TUESDAY’S one-day fixture at Goresbridge was, in the true sense of the word, quite extraordinary. On a day that saw 93% of the horses on offer change hands at an average of €7,004, trade was sizzling from start to finish.

“In the 52-year history of sales at Goresbridge, we have never seen anything like it,” said an ebullient Martin and Mary-Frances Donohoe. “The figures smashed the previous records to smithereens, and while the indications were there for a strong trade, nobody could have anticipated this outcome, which surpassed even our wildest dreams.”