VICTORY last Sunday for Champers On Ice at The Pigeons, where he triumphed by a dozen lengths (see page C4-5), ensured that there would be plenty of interest in the son of Robin Des Champs when he entered the ring at Brightwells Cheltenham Sale on Thursday evening.

A protracted duel between the Mullins and Pipe teams ended with the five-year-old becoming the property of Bryan Drew when he capped Harold Kirk’s bid of £200,000 with an extra £5,000. Drew was buoyed no doubt by the fact that he had previously bought Moon Racer, winner of the Champion Bumper this week, through Brightwells.