NOW in its sixth year of hosting sport horse auctions, Bolesworth managing director Nina Barbour, described as “astounding’’ the positive improvement in both British and Irish breeding in recent years.

“Breeders have been investing in their broodmares, and riders have been looking at their top mares for embryo transfer, and as a result the quality being submitted to our auctions is really the black type standard that we set out to achieve,” said Barbour.