A smaller catalogue led to a drop in turnover at Brightwells’ Cheltenham November Sale, although the average price of over £44,691 was virtually identical to last year.

Moving the breeze-up section of the sale to the forthcoming December auction – thereby avoiding a clash with the racecourse’s busy Countryside Day – was bound to affect figures, while a notably dry autumn in Ireland has led to fewer runners at Irish point-to-points, a staple source of horses at Cheltenham sales.