ALASTAIR Donald was to the fore on a day when the ongoing Ballymacoll Stud dispersal stole the headlines, and it was bloodstock agent Donald who provided the fireworks on Tuesday. His bid of 340,000gns secured the day’s highlight, the three-time winner Pivoine who was sent up from Sir Michael Stoute’s Freemason Lodge Stables.

A son of Redoute’s Choice and from the family of Islington and the Group 1 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, Pivoine’s future plans were not revealed by Donald, apart from saying: “He will remain in the UK, but could be the sort to have an international campaign. He is a lovely horse, with a good rating and his performances to date look good.”

Stoute’s consignment contained four lots that realised in excess of 100,000gns. He sold City Of Joy on behalf of Rabbah Bloodstock for 200,000gns to Saudi Arabian Abdulaziz Al-Mousa. The three-year-old Elusive City gelding will be joined on his trip there by another from the Stoute yard, the dual winner Swiftsure, a Dubawi gelding who cost Al-Mousa 180,000gns.

Another from the Ballymacoll dispersal was the unraced Dalakhani two-year-old In Demand, a half-brother to Pivoine who topped the day’s sale. Northern Ireland based agent Kevin Ross secured him for 110,000gns and he will be trained by Charlie Fellowes.

Meanwhile SackvilleDonald’s Alastair Donald struck again when he bought the choicest lot in the day’s offering from William Haggas’ Somerville Lodge. The three-year-old Foxwedge gelding Battered is a three-time winner and he is heading to Dubai where his rating of 99 will ensure his eligibility for racing. He cost 200,000gns.

Anthony Stroud is always active at these sales, filling orders for the Dubai Carnival, and he made a couple of significant purchases. He paid 300,000gns for Eynhallow, a 95-rated son of Nathaniel and a half-brother to the Group 3 Jersey Stakes winner and classic-placed Gale Force Ten. Twice a winner this year, the gelding was bred by the late Bob McCreery and raced by his family. Also heading to Dubai will be the now 97-rated Jupiter Light, a three-year-old son of Lonhro who recently brought his tally of victories to three with a win over 10 furlongs at Nottingham. He cost Stroud 220,000gns.

Jupiter Light was the best of John Gosden’s attractive draft which also included three other six-figure lots. He sold the Dark Angel three-year-old Eldritch for 200,000gns and the gelding will now head to race in California after his purchase by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. The stakes-placed Nobly Born, a three-year-old son of Mayson, added a six-furlong Ascot handicap win recently and the half-brother to Peeress found favour with Hong Kong’s Kam Sum Ho at 190,000gns.

Harold Kirk prevailed for another Gosden offering, the two-mile listed winner Face The Facts, and the three-year-old gelding will be another addition to Willie Mullins’ team at Closutton. He cost just 100,000gns and Kirk revealed that he came highly recommended by the trainer, who was also the sourse of Thomas Hobson.

Rabbah Bloodstock were sellers and buyers and among their purchases was the Roger Charlton-trained Ply, a son of Dubawi. A maiden when he was entered for the sale, the three-year-old gelding has won twice since and his rating soared from 75 to 92. He sold for 165,000gns. This was a bid more than the 160,000gns paid by Bent Olsen for the two-year-old Frankel colt Learn By Heart, a listed-placed winner this year over seven furlongs and a son of the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Memory. Raced and bred by the Queen, the colt will now continue his career in Scandinavia.

Australian purchasers were at the sale in large numbers and heading down under is the two-year-old Kendargent colt Real Gent. Winner over a mile at Haydock after the catalogue was printed for Kevin Ryan and owner Mark Dwyer, this half-brother to smart hurdler Ebadiyan will be trained at Flemington by Mike Moroney, for whom his brother Paul was acting. The colt realised 130,000gns.

Sir Mark Prescott sold Pioneertown on behalf of the executors of Jeff Pearce for 130,000gns to Warren & Elliott. The gelding won twice over a mile and a half at Newcastle after the catalogue went to press.

Law And Order won a listed race over nine furlongs this year for James Tate and the Rabbah Bloodstock-owned son of Lawman was snapped up by Voute Sales for Saudi Arabia at 120,000gns. Meanwhile Tom Morley added to his shopping basket when paying 110,000gns for Highclere Thoroughbred’s Raucous, a four-year-old son of Dream Ahead. Winner of three races, the gelding was placed in both the Group 2 Gimcrack and Mill Reef Stakes as a juvenile.

Two lots from The Castlebridge Consignment sold for 100,000gns each and were bought by bloodstock agent Jason Kelly. Both lots were trained by Hugo Palmer. First to the mark was three-time winner Anythingtoday, a three-year-old son of Zoffany, while minutes later the Listed two-year-old winner Escobar, by Famous Name, reached the same figure.