THE horses in training session which preceded Thursday’s breeze up sale was topped by the regally-bred two-year-old Sea The Stars filly out of the Nathaniel mare Pinkster who was knocked down to Oakgrove Stud’s David Hilton for 150,000gns on behalf of John Deer’s Chepstow-based farm. It was a record price for a filly in this sale.

The filly was sold for 600,000gns as a yearling at Book 1 by Newsells Stud but the buyer did not pay for her, so she was reoffered here.

“It is very much a pedigree-based purchase,” explained Hilton. “Mr Deer is very fond of the pedigree, we have Poplin under the second dam and she is doing well for us. We are happy to buy this filly, whether we race her or not is up for debate, but she will join the broodmare band eventually.”

Pinkster is out of the listed-winning Darshaan mare Puce and is a half-sister to Group 2 Lancashire Oaks winner Pongee, the dam of four blacktype performers.

Hilton added: “I spoke to Megan Evans at Vicarage who was very honest and said they have not done a great deal with her. She is very elegant, big, she has a lovely head and is a good mover. She is very ‘Sea The Stars’ and Nathaniel is starting to do well as a broodmare sire. Pinkster is a Newsells Park-based mare and I am sure they will be looking after her very well and we will be looking on with interest.”

The filly was consigned to the sale by Vicarage Farm and her three-year-old half-sister is the two-time winner Paz.

Caustic, a unraced three-year-old son of Galileo from the Juddmonte Farms draft, was bought by trainer Ian Williams for 75,000gns.

Williams said: “He’s been bought on spec. I’m not sure of the plan yet but we’ll get him home and geld him, and then see where we are. He’s a lovely type of horse who vetted well – just the type we enjoy training.”

The colt is out of the Dynaformer mare Starformer, a multiple graded race winner in the US and dam of the listed winner and Grade 2 placed Flavius.

Agent Ted Durcan paid 75,000gns for Kiwano, a four-year-old gelding by Dabirsim. When trained by David Simcock, Kiwano won three times over five, six and seven furlongs, his latest win coming in March off a mark of 92. “He is for a new owner with trainer George Baker,” said Durcan. “He is a lovely consistent type, and must have fast ground. He should be a fun Saturday horse for this summer. He came recommended by previous trainer David Simcock.”

The Claire O’Connell-trained Limerick maiden winner Empty Metaphor sold for 70,000gns to Qatari owner Mohammed Hamad Khalifa Al-Attiyah.