THIS was an important week in the bloodstock sales world, with Goffs UK holding their breeze up sale, while down in Suffolk a largely Irish-populated catalogue of point-to-pointers travelled the Irish Sea in a hopeful search for new owners.

To the relief of most of the vendors, and of a wider industry, both sales produced pleasing outcomes. Pre-sale apprehensions were the norm, but all participants would have to agree that the overall business done was welcome. Naturally, expectations were not always met, but that is part of the fabric of all sales.