THE turnover record set last year at this sale was broken on Thursday, the highlight of a day where the action was decidedly low-key compared to the previous three. With a day to go, the turnover reached 26,857,300gns, already a new high.

The top lot came with the Irish-trained two-year-old River Boyne who was knocked down to Alastair Donald for 70,000gns on behalf of Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. The US team had returned home to watch their gelding Itsinthepost run in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Trained by Gordon Elliot for Nick Bradley Racing, River Boyne is rated 91 following a recent all-weather win at Newcastle.