THE seven-day marathon at Goresbridge closed on Wednesday night with a set of returns that illustrated the ever-growing divide between the top and the base of the sport horse market. Good in parts, but very tough in others, the final sessions opened positively when the four-year-old trade showed a marked improvement from 12 months ago.

The number of five-figure returns significantly increased to 16 (seven in 2025), while the clearance of 62% (48% in 2025) was also positive. Overall however, the quality of the age group was mixed - which resulted in the inevitable divide and an average of €6,007 (€5,897).