THE demand from racehorse owners for Irish point-to-pointers with form showed no signs of abating at Thursday's Goffs UK Aintree Sale when 24 horses sold for an average price of £122,000.

Topping the sale was Nativehill, a winner last Saturday at Loughanmore for local trainer Colin McKeever and owner Wilson Dennison. The Flemensfirth five-year-old is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Bellshill and fetched £260,000, to the bid of agent Ian Ferguson who was acting on behalf of owner Ronnie Bartlett.

Earlier in the day the Bartlett-owned Banbridge won a Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree and that horse was also sourced from the McKeever-Dennison academy.

Gordon Elliott looks set to train D B Cooper, a winner at Ballyknock on April 5th for Sean Doyle. This Getaway four-year-old was bought by agent Joey Logan on behalf of owners Andrew and Gemma Brown for £225,000. The Browns lost multiple Grade 1 winner Mighty Potter at Fairyhouse last Sunday.

Logan said: "He is probably one of the top-rated four-year-olds of the season and he came highly recommended."

D B Cooper cost just €28,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale last June when bought by the Doyles' Monbeg Stables.

Jeu Des Champs, runner-up at Quakerstown last Sunday, was sold by handler Harley Dunne for £180,000 to agent Jerry McGrath. The four-year-old by Joshua Tree was a €65,000 purchase at last year's Land Rover Sale and is reportedly to be trained by Nicky Henderson.

Dunne had previously sold Thursday's Grade 2 bumper winner Dysart Enos at this sale.

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Statistics

Offered: 27

Sold: 24 (89%)

Aggregate: £2,945,000 (-19%)

Average: £122,708 (-9%)

Median: £110,000 (+16%)