A €60,000 son of Rock Of Gibraltar headed the Part II section of the September Yearling Sale which witnessed a dramatically improved level of trade from last year.

Twelve months ago this part of the auction produced a pair of €46,000 top lots but that mark was surpassed on several occasions and pride of place went to the Rock Of Gibraltar colt who was bought by agent Patrick Moyles. The latter reported that the relation to the dual Derby winner Shahrastani was bought on behalf of a client to race in Ireland.

The breeze-up fraternity were out in force as they looked to stockpile talent for next year’s sales and Willie Browne led the way when giving €58,000 for a colt from the first crop of Xtension.

A Group 2 winner and placed at the highest level when trained by Clive Cox, Xtension went on to win a Group 1 in Hong Kong and enjoyed a successful career there before he was repatriated for stud duties.

Clive Cox was keen to secure this colt and, acting through Merrick Francis, he went to €55,000 but Browne would not be denied for the half-brother to four winners.

KODAMA BUYS

Fresh from recording the biggest success of his training career when Elusive Time won last month’s Cambridgeshire at the Curragh, Takashi Kodama added to his string for next year when forking out €50,000 for a daughter of Dandy Man.

The filly was sold by Baroda & Colbinstown Studs having been picked up for a mere €5,500 as a foal and she attracted the attentions of Ken Condon and Eddie Lynam before Kodama entered the fray late on.

The trainer explained that he has a particular affinity with the progeny of Dandy Man having worked for the late Con Collins when the crack sprinter and his high-class dam, Lady Alexander, were under that trainer’s care.

Newmarket trainer David Simcock is to take charge of a €42,000 Zoffany colt who was snapped up by Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Biggs. This colt comes from the family of the Irish Champion Stakes runner-up Dazzling Park but, of more immediate interest, he is a half-brother to the John Gosden-trained juvenile Fennaan who will bid to build on a creditable debut effort when he runs at Newbury today.

Also destined for next year’s round of breeze-up sales is an attractive filly from the first crop of the runaway Coventry and Dewhurst Stakes winner War Command who fetched €35,000.

The grey was bought by Katie Walsh and her sale was a most poignant one as it came after she had been pinhooked for €9,000 by Ballylinch Stud’s Mark Byrne and his great friend Jonathan Fitzpatrick who so sadly passed away last month. Along with his parents, Jonathan Fitzpatrick also bred Coeur D’Amour who won a two-year-old maiden at Galway on Tuesday.

KODIAC

Earlier in the day, Con Marnane spent €33,000 on a daugher of Kodiac who was bred by Aidan Fogarty, an integral part of Marnane’s Bansha House operation.

This filly is out of a half-sister to the outstanding Hong Kong-based sprinter Peniaphobia whom Fogarty also bred.

Joe Foley’s purchasing for the week concluded when he gave €34,000 for a son of Poet’s Voice. This colt shares his sire with the recent Irish Champion Stakes second Poet’s Word and his half-brother is the former Craven Stakes runner-up Metropolitan Man.

The BBA Ireland, who were the leading purchasers through Part II, headed their spending when going to €28,000 for a daughter of Big Bad Bob who comes from the family of the great Dancing Brave.

The only Siyouni filly on offer this week looks destined to head to the breeze-up sales after she went to Rockview Stables for €25,000. She is out of a granddaughter of the Canadian champion Alywow.