THERE might have been a slight drop in a couple of key areas but the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale was still a good edition of the flagship auction. For only the third time in the sale’s history, the turnover reached €17 million and the median of €42,000 was only marginally behind the record breaking €43,000 figure from 2017.

At the top of the market, prices were of a more reserved variety – perhaps a product of Gigginstown House Stud’s withdrawal from the store market – and the number of six-figure transactions dropped back to 24 having been 33 two years ago.