TURNOVER at the Goffs London Sale may have dipped by a little over a million pounds, but the average and median soared like the temperatures that engulfed The Orangery at Kensington Palace for the hour long sale. A curtain raiser for the five-days of racing at Royal Ascot, many of the entries carried engagements at the festival as an added attraction.

The million pound barrier was threatened but not surpassed as a dozen of the 19 horses offered changed hands. Incredibly, half of the lots sold were purchased by a single buyer, Alastair Donald of SackvilleDonald acting for Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the owner of Leicester City football club. Their shopping basket comprised five horses with form and one broodmare. The sextet cost a bid more than £2 million, a larger part of the total turnover.

That said, the two leading lots on the night were not among the six buys. Heading trade at £900,000 was the three-year-old Exceed And Excel colt Lockheed, runner-up on his last start in the German 2000 Guineas.

This 450,000gns yearling had shown ability at two when he was placed in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes. Bought by bloodstock agent Chris McAnulty, Lockheed will now head to Hong Kong to be trained by John Size.

Afterwards the agent said: “He will be gelded and given a couple of months here in the UK before being shipped to John Size’s yard in Hong Kong. He’s for a long-time owner Henry Cheng Kar Shum and this is the first time he has purchased at a European sale. I must pay particular thanks to his personal assistant Eric Wong who was instrumental in facilitating the purchase.

“I would also like to thank Goffs and the China Horse Club for entering such an exciting horse. It’s my first time here at the sale and there is a terrific atmosphere which really sets the scene for the week ahead.”

Born To Play, a three-year-old son of Born To Sea, was a late addition to the sale from Joe Murphy’s Crampscastle Stables, prompted no doubt by his second-place finish recently in the Group 3 Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes.

A 20,000gns yearling buy, bidding was intense for him this time and Nick Nugent’s gavel fell at £500,000 in favour of John Bahan, acting for a Hong Kong buyer. Chris So will handle his future career.

Alastair Donald’s spending spree started with the second lot to be offered, Whitefountainfairy from Jessica Harrington’s all-conquering Commonstown Stables. Bought by BBA Ireland on behalf of owner Zhang Yuesheng for €3,000 at last September’s Sportsmans Sale, the two-year-old daughter of Casamento won a six-furlong maiden at Fairyhouse on her second start and she cost her new owner £300,000 this time.

The next lot sold was Night Of Glory who won a 10-furlong maiden at the Curragh on his second start for Michael O’Callaghan. This was enough to see his €50,000 yearling value increase to £340,000. Alastair Donald’s third purchase was one of two broodmares offered for sale, and both were present at the sale.

The 13-year-old Tale Of The Cat mare Baldovina is the dam of Ceiling Kitty, winner of the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, and she was sold in foal to Le Havre. She also had a filly foal by champion Muhaarar at foot and the whole package cost £300,000.

SackvilleDonald’s most expensive purchase was Straight Right, a 2017 listed winning three-year-old son of Siyouni trained by Christophe Forland. He cost £450,000.

Sheila Lavery bred and trained the three-year-old Tagula gelding Twin Star to win a Navan maiden and he then finished fourth in the Gallinule Stakes. He sold for £260,000. Donald brought his total spend to just over £2 million when his bid of £400,000 secured Tisbutadream from David Elsworth’s stable. A four-time winner and Group 3 placed, the daughter of Dream Ahead is a half-sister to Group 1 runner-up Persuasive.

The last lot in the sale was the maiden Yulong Warrior from Michael Halford’s yard. The two-year-old son of Street Cry was runner-up at Cork and Navan over six and five furlongs respectively and he now joins Satish Seemar having changed hands for £360,000. He was sold by owner Zhang Yuesheng, one of a pair he parted with on the night.

Group 3 winner Aim To Please was sent to the sale by Francois Doumen but was passed out unsold at £380,000. Shortly afterwards a private sale was concluded at £340,000 and owner John Dance will now race the daughter of Excellent Art.

After the hammer fell on the final lot, Goffs CEO Henry Beeby said: “We’re delighted with the fourth renewal of the London Sale. We welcomed a huge international audience once again which got Royal Ascot week kicked off in some style. Spirited bidding saw the key statistics advance with the average rising by 26% to over £375,000 and median was up almost 80% to £340,000.

“These figures speak for themselves and demonstrate the enormous hunger for the quality and class that is offered at the sale.”