charlie and Alice Mason, the Silfield Bloodstock principals, had bought the foal 'in utero' inside his dam Dance To The Top for 38,000gns at Tattersalls last July..