SUMMER Sands, one of a handful of wildcard entries for the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training, was the outstanding lot during four days of trade at Newmarket this week. The two-year-old son of Coach House, winner of a five-furlong listed race at Redcar and placed in the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes behind the unbeaten Earthlight and the smart Golden Horse, set a new sale record for a colt when the hammer fell at 625,000gns.

An opening bid of 100,000gns led to a flurry of activity until 500,000gns, at which point it became a head-to-head between Alastair Donald and Bill Dwan. The latter won out and revealed that he was acting for the Breeders’ Cup-bound Joseph O’Brien. “He is a gorgeous horse, scopey, and I think he has some improvement to come next year,” said Dwan. “He has been very well campaigned by Richard Fahey.”

The tale of Summer Sands is one of success built on success. A mere £2,000 yearling purchase at Ascot by Robson Aguiar, he was resold for £85,000 at the same venue’s breeze-up sale to Matt Coleman on behalf of the Swann family’s The Cool Silk Partnership. Now his value has soared again, though Chris Swann had mixed feelings following the sale.

He said: “It is bittersweet as I think he will go on to be a brilliant horse as a three-year-old, but we buy two-year-olds and sell at the end of the year. It is the best sale result we have had in the ring.”

Joseph O’Brien made just two purchases during the week, and Dwan acted for him both times. He had earlier splashed out 275,000gns for Dance Jupiter from the John Kiely stable in Waterford. The son of Kingsbarns will now race in the colours of Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, and she owns the Curragh maiden winner Patrick Sarsfield, runner-up to her new acquisition at Cork. “We obviously think that the form was good – let’s hope we are correct,” Dwan revealed afterwards.

Bill Dwan was in a more familiar role when The Castlebridge Consignment ended the week as the leading consignor, and two of their 79 lots were in six-figure territory. The best of the draft was the Hugo Palmer-trained Incinerator, twice a winner at two this year for his owner-breeder Vefa Ibrahim Araci. He cost Saudi Arabian trainer Abdulaziz Al-Mousa 200,000gns and has been bought to target one of the valuable races on the undercard on Saudi Cup day, February 29th.

The trainer was attracted by the fact that the son of Oasis Dream won twice on turf, including on good to firm ground, and acted on the all-weather. He said: “I like his looks and his pedigree, and he should be okay on the dirt.”

A winner at two and again at Gowran Park this season at the age of four, the Jessica Harrington-trained Whirling Dervish was sold by The Castlebridge Consignment and purchased by Champion Hurdle winning trainer Gavin Cromwell for 120,000gns. The son of Camelot won over nine and 14 furlongs and it will be no surprise to see the listed-placed gelding jumping hurdles.