This sale has moved back to its traditional August date. What was behind the decision to return it here, and what problem is it solving?

The decision to return the sale to its traditional August date was made following feedback from both vendors and purchasers. There was a clear feeling that the timeframe between the Derby Sale at the end of June and the July Sale did not provide sufficient time particularly those looking to sell horses at home that were bought at the Derby Sale and looking to restock at August.

Talk us through what’s in the August Sale catalogue this year. How does the quality and depth compare to previous renewals?

There was huge demand to take horses to the store sale market, and while it is not a select sale, the quality and depth throughout the catalogue is very strong across the two days. The catalogue also has 58 wildcards that were previously catalogued in a select store sale. This has added to the quality throughout the full catalogue. With progeny from 118 different sires it’s a catalogue that will suit everyone’s budget.

Store horses shattered records at the Derby Sale. What’s actually driving that? Is it a genuine shortage of supply, or has demand simply outstripped what anyone predicted?

There’s several opinions on why the market was so strong; there was strong demand from our UK purchasers, the point-to-point graduates have become so popular that some winners are possibly outside the budget of some buyers, therefore several purchasers have pivoted to buying stores and there’s the supply side of the market to consider also. We saw incredible demand this year and it was pleasing to see several purchasers return after a gap of a few years.

Has the profile of buyer changed? More syndicates, more trainers buying direct, or is it still largely the same core group paying more?

I don’t believe the profile of the buyer has changed. Irish and UK-based trainers were particularly active as well as the point-to-point handlers. The Irish buyers were particularly strong at the Derby Sale, accounting for 85% of the total sales. The UK purchaser spend also increased by 65%. There is also a younger cohort of buyers now active at the store sales and will be present again at the August NH Sale where value can be had.

If demand continues through August, could it influence your decisions around next year’s catalogue size or sales dates?

That, of course, depends and we will consider our options based on the level of interest. We are aware that there has been a small contraction in the foal crop so it will be some time before we see a return - if at all - to the large foal crops we witnessed previously.

With store prices climbing so sharply, do you anticipate any knock-on effect on the foal or breeding stock end of the market?

You would think so. It has, however, always been somewhat selective to what the market requires, so there will be an element of selectivity to what people buy and I can’t see that changing.